Indigo Bunting at Home
Even though eBird tells me that they’re not here yet, two gorgeous Indigo Buntings were hanging out in our yard today anyway. Spring is on! Twan Leenders President
Read MoreGray Ghost Northern Harrier
This is a “Gray Ghost” Northern Harrier, an adult male soaring through the sky and hunting over grasslands. The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History has been assisting the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for a second season of wintering raptor surveys in Chautauqua County in 2014-2015. The primary focus of these surveys is to determine where Short-eared Owls (Asio flammeus), ‘endangered’ in New York, and Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus), ‘threatened’ in New York, are spending the winter season to roost and feed. As we...
Read MoreStarving Raptors
These photos are of a Northern Harrier on the hunt, swooping over grasslands and fields in search of small mammal prey. While I took these shots mere days ago this type of predatory behavior in itself has been a bit more scarce than usual this winter. Birds of prey, including owls and various hawks, have had a very difficult time finding food during the historically cold and very snowy conditions. Needing more calories than ever to survive in this weather they have had very little to find, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation reports there has been a high mortality...
Read MoreNorthern Harrier in the Snow and Sky
I recently photographed this Northern Harrier flying through some heavy snow. These are the most typical sort of views you will have of the species while surveying for them in the field. The long and thin raptor can often be easily identified swooping low over the land, watching for prey, by the big white patch at the base of the tail. They can be seen in grasslands, farm fields, and coastal areas. If you are one of our friends in Chautuauqa County please remember that we at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History are assisting the New York State Department of Environmental...
Read MoreWinter Raptor Count – RTPI on WGRZ TV
A tremendous thanks to Terry Belke of WGRZ TV in Buffalo for producing this article and video segment on the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History’s winter raptor surveys for his popular series “2 The Outdoors”. The video features RTPI President Twan Leenders and some footage and photos of our target species, the Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl. There is some seriously wonderful video to be seen, so please check it out! RTPI is assisting the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for a second season of wintering raptor surveys in Chautauqua...
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