Common Goldeneye X Hooded Merganser Hybrid Duck
Our good friend, birder and veterinarian, Dr. William Seleen found a remarkable and fascinating bird during our local Jamestown, New York Christmas Bird Count on December 14. Take a look at the photo below and see if you can find the duck that is out of place in this group on Chautauqua Lake. Yep, the bird in the middle at the back is the one. Do you know the identity of the other waterfowl? Those are Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and this flock held approximately 75 individuals. Once I saw the photo of this individual I was able to identify it almost instantly. Any more thoughts on...
Read MoreFeeding Fox Sparrow
Twan snapped this snappy shot of a fine Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) feeding in the snow here at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. We have a solid snow cover thanks to the lake effect madness off Erie in the past week, though certainly nothing of the magnitude our neighbors just to our north do. Fox Sparrows are notorious for seeking out feeders during inclement weather. If difficult conditions strike at the right time, especially in the March movement north, you may end up with several or even over a dozen in your yard. Have you had any of them visiting you this...
Read MoreFox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
One of my favorite parts of the chilly month of November is the return of the Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) which becomes widespread after most of the other sparrow species have passed through or established winter territory. As you may have seen at your feeders this relatively large sparrow is a big time kicker, making feeding in the early season leaf litter and snow much easier. They are often difficult birds to dig up on Christmas Bird Counts as they are shy and like to remain hidden or close to a ready escape most of the time. If you have never had one in your yard try placing seed on...
Read MoreJuvenile Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
This juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) had landed only moments before I snapped this photo on Monday morning. Oak trees like this one, in contrast to the maple branch you can see, shed their leaves late in the autumn foliage season. As such they are an ideal spot for a young migrant like this one to stop on the way south while staying out of sight. I snapped a few photos of the bird while on the phone with RTPI’s Conservation Technician Elyse Henshaw. By the time we were off and I looked back it was already gone. Ships in the night… Scott Kruitbosch Conservation &...
Read MoreFrozen Great Lakes
This is a great graphic of the frozen Great Lakes via Martha Thierry/Detroit Free Press derived from NOAA data. I’d never felt this sort of cold in my life and I’m not surprised they have the most ice in 34 years. Many other inland open waterways to the south and on the Atlantic coast have held birds typically found on the less frozen Lakes. Spring is coming despite some more upcoming cold through mid-March and this won’t last for much longer!
Read More
