Early Palm Warblers
If I had to pick out one theme of the overall autumn songbird migration thus far it would have to be how oddly scheduled our birds have been. Are they checking their calendars correctly? Different parts of the region are having often different sightings, possibly based on local conditions including drought and more than double the anticipated amount of rain in some areas, of birds that “should” or “should not” be seen. Lincoln’s Sparrows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and birds like these Palm Warblers (Setophaga palmarum) are October species to me with that being the...
Read MoreRadar Migration September 11, 2016
Here we go again! The cold front that passed through the region this weekend has ushered in a strong northwest flow, and our birds are on the move – get out there tomorrow and enjoy it.
Read MoreLeast Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)
I love the Least Flycatcher’s scientific name (Empidonax minimus) as it is so very easy to understand. The tiniest of the empidonax flycatchers has a bold eye ring, and any yellow or green you seen on the feathers of this bird was a reflection of today’s warm morning light off the surrounding foliage. This was one of many cool migrants I enjoyed early this Friday, and the kind bird posed so well for me during an otherwise frustrating photography day. I wish you a wonderful Labor Day weekend of heading outdoors to see what you can find. It will also be a weekend of seeing what is...
Read MoreRadar Migration September 1, 2016
Happy September! Kick yours off with a great day of birding tomorrow and hopefully Saturday as the birds head out on the northerly flow behind the finally departed front. Once we get to Sunday the weather gets intriguing with Tropical Storm Hermine making a run to the Northeast and likely impacting conditions throughout the region. Remember that when looking at this radar capture the darker the blue, the more birds in the air. Green is even more intense and heavy migration. The birds appear to be basically centered around radar stations because the radar beam rises through the atmosphere as...
Read MoreLighthouse Lightning
We really are saying goodbye to the summertime now and hello again to some more dry conditions (unfortunately) in the Northeast. Stratford Point had a good run of thunderstorms for a week or so in mid-August, but even these photos show a storm that is over Long Island Sound and ended up providing a very light shower for literally a minute or two. Nevertheless, the pink explosions against the blue clouds all lit by the setting sun provided a pretty scene. I was also able to capture one of the few cloud to ground lightning strikes on the Sound to the east of the Stratford Point Light. Parts of...
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