Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator)
Here in Chautauqua County we are accustomed to seeing Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) throughout the migratory and wintering seasons. If you are very lucky you may someday be able to pick out a Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) in similar habitats. The Trumpeter Swan, the largest of North America’s waterfowl, was nearly extinct in the early 20th century. Thankfully hunting for feathers for the quill pen market, among others, has ended and their numbers have rebounded. This is also due to hard work by the conservation community in North America. It can be very difficult to separate a...
Read MoreRusty Blackbird Pair
Here is a Throwback Thursday to a Rusty Blackbird male and female in the winter snow looking for food at a bird feeder after a storm. The male is the darker individual and the female is the lighter bird. Please remember that no matter where you live it is absolutely vital to enter any Rusty Blackbirds you see into eBird, especially during the 2015 Rusty Blackbird Spring Migration Blitz! See more information on how you can help save the species here on our website.
Read MoreRTPI Educational Presentation
Local friends! Check out this great program by RTPI Educator Tina Scherman for ages 8 and up based on a children’s book, For the Birds, The Life of Roger Tory Peterson written by Peggy Thomas and illustrated by Laura Jacques, at the James Prendergast Library at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays January 14 and 28. You’ll learn more about Roger Tory Peterson and his famous Peterson System of nature identification. You can find more information on the presentation here: http://rtpi.org/education/
Read MoreOrange-crowned Warblers
As I mentioned previously my first bird of 2015 was the Blue Jay, one of the most well-known species in all of North America. They even have their own team thanks to Toronto. On the opposite end of the spectrum would be a bird like the Orange-crowned Warbler, an uncommon warbler even in some of the more common parts of its range, and a tough one to find in the Northeast in the winter (or any time, really!) regardless of their seemingly higher than average numbers this year. The species has a rather quiet and unassuming behavior and appearance with mostly drab colors, the orange crown being...
Read MoreWorn Field Guide – Throwback Thursday
This is my current Peterson Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America. It is a fifth edition I have owned for nearly a decade. I thought I would toss this up for a Throwback Thursday and point out how worn it is. Forget the corners and edges, and even the binding is starting to give. The cover is really and truly that faded color after many hours in the sun in my vehicles or somewhere else. Rain, snow and saltwater spray has taken a toll, too. Considering what it has been through I think it is actually doing well. How’s yours looking? Scott Kruitbosch Conservation...
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