Grassland Migrants
Yesterday I was able to enjoy and photograph a couple of uncommon grassland birds for us in the Northeast – the Dickcissel (Spiza americana) and the Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum). Both of these species had been spotted at Stratford Point where they are almost annual visitors, with Dickcissels typically stopping over in the fall and Grasshopper Sparrows being seen sometimes in both spring and autumn. I decided to take a walk around the site with my friend and great birder Tom Murray as we were giving the sparrows some space in hopes the unseen Grasshopper would pop back...
Read MoreGrasshopper Sparrow
I photographed this Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) last week on a dreary and foggy morning in grasslands known to be a spring migratory site for the species. It was busy feeding in the mist, generally avoiding any picturesque views, as is typical for the species. It had even been singing the previous day! RTPI staff documented confirmed breeding of Henslow’s Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows at the Chautauqua County/Jamestown Airport (KJHW) during the summer of 2013. Both species are listed as New York endangered species with the Henslow’s Sparrow classified as ‘threatened’ and...
Read MoreYellow-breasted Chats in New York
Earlier today I uploaded this video of a notorious skulker, the Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens), to our YouTube Channel. The bird was foraging for prey in dense brush and thickets. This behavior is typical of the often hidden species. While it is not necessarily shy – this individual feeling comfortable enough to feed as I filmed shows that much – it certainly knows how to stay out of sight for the most part. It made me ponder the current status of the species as a whole in Western New York and the surrounding region. Back in Connecticut I actually saw several...
Read MoreHelp fill in eBird data gaps
As we enter 2014 there is no better time than to declare yourself a citizen scientist for the New Year. Make the resolution now please and start your journey by eBirding all of your sightings on New Year’s Day and every day you can thereafter. For those who do not know eBird it is essentially a protected database of avian observations from around the world that is fully searchable by the public, completely free, and intended to last forever to be used by scientists anywhere on Earth. Our collective efforts help to fuel this conservation machine and their maps, graphs, and tables allow...
Read MoreShort-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) by Twan Leenders
This morning Twan found six Short-eared Owls at the Chautauqua County/Jamestown Airport hanging out near a warm wet spot within all the snow (funny, the breeding Henslow’s Sparrows like the same areas!) This evening we enjoyed watching at least that many hunting for their small mammal prey. The favored hunting area on Airport Drive seems to be the best spot to watch them in flight and perch on some of the runway lights.
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