Northern Mockingbird
This is one small bird with a frightening gaze! Watch out for the Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos), folks…even when they are not defending a nest and zooming at your head they certainly give off a scary vibe. I would not turn my back to this one. As long as it has some tasty food like those berries and some unfrozen water it will be content to stick out the winter in a given location. I don’t care what I’m imagining, that is not a happy expression…but I am happy they are such a successful species advancing northward in their territory. Scott Kruitbosch...
Read MoreSee a Saw-whet?
Maybe we will start to feel a little more seasonable with some cooler air working in now. The Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius acadicus) will keep on working in as well, moving south and giving you that real autumn feel if you are lucky enough to hear or spot one like in this great photo by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser.
Read MoreMoon Flight
There will be plenty of birds in the air tonight flying south on those north winds. Will this migration bring you your first Fox Sparrow or American Tree Sparrow of the fall tomorrow? Perhaps there will be some Snow Geese flying through the darkness to a field near you. Birds like the American Woodcock are still wrapping up their migration, and some will linger through early snowfalls. There are still dozens of species moving through the night, and good birding to you on a chilly but sunny and sensational weekend.
Read MoreLate Lady
This American Lady was a lovely mid-November sight earlier this week, basking in the sun on a still warmer than average afternoon. You can see what month it is by how low that sun angle is striking the butterfly, casting a long shadow as the days continue to get shorter and darker. Are you still seeing any lepidoptera out there? Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreGray Ghost
The past week yielded a very large push of migrant Northern Harriers throughout the Northeast, with a sizable percentage of these birds being gray ghosts – adult males – like this one. The strong north and northwest winds following this current cold front should help many more migrants come through our area in the next few days. Will there be more southern and western November rarities with them? Probably, so keep an eye out for everything from the Swainson’s Hawk to the Townsend’s Warbler. Don’t forget we are only a couple weeks away from December 1 and the...
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