Barred Owl (Strix varia)
This Barred Owl (Strix varia) saw me long before I saw it, monitoring my movements from afar while perched in this tree on a cloudy May morning. Those enormous dark eyes tracked me in a relaxed fashion as I was still rather far away when I noticed it. I had been watching several warblers and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher before my eyes stumbled on this slightly larger species. Barred Owls are, of course, usually snoozing during the day, but not always – and the spring season is when I have seen them the most active diurnally. This bird did not wake up because I was there, nor was it sleepy....
Read MoreGroundhog Day?
Groundhog Day? Not quite! The grass is a little too green for that…but this woodchuck was on guard while having an evening meal and keeping a watchful eye over the yard. It seems to be casting a little bit of a shadow, even without all those TV lights surrounding it. Does that mean we will have six more weeks of summer?
Read MorePeterson Field Guides
Throwback Thursday to the original! It was now over 80 years ago that Roger Tory Peterson’s A Field Guide to the Birds was first released – April 27, 1934. It was and still is a catalyst that sparks a passion for bird watching in millions of people. It is a powerful tool in the conservation movement to support environmental awareness, understanding and stewardship. Keep the momentum going by venturing out into the chilly air with your favorite Peterson’s guide for a walk in the woods or even by staying cozy indoors and enjoying “your” birds at home through the...
Read MoreSnowy Owl photos: a day in the life
This is less of a “day” than a 15 or 20 minute period of me photographing and taking video of a Snowy Owl in the southern part of Jamestown, New York during the Christmas Bird Count for the city that took place on December 15, 2013. However, the photos do depict most of what goes on during the day at our latitude for a Snowy Owl. This bird looked to me like an immature male with a lot of barring over the body though not as dark, thick or bold as some are with a rather large white bib. Let’s let it narrate… “Oh, hello there, human. I’m not very interested...
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