Female Eastern Towhee
Here is the female Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) looking well after a meal (note the bits left on the bill). She is being pushed by the cool northeast winds, her brown, orange and white feathers blowing a little in the breeze. That piercing red eye is magnificent! Autumn migration is a great time to find this bird, but you may also end up seeing them in the winter – especially if one comes to seek refuge at your feeders after a major snowstorm.
Read MoreMonarch Movement
As we press on into October it becomes all the more vital for Monarch butterflies to hurry up and head to the south. The weather may feel lovely this week with sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s and 70s, but as Yogi Berra said, it is getting late early. The results of tagged Monarch butterfly studies have shown that those individuals that migrate earlier have a better chance of reaching the wintering grounds. Every week that passes at our higher latitudes in the United States means it will be more difficult for those currently passing through to survive the journey. At least right now...
Read MoreDark-eyed Junco
It’s that time again! One of everyone’s backyard favorites, the Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), is on the way south. These cute little birds are returning to yards like yours now if you are not one of the lucky few to have them year-round. Their autumn arrival, along with that of the White-throated Sparrow, is one of the first big signs of fall to me each October. I look forward to spending six months with friends like this. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreWhite-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
This White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) thought it was completely hidden from my sight – nice try, my friend! It is an adult who, as you can also see, still had some crumbs on its mouth…or bits of seeds on its bill. Close enough. Go out and have a tremendously birdy Sunday with the many sparrows passing through our area right now. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreLess Common Yellowthroats
What a difference a day makes! Yesterday, October 1, changed both the calendar and the composition of life as nocturnal migration slammed a lot of areas in the lower Northeast and Mid-Atlantic with some of those really autumnal avian sightings. I had my first of fall White-throated Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos along with dozens of Eastern Phoebes. I also picked up a Lincoln’s Sparrow to start off the most sparrow month of the year. Warblers are starting to thin out and turn over to later migrating species, and the now less Common Yellowthroats like this one are becoming a bit more...
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