Horned Lark
Last week I showed you the Horned Lark in a bare field that very much resembled the feathers of its back and wings – brown soil with twigs and roots. Here is the opposite as one fed among a flock of its kind in the snow with only bits of grass and vegetation poking up here and there thanks to the wind and their work at the earth. I thought it was funny and perhaps rather smart when it perched on a rock for a minute. Not only did it get out of the snow but I suppose that is the best kind of camouflage it could now find. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach...
Read MoreRough-legged Hawk
This Rough-legged Hawk put on a brief but thrilling show for me today, facing into the wind to help it hover while scanning the land below for any small mammal prey. The wind was particularly strong thanks to the major storm currently impacting the Northeast region. Whichever one of the hawk’s eyes that was being battered by the wind the most was often covered by its nictitating membrane. This third eyelid is almost like wearing a pair of sunglasses for the raptor in that it can still see while the eye is more protected than it would be otherwise. It was also keeping the eye moist with...
Read MoreWindow Ice
Is it cold enough for you this morning? Here’s a look out the window at the intricate ice that had formed on the glass. This Valentine’s Day will stay frigid but relief is on the way soon with more lake effect snow across Chautauqua County and a mostly wet nor’easter along the Atlantic coast this week. Keep your feeders full! The birds can take the temperatures, but they do need all the calories they can get on days like this. Be sure to bundle up when you venture outdoors, and enjoy this sunny winter day. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach...
Read MoreSnowy Designs
Sometimes we do not even need any wildlife to liven up our winter wonderland. In this case the wind blowing over the snow and the vegetation poking through was enough to create a serene scene with a haunting but warm beauty. I thought it looked almost like a desert, relatively devoid of life and barren at the moment. The snow looked more like grains of sand than your typical snowflakes, lacking any large dendrites or plates. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreSnow Bunting
Earlier today I mentioned that the Snow Buntings have taken the current crown for best line of defense with their white feathers blending in to the snow-covered fields and grasslands across much of the continent. This uncommon view of one perched on a tree branch takes away that camouflage but leaves us with a beautiful sight against a perfectly deep, blue sky on a chilly February day. Our birds better hurry up and find a great feeding spot because they are going to need the calories this weekend. Valentine’s Day is going to be utterly frigid as we plunge to below-zero temperatures as...
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