Wilson’s Snipe
As the snow recedes and the marshes, rivers, wetlands and wet meadows thaw, birds like this Wilson’s Snipe can finally trickle back to the north. You can’t bury your bill in the frozen earth, but thankfully for them the end of the winter’s grip is here. This late afternoon bird is being heated by that warming sun, knowing its path back to its breeding grounds will soon be easier.
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 MoreSong Sparrow Up Close
This up close and personal encounter with a Song Sparrow took place entirely due to its own actions. I was photographing it feeding on some grasses when it kept approaching me, moving closer and closer, totally oblivious to my presence. It would look up at me ever so briefly, I suppose to make sure I was not about to pounce on it, but as you can see by its bill it was far more concerned with seeds than this human. Occasionally you run into a bird that believes you are not a threat or dismisses you entirely because it has prioritized feeding during an emergency situation or is exhausted, but...
Read MoreAmerican Robin in Winter
I photographed this American Robin (Turdus migratorius) this week as it and a few friends fed on various types of berries in my neighborhood. At this time of year we get emails and calls about American Robin sightings because yes, you will still find them here in the Northeast despite the snow and frigid temperatures. Some certainly fly south for the winter and many here and there will form large flocks, thus the frequency of our overall sightings of the species go down for multiple reasons. They’ll feed on wild berries but will not be interested in what we put out at feeding stations...
Read MoreSnowy Egret in December
I photographed this Snowy Egret last weekend in Stratford, Connecticut, as part of a Christmas Bird Count. It is one of only several recorded anywhere in the state in the last few decades during a CBC period. Climate change certainly has helped many new species pop up on these late autumn/early winter December days when they would normally be long gone to our south. I cannot blame the climate fully when accounting for this long-legged wader because while it appears to be perched at the edge of a coastal river or stream any waterbird would love, the water here is actually the outflow from a...
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