Migrant Eastern Kingbird
Here’s an Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) ruling over a field in migration while snatching up all sorts of flying insects. The healthier our grasslands and open areas are the healthier our birds like this one will be for a prolonged migration between continents.
Read MoreCamera Blunders
During this time of the year, when bird migrations are happening, salamander eggs are growing and plants are budding, it doesn’t take long to kill a camera battery from lots of activity. And once that battery is dead, it doesn’t do any good when you are headed into the field once again! I discovered on Monday morning as RTPI Alex Shipherd and I were headed up to the Chautauqua County-Jamestown Airport, that my camera battery was done for. Alex’s camera was ready to go, and I at least had my phone and we took our field scope with as well. As you can see, we found Eastern...
Read MoreHorned Larks
I have had a great time seeing Horned Larks lately after striking out on them for all of the past autumn and and most of this winter in Connecticut. After having success this past week I ended up taking many photographs of birds feeding on edges and in snow-covered grasslands in Stratford, and I wanted to share a bunch of them with you all in a slideshow of sorts below. Here were a bunch of birds feeding on the edges in the roadways and exposed areas. Unfortunately there was one recently-deceased individual, the body still warm. Fortunately for science and research Patrick Comins, Audubon...
Read MoreVesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
In the continuing spirit of “it’s time to find [bird X]”…it’s right about time to find the Vesper Sparrows! This large sparrow has a bright, bold white eye ring that stands out in nearly any conditions. It can find the perfect habitat for migration throughout the Chautauqua-Allegheny region favoring farms, grasslands, fields and even scrubby or rocky areas like this one. If you ever spot a Vesper Sparrow during nesting season please let us know so we can help you do all you can to protect the habitat. They are decreasing in many areas of their range including...
Read MoreBrown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) by Scott Kruitbosch
Spoke to a landowner today who told me about a pair of breeding Brown Thrasher he hosts every year. Do you have any imperiled or rare species nesting on your property? We’d love to know, especially when it comes to grassland and shrubland birds. Email skruitbosch AT rtpi.org!
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