Eastern Towhee Male
I was hiding in the shadows and bushes when photographing this male Eastern Towhee, albeit unintentionally and unexpectedly, instead of it hiding from me in the vegetation and darkness. That piercing eye still sees all! They might be dining at your house sometime this winter, if you’re lucky. Most of the time they are found at bird feeders during particularly inclement, and especially snowy, weather. We may not have much of that going on, yet, but with the temperature dropping the lake effect snow machine will be turned on again soon at least. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation &...
Read MoreWhere Are They?!
We have now entered December, and though we lack the truly cold air that the month and the beginning of meteorological winter can sometimes bring, we are cooling down and birds are still moving south. Regular arrivals spanning the spectrum from the American Tree Sparrows of our backyards to the Tundra Swans of Chautauqua Lake are joining us now. Where are we with the irruptive avian species so far this season across the Northeast and Midwest? I went through eBird maps this morning to find that out, and let’s start with the big name… The Snowy Owls started their annual southbound...
Read MoreNorthern Cardinal
Here’s a female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) enjoying another lovely November day during what was one of the warmest meteorological autumns (September, October and November) on record for our region. We often forget the familiar backyard species is another bird expanding their range northward, using the changing climate, regrowth of woodlands and expansion of suburban yard and bird feeders to their advantage in the Northeast. They do look so wonderful against a snow cover, but we may have to wait on that for a while.
Read MoreMorning Dark-eyed Junco
Do you have your Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) back in your yard yet? I recently photographed this little returning bird with the early morning eastern sun lighting it up nicely. These variable feeder friends are moving through now after most other avian migration has wrapped up for the year. Soon enough it will be the Fox Sparrows and American Tree Sparrows, even if it does not feel like it with all of this warm weather…get your seed ready now, and keep watching for November rarities at home. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreEastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum)
I love happy endings! Several weeks ago, one of our neighbors contacted me because she had seen a gorgeous Eastern Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum) near her bird feeders. She liked the snake, but liked her birds better and did not want to see her bird feeder become a snake feeder. I assured her that Milk Snakes are more likely to help her control the rodents in her yard than decimate her songbirds, but we agreed that if it would show up again I would come and get the snake and find it a new home. To my great surprise a few days ago I got a call from our front desk that somebody wanted to...
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