Radar Migration September 10, 2015
This eastern radar screenshot was taken just before midnight as the birds have lifted off with extremely heavy nocturnal migration occurring everywhere to the west of the cold front on those lovely northerly winds. New England is being mostly shut out of the passerine movement tonight as precipitation remains over the region. The cool air will continue to pour in behind the front making for a strong diurnal raptor migration day Friday at hawk watch sites, and then a great Saturday morning for everyone in the Northeast. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach...
Read MoreRadar Migration September 3, 2015
Now that is what I call nocturnal migration! This was around midnight last night with the radar across the east being filled with birds heading south. Get outside today and find some…or many! It could also be the first decent day for some diurnal raptor migration at select hawk watch sites. Let us know what you’re seeing in your yards and favorite patches. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreFerruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium ridgwayi)
Yesterday RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser stumbled on his wonderful photo of this Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium ridgwayi). He said it instantly brought him back to that night of achievement in Costa Rica. He and Tyler Christensen had been conducting a nightly owl census for over a month but had been unsuccessful in calling in one of these feisty owls. On their last net check of the night they found their first net empty, believing it to be another disappointing evening. When they shined their headlamps on the second net they saw little yellow feet kneading at the net against the pole, and...
Read MoreTurkey Vulture
During a late afternoon on a lovely day last week I did a double take as I found an unexpected bird on the lawn – a Turkey Vulture! It had discovered a dead Eastern Chipmunk only moments earlier and was preparing to do its job. I was with my Shetland Sheepdog, Zach, who had not seen the bird over the slight hill in the lawn. I walked back to him, bent down and told him to look at this bird as I pointed. He eagerly glanced around and spotted it, eyes widening and slowly creeping towards it out of curiously and intrigue despite my cautioning. He held at this position, head forward,...
Read MoreYard Sharp-shinned Hawk
Here is a somewhat bigger recent bird from Twan’s yard, the Sharp-shinned Hawk! Hey, raptors have to eat too, and they are doing their biological function by preying on the various other avian populations in the area. They have growing young that need all the food they can get…after all, a significant percentage of their soon to be fledged and subsequently juvenile birds will starve to death. Nature is a difficult balance to say the least.
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