Make Your Birds Count!
This week marks the 24th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), a global initiative that encourages people to count birds in your backyard and beyond, February 12-15, 2021. The project provides a real-time snapshot of winter bird activity, with data augmenting eBird, the world’s largest wildlife database. Comparing data year-over-year allows important insights into bird trends, population changes, shifting…
Thick-billed Murres on the move!
On the heals of a rush of Dovekie sightings along the New England and mid-Atlantic coastline, Thick-billed Murres are now making a nice showing near-shore from Maine to New Jersey, and even one sighting along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. These deep-diving auks, which visually blur the middle ground between a Razorbill and Common…
IN THE BACKYARD : Philadelphia in January
After last month’s excitement of the long staying Allen’s Hummingbird in the yard, January has been relatively quiet, but there is still plenty of activity. I should mention that the Allen’s Hummingbird was re-found, earlier this month, 11 miles away in Philadelphia. Remarkable! You can read more on that story in a previous blog. It has…
Mega-Rare Redwing in Maine!
No, not a Red-winged Blackbird – a Redwing! This Turdus thrush is a Code 4 rarity to North America and is very similar to our American Robin. Redwings nest across Iceland, northern Europe, and Russia then winter in large, nomadic flocks throughout southern Europe, the northern edge of Africa, and some areas of the Middle…
New England’s Sage Thrashers
During November and December 2020 an incredible vagrancy phenomenon occurred when three different Sage Thrashers were discovered in a small region of interior New England. Stranger still, and to the benefit of birders, each of the three thrashers were found in separate states! On November 4th, 2020 Barbara Sylvester discovered a Sage Thrasher at Sutherland…
Big Waves, Little Auks – pelagic birding offshore New England
Thanks to a tip-off from Zeke Cornell that January 10th would be the last outing this winter with Eastman’s charters, Lauren diBiccari and I arrived at the docks at Hampton Harbor, New Hampshire at 6:30am this past Sunday morning ready to head out into the frigid wind for our first wintertime New England pelagic. We…
Extraordinary winter rarities. Twice.
Birders in southeastern PA were treated to two very special gifts during the winter holiday season. On the morning of December 9, 2020, while I was sitting in my sunroom watching chickadees and titmice, a hummingbird zipped by and landed at the still-full nectar feeder. I could immediately see that it was a Selasphorous, but…
PIGR Party in New Hampshire
Affectionately nicknamed “PIGRs” after their 4-letter banding code and their habit of pigging out on winter fruits, Pine Grosbeak have staged a moderate irruption into New England this winter. Multiple sites around downtown Keene, New Hampshire have been hosting flocks of 5 to 30+ Pine Grosbeaks, and on sunny days I love to spend time…
IN THE BACKYARD : Philadelphia in December
Winter is upon us, bringing chilly mornings and ice skims on birdbaths amid a stark, mostly-brown landscape in southeastern PA. Winter birds are settling in for the season, enjoying the bounty of our daily-stocked bird feeders. White-breasted Nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers, and Carolina Wrens prefer peanuts, while Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, Blue Jays and Northern Cardinals…
IN THE BACKYARD : Philadelphia late-November
Autumn is an awesome time for birds here in the Philadelphia region. The weather has been mild, with plenty of warm, sunny days to study and photograph my backyard birds. It’s good to “leave the leaves” for wildlife, creating natural weed barriers and soil enrichments, as well as homes for caterpillars and other insects. I…
Foxes Feathered and Furry
During this Thanksgiving weekend, I am thankful for many things. On the list are wildlife that provides joy and wonder, including two different types of foxes – one fully-feathered Fox Sparrow, and a furry Red Fox with bushy tail and coat! Fox Sparrows, a winter migrant in southeastern PA, have arrived over the past week.…
