Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)
Fall shorebirding can be very rewarding in a number of diverse habitats including farm fields, parking lots with pools of water, muddy pastures, grasslands, beaches, and rocky shorelines. Whether they are foraging, preening, or roosting there are always good chances to examine shorebirds for prolonged periods. That does not mean the task of identifying them will be easy! For every readily identifiable bird like the American Oystercatcher there seem to be a few difficult to discern species. The juvenile Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri), as seen below and photographed in late August, can be...
Read MoreRed-breasted Nuthatch Invasion
Who turned the Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) switch on? The most noticeable trend thus far in this autumn migration has been the appearance of Red-breasted Nuthatches all over the place in the Northeast. Birders have reported them at migratory hotspots, in yards where they are not resident, and even noticeable increases in abundance at locations where they are found year-round. While I have enjoyed hearing their nasal, honking calls and seeing them frantically dashing overhead from tree to tree, I was not able to adequately photograph any of these arrivals until this past weekend....
Read MoreRed-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis)
Even as we enter September there are still plenty of beautiful butterflies on the wing like this Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis) photographed yesterday. It has some wear and tear, and it is a bit faded, but the exquisite design still shines brightly on a gray day. Take a look at all the shots it allowed me to capture while nectaring on this butterfly bush. You can see there are rips on the wings with the edges have been worn away, but what is most striking to me is how those wings still reflect and change light. The colors appear to be duller, bolder, brighter, darker, more vibrant...
Read MoreBroad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator)
The uncommon skippers are starting to pop up more and more as butterflies fill the fields and meadows here in the late summer. This Broad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator) is a species of marshes and wet areas, though in this case it provided great views in a garden.
Read MoreAmerican Goldfinch on Cutleaf Coneflower
This American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) posed so delightfully for a split second while dining on this Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)…and we wonder why they are gold…what perfection.
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