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Posts Tagged "singing"

American Redstart

Posted on May 19, 2016

American Redstart

Here are a couple more shots from the Noble Proctor BioBlitz Challenge featuring an adult male American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). This and many other Redstarts were foraging and singing nonstop on the beautiful spring morning. The species is utterly saturating our region right now with birds that can be seen or heard nearly anywhere you can find trees. I am still seeing mostly males, and I think we have a sizable number of birds yet to come over the next week or two. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator

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Prairie Warbler

Posted on May 11, 2016

Prairie Warbler

This male Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) put on a sensational display for us last Sunday all while singing away and finding plenty to eat after his journey the previous night. It took a few hours to finally see the bird after hearing the rising, buzzy song repeatedly in the morning. The sun was shining brightly high in the sky by the time he came out into the open, giving the yellow warbler an even brighter glow while foraging in these willows. The Prairie Warbler is one of those species that perplexes me in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region. I feel like there should be more of them in...

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Brown Thrasher Singing

Posted on May 3, 2016

Brown Thrasher Singing

This Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) was another recent sighting of mine. It may be in a suitable nesting location – a blueberry patch – and was singing away from multiple perches. Another bird was nearby, and both were active and remaining in the same area. This does not necessarily mean they will make a nest here, but for now it is possible and perhaps probable. Look at that eye… Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator

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American Redstart

Posted on May 3, 2016

American Redstart

This is as good of a photo that I could get this morning of the adult male American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) seen below, and clearly I need to do better! The conditions were brutal with continued rain and some fog moving in on a very dark day, making the bird stand out even more against the drab surroundings. It was foraging and catching quite a bit while showing those bright wings and that flashy tail to help scare up insects. The weather has been uncooperative for birds as the first few days of the May migratory flight has been difficult with variable winds and precipitation making...

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Field Sparrow

Posted on May 2, 2016

Field Sparrow

The fields are alive with the sound of music…and in this case it was the voices of many Field Sparrows (Spizella pusilla) singing on territory in the grasslands and open country across the region. Let’s all focus on keeping our open habitats healthy and available for birds like this! Development and unchecked regrowth of forests without natural wildfires will all but eliminate them otherwise while invasives, monocultures or chemicals can degrade them further. Sometimes we have to work to preserve nature after all we have done to modify our natural world. Scott Kruitbosch...

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