Recently on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Mary Keleher noticed an egret with two long head plumes, and took a couple of photos. This bird matches well with the ones I discussed in 2011 in a previous blog post Little Egrets have been showing up in the northeast regularly enough for the last couple of decades that […]
Another odd Snowy Egret, or a hybrid? Read More »
Here are some eBird maps showing all records for the month of April for several species of small flycatchers in eastern North America. A glance at these maps will show which species are possible in your area in the next few weeks, and this greatly simplifies flycatcher identification. For most of the east, through most
Flycatcher identification by the calendar Read More »
It’s one of the first things people notice when they get a good look at a Dipper – the eyelid flashes white when it blinks! This is so different from any other bird that it begs for an explanation. Understandably, many people assume that the flashing white eyelid must have something to do with the dipper’s
The white eyelid of American Dipper Read More »
By the end of February, even in cold and snowy Massachusetts, Red-tailed Hawks are courting and forming pairs in preparation for nesting. It’s common to see the male and female of a pair sitting close to each other in a tree, and this provides a very powerful clue to identification. Hawks are generally solitary and
Pairs as an aid to hawk identification Read More »
Backyard Bird Discoveries While watching a small flock of juncos at my bird feeder on December 17, 2012, I noticed one particularly brownish female. Considering subspecies and watching it a little further I noticed that it seemed more active and alert, darting around quickly and holding its body more upright than the other juncos. Could this
Posture and shape distinguishes male and female Dark-eyed Juncos Read More »
Almost every Rusty Blackbird that I see in the eastern United States is in flight, so the simple trick is to look up. In order to do that you need to know what to look for: I use sound to know when to look, then look for flying blackbirds that are solitary or in small
My trick to finding Rusty Blackbirds Read More »
Join me on a WINGS/Heritage Expeditions cruise 21 June to 4 July 2013 to search for nesting Spoon-billed Sandpipers in Siberia. I’ve always been fascinated by Siberia. Growing up in the lower 48 states I dreamed of seeing birds like Steller’s Sea-Eagle, Siberian Rubythroat, even Middendorff’s Grasshopper-Warbler, and the crowning jewel of the Siberian specialties
In search of Spoon-billed Sandpiper Read More »
Most Passerines only hold juvenal plumage for a few weeks, quickly molting to a more adult-like plumage soon after they fledge and before fall migration. It’s a plumage that is seen almost entirely on the breeding grounds, but the breeding grounds (and fledging time) of many birds overlaps broadly with the fall migration of others,
Juvenal plumage of songbirds: Gray Catbird Read More »
These are the only regularly occurring herons that are truly difficult to identify, as immatures of these two species are variable in bare-parts color and distinguishing them can require very careful study. The best clue is foraging posture, which can be seen at any distance and is very reliable. Most individuals are fairly easily separated
Distinguishing immature (white) Little Blue Heron from Snowy Egret Read More »
