Great Blue Herons Mating
12 April 2020
There's a wildlife sanctuary run by Mass Audubon in Richmond, Massachusetts. I don't know how big the entire property is; what's available is a small pull-off from the road from which one can observe a beaver pond with more than twenty nests for great blue herons. I went there this morning, and although the light wasn't great for seeing or photography—the nests are well to the east of the road, so they were backlit—there were a number of birds visible. I wasn't certain what I was seeing at one point, when one of two birds in one nest started flapping its wings, but I figured I'd photograph it—display behavior, I guessed. Well, yes, it was mating related…
A Cedar Waxwing Enjoying a Berry
5 April 2020
I haven't been doing much bird-blogging of late, but I love this picture too much not to share it.
Cedar waxwing
A Pair of Red-Tailed Hawks
16 March 2020
I was doing my usual circuit through Morningside Park, when I looked up and saw two hawks heading north along Mornigside Drive, and then turning west at W 118th St. I immediately exited the park, looked around, and saw them circling back from the north. One passed me before I could get the camera reset for in-flight shots, but I got some nice pictures of the second. I kept an eye on it as it headed for the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, where I know that a pair nests. I walked there quickly, resetting the camera as I went. One was perched on the head of the statue of the Archangel Gabriel (they love that statue); the other was in the nest. I got shots of both before they took off again and headed south.
Red-tailed hawk
Morningside Park
13 March 2020
Some birds I saw during the last few days.
Northern mockingbird
Northern cardinal (male)
Daffodils
Cooper's hawk
Mourning dove
Northern cardinal (female)
Northern mockingbird
White-throated sparrow
Yellow-bellied sapsucker
Central Park
1 March 2020
I haven't been able to get to Central Park for a week, and I may not make it back there for two weeks, but I had a great time today.
Downy woodpecker
Downy woodpecker and house sparrow
Downy woodpecker
House sparrow
Red-tailed hawk
Great blue heron
Red-bellied woodpecker
Green-winged teal
Central Park
27 February 2020
The first of these pictures was taken of a red-tailed hawk atop the Cathedral of St. John the Divine; the others are from Central Park.
Red-tailed hawk
Bluejay
Downy woodpecker
Red-bellied woodpecker
Red-headed woodpecker
American coot
Morningside Park
27 February 2020
I've been remiss in blogging lately, so here is my first of two tonight.
Cooper's hawk
Carolina wren
Red-bellied woodpecker
Northern mockingbird
Van Cortlandt Park
8 February 2020
I've been remiss in posting to the blog lately, so some will be in reverse order. But here are some picturs I took during a New York City Parks Department walk. We also saw some ruddy ducks and northern shovelers, but the range was too long for good pictures.
A Bald Eagle in Riverside Park
24 January 2020
I knew that a bald eagle had been hanging around Riverside Park, right by Columbia, for the last few days, so I went there this morning to try to find it. No joy—it was probably out fishing—but I did get some nice, albeit long range, photos of a red-bellied woodpecker.
Red-bellied woodpecker
Some time that morning, though, the eagle returned, which I knew from Twitter. So, after class, I headed back, and it was still there. Viewing was fine, though it was hard to get good shots because of all of the branches in the way. Naturally, it had a very large crowd of admirers. (Aside: how did birders ever manage before the Internet?)
Bald eagle
About three trees away from the eagle, there was a red-tailed hawk jealously guarding its lunch: squirrel. I don't know if it was afraid the eagle would try to take it, but I did not see the hawk eat anything until after the eagle had left.
Other days, a set of pictures like these would be the star of the outing. Today, though, the hawk took second place.
Red-tailed hawk
Forever Wild
18 January 2020
On the Forever Wild trail in Riverside Park, a northern flicker was kind enough to post for me for a bit.
I then heard a clamor of crows and saw a red-tailed hawk alight. The crows wouldn't leave it alone, so it relocated. The crows followed; the hawk moved again. Not only the the crows follow, some bluejays showed up to join the party. Finally, the hawk gave up and left, but not before the crows tried some air-to-air combat.
Northern flicker
Red-tailed hawk
