Cooper’s Hawk
I have been posting many photos of migrant songbirds lately, and here is one of their predators – the Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii). This raptor of the forest is an extremely agile and talented flier, able to navigate through thick woodlands in pursuit of prey. You may recognize them from your yard as they are frequent bird feeder guests, targeting hungry passerines. They seem to be less adept at capturing prey in open areas like this one, unable to fully utilize their maneuverability and relative speed as they do in more dense habitat to surprise and outwit songbirds. This...
Read MoreCREA’s Cocobolo Tanagers
Sean created this beautiful image of a few of the common tanagers the crew catches in Panama at CREA’s Cocobolo Nature Reserve. First is the Red-crowned Ant Tanager (Habia rubica), a species commonly found in the under story of secondary forest, known to often be found in mixed species flocks following army ants. Next is the male White-shouldered Tanager (Tachyphonus luctuosus) followed by the Blue-gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus), both species that are regularly associated with forest edges. Photographed by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser for the Meet Your Neighbours global biodiversity...
Read MoreBlue Jay Migratory Flock
Can you identify this flock in the sky? It is an April sighting that you may not expect as so many birds are pushing back to the north, our climate moving into the warm season and the weather improving as each spring day passes. These are all Blue Jays in a sizable group, one of many hundreds of similar flocks that fly over Long Island Sound from points unknown, landing at Stratford Point in Stratford, Connecticut. Sometimes the birds make a brief stop, resting in the trees, before immediately continuing their flight. Other times smaller groups stay and disperse a bit, looking to feed. More...
Read MoreTanager Trifecta
On Sean’s last trip to Costa Rica one of his main goals was attempting to photograph what he dubbed the “Tanager Trifecta”: the Speckled Tanager (Tangara guttata), Emerald Tanager (Tangara florida), and the Silver-throated Tanager (Tangara icterocephala). All three species are typically found above 500 meters in elevation, often seen foraging in mixed species flocks on the edge of forest habitat, which are the exact conditions that Rara Avis’ main base camp clearing offers. They are also all featured on the same page in the Birds of Costa Rica guide, each with their own unique plumage...
Read MoreRing-necked Duck Hiding
If you take a look at the center of this image you will find a drake with a black back and darker gray wings than those surrounding it. This is a Ring-necked Duck taking a snooze with Greater Scaup. Even sleeping ducks like these offer a lot of examination possibilities and some unexpected identifications. You could always find a few feathers out of place on one of their heads and come up with a Tufted Duck as well!
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