White-breasted Nuthatch Posing
It looked like this White-breasted Nuthatch was doing a seed commercial, holding out the delicious product before gulping it down, and then asking me about the previous take. Alternatively, I go a little crazy at this time of year when prolonged periods of heavy desk work and inclement weather keep me indoors a bit too much. Let’s all make sure to go outside tomorrow on a sunny Sunday! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreExtremely abundant common sparrows
This Dark-eyed Junco can be seen chowing down on a seed while nearly 200 more of its friends were doing the same nearby. I cannot recall a time where I have seen a greater sustained abundance, perhaps for the last three or four weeks, of a few common sparrow species spread across the region. There have been huge flocks of Song Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and White-throated Sparrows seemingly everywhere in appropriate habitat. Have you noticed the same? Maybe they had a very productive nesting year and perhaps they are also irrupting due to a lack of food in the north. Thankfully there is no...
Read MoreAmerican Crow hunting acorns
I spotted this American Crow having a delightful time watching all of the action around it as more American Crows plus Blue Jays, squirrels and chipmunks all eagerly grabbed countless acorns under an oak tree. In this shot it almost seemed like it was gleefully sizing up the tree, taking an account of how much stock was left in this giant store. There are feeding frenzies going on all around us with wildlife storing food for the winter during a very helpful warm November stretch. That is about to end as colder than average temperatures are coming for the mid-month with some snow in the...
Read MoreHorned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
The Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) is a species of open areas – the tundra, grasslands, fields, beaches and dunes and even the desert. Unsurprisingly they feed on the ground on insects and seeds and often take advantage of human activity disturbing areas such as mowed airports or piles of plowed earth or snow that expose more food. When it comes to the winter you will find them wherever it is the most bare. You can frequently spot them with Snow Buntings and, more rarely, the Lapland Longspur. They are also another species decreasing across much of their range and are listed as...
Read MoreAmerican Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) by Scott Kruitbosch
I found this American Goldfinch sitting on our windows on the morning of January 23 at RTPI. It had just eaten sunflower seeds at our feeders for a bit and then chose to sit here in the sun against the building, all puffed up – the bird version of wearing extra layers. After a few minutes of warming up it flew off. There are plenty of extra fluffy birds on our property lately…
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