American Kestrel
This is a terrific time of year to spot American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) heading south and making their way through the sky and farmlands of places like our own Chautauqua County. They will need place to stop and feed along the way, hunting all the songbirds also migrating through the region as well as dragonflies. There are so many birds passing over our heads right now – don’t forget to look up!
Read MorePeregrine Falcon
Sometimes inclement weather conditions can create challenging or unique photographic ones, as was the case with this Peregrine Falcon. The bird flew over me unexpectedly, and I was certainly not at all ready with my camera as I had been shooting stationary sparrows in the dark brush – far different than a raptor soaring by in a turbulent, pale sky. Nevertheless, the gray conditions made it easier for me to swing up and hit it with a couple of shots, leaving me one decent photo. It looked rather bland so I turned it into a more striking black and white shot for the fastest animal on the...
Read MoreRadar Migration September 11, 2016
Here we go again! The cold front that passed through the region this weekend has ushered in a strong northwest flow, and our birds are on the move – get out there tomorrow and enjoy it.
Read MoreJuvenile Red-tailed Hawk
This juvenile Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is a very intriguing bird. These photos are as close as they appear, and it paid zero attention or regard to anyone or anything going on around it. The hawk enjoys sitting on wires and poles, occasionally glancing at someone if they are very loud or very close in a more curious than scared way. It seems likely that this goes beyond a case of being “young and dumb” which happens often enough in raptors with juvenile birds being too bold, too trusting, or too confident. This is probably a bird who grew up in an urban environment...
Read MoreRadar Migration September 1, 2016
Happy September! Kick yours off with a great day of birding tomorrow and hopefully Saturday as the birds head out on the northerly flow behind the finally departed front. Once we get to Sunday the weather gets intriguing with Tropical Storm Hermine making a run to the Northeast and likely impacting conditions throughout the region. Remember that when looking at this radar capture the darker the blue, the more birds in the air. Green is even more intense and heavy migration. The birds appear to be basically centered around radar stations because the radar beam rises through the atmosphere as...
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