Eastern Towhee Male
I was hiding in the shadows and bushes when photographing this male Eastern Towhee, albeit unintentionally and unexpectedly, instead of it hiding from me in the vegetation and darkness. That piercing eye still sees all! They might be dining at your house sometime this winter, if you’re lucky. Most of the time they are found at bird feeders during particularly inclement, and especially snowy, weather. We may not have much of that going on, yet, but with the temperature dropping the lake effect snow machine will be turned on again soon at least. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation &...
Read MoreWhere Are They?!
We have now entered December, and though we lack the truly cold air that the month and the beginning of meteorological winter can sometimes bring, we are cooling down and birds are still moving south. Regular arrivals spanning the spectrum from the American Tree Sparrows of our backyards to the Tundra Swans of Chautauqua Lake are joining us now. Where are we with the irruptive avian species so far this season across the Northeast and Midwest? I went through eBird maps this morning to find that out, and let’s start with the big name… The Snowy Owls started their annual southbound...
Read MoreTufted Titmouse
Entering the holiday season also means that we are getting into feeding season in our yards as our little songbird friends turn to us for an extra snack or two. Are your bird feeders set up and filled with food yet? The Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is one of the more curious, frequent and friendly backyard birds, looking to drop down on feeders for a big sunflower seed to take and crack apart. The species also hoards food, taking some of what you put out and storing it somewhere for later. Who knows, maybe you were planning a winter vacation – they want to be prepared! If you...
Read MoreHummingbird Garden
This November has been a warm one until recently! As mentioned yesterday, the month is typically known for its avian rarities in the Northeast with southerly flow events followed by strong cold fronts, moving those that traveled up on those winds back down to coastal areas especially. Cave Swallows are a featured species in this phenomenon, with some more still being seen around the Great Lakes today and hundreds of others transported back to the New England coast to presumably move south again. Hummingbirds are also being seen more frequently in late autumn and early winter across the...
Read MorePesticides
Is this treatment really necessary in 2015? Do people think that a process which ends with a sign being erected warning them of pesticide and to stay clear for at least 24 hours, with a crossed out circle featuring a pet and a child, is somehow going to mean they have a healthy yard? How can anyone think these chemicals will not harm them, not to mention the environment, for a prolonged period of time? These little things drive me crazy, especially when my name is attached to it…we need to stop making some yards into fields of death, and besides that, what is the prettiest picture of...
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