This 2019 year has started off on the right birds for me. Featured image is an American Tree Sparrow in the freezing cold.
This lovely lady landed in front of me as I was driving to breakfast on New Years Day.An hour later, my red-tailed hawk was hunting on the landfill.Not to be left out, one of my totem birds, a great blue heron, was engaged on a local pond.Of course, the mute swans were around, too.A very few days later, my local traveling companion joined me at my park.The red-shouldered hawk was not to be left out of the photos, even in the pouring rain.
My local resident female eagle and I communed for fifteen minutes. I left. She stayed.And in a severe ice attack, our wintering eagles arrived. I am blessed today.
Most have seen these photos. I chose six that I consider to be superior.
Eagle pair – he brought a gift and she accepted – *they are not fightingPurple finch in my yardCardinal on berriesRed-shouldered hawk at the train stationGreat blue heron juvenile with its golden catch of the dayPeregrine falcon coming in to displace its father
It is time to post a few recent photos. The raptors always come first. Then it is for the little guys.
Eagle pair close to home
Local red-shouldered hawk Young Cooper’s hawk at the feeder buffetPurple finch in the backyard
Cape May warbler migrating through the backyardCedar waxwing enjoying the last bites of FallEastern phoebe looking for bugsPalm warbler waking the dead
My barn was open to all kinds of visitors during the Ossining Arts Council Open Studios Tour 2018. I had kept the feeders filled all week long in hopes of having a few birds at the feeders as people perused my photos. I learned that I have to sit outside in my backyard for much longer periods of time during fall migration. Enjoy the group. Our local sharp shinned also made a very brief visit to enjoy the snacks.
Purple finch, one of four to come to my feedersCape May warbler just passing throughRed-breasted nuthatch sharing spaceI’m sure this bird had a quick bite
Enjoy these photos from around the Lower Hudson River. The ospreys will be leaving soon, but the kingfisher stays around all year. Our immature great blue herons from a nearby rookery invade the area and some do stay.
Belted kingfisher on its favorite dead treeGreat blue heron youngster really trying to catch a fishDifferent great blue heron kid focused on the fishingAmerican kestrel on the landfillNorthern Harrier sharing the same landfillResident red-tailed hawk taking a break from the kids
I can’t seem to get away from the Jersey falcons. My yearly Rochester Falcon Watchers’ Weekend happened in Elizabeth, NJ this year. Cadence, hatched in 2015 in Rochester and pictured below as a juvenile, is now raising a family of four this year. Her brood is learning to fly and hunt. I do believe I saw or heard all four juvies at one time.
Cadence and her unbanded mate, Allen, were in their usual spots atop the Union County Courthouse antennae. Seven o’clock on a Sunday morning is the best time to visit. I heard falcon begging and hoped the kids had not eaten too much before my arrival.
I started on the NW side of the tower where the igloo is located, but decided the garage roof would give me the best view. Yup! I spotted one of the young to the west on a building nearest the tower.
All of a sudden, as is falcon custom, brunch arrived courtesy of Cadence and so did the kids who didn’t look all that hungry. Guess who came in first? Too easy, of course it was the young female, Akira, who didn’t look willing to share.
I heard more begging and thought I saw a third or fourth youngster on the satellite dish behind me. A kestrel was pretending to be a peregrine.
But, lo and behold! For sure a third juvie wanted to help me photograph the gang on the courthouse tower! He kept getting closer and closer to me. I definitely do not look like Kathy Clark, the NJ biologist who medicated and banded him. He definitely looked like he had just had a meal.
Allen joined Cadence and Akira to finish off the huge pigeon meal. But he had to sneak up on Akira or she may have injured him. Both adults watched her to continue to gorge.
Two of the boys joined each other for a game of hide and seek and tag on the building across the train tracks to the west. Cadence went back to her post on top of the antenna and Akira was left alone.
