Blogging Again

Solitary Sandpiper

After a three and a half month hiatus, I am back to blogging - hopefully with regularity. A few followers have inquired about my absence, and I thank them heartily.

Home projects consumed me during my blogging absence - getting them done took nearly all of my attention. But they are done, and I am finally able to return to doing the things that I enjoy in retirement: birding, photography, and learning about things with wings.

Two days ago I finally made my first trip of the year to Cape May from my Philadelphia base. Several hours of leisurely strolling through the state park and conservancy trails was a much needed tonic. The birds, butterflies, and dragonflies were almost an extra bonus.

I think the highlight of the day (other than just being there) was the Belted Kingfisher which hovered just a few feet above my head as it fished one of the ponds ...

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

I never tire of sitting on a sandy beach and watching the Sanderlings chase the waves -  (true sand-pipers as opposed to the mud-pipers which would better describe most peeps) ...

Sanderling

Sanderling

Sanderling

... or finding a quiet spot where solitary contemplation is shared only with a Solitary Sandpiper doing its solitary foraging ...

Solitary Sandpiper

Solitary Sandpiper

Solitary Sandpiper

And what else can improve a perfectly sunny, warm summer day than standing on a causeway a few feet from a gracefully elegant Great Egret as it preens and then stalks with such focused attention and patience? ...

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Great Egret

Looking forward to a Labor Day filled with labors of love!

Spring Returns - and so do Old Friends

Since returning home to Vermont from our wintering in Philadelphia, we have been immersed in needed work on our home - hence the hiatus in posts.

But today was a Spring day, and early in the morning I headed out to greet returning friends.

Along the Connecticut River, abundant Yellow-rumped Warblers in their prom-going finery were joined by a few Palm Warblers ...

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Palm Warbler

Palm Warbler

Also along the Connecticut River, Osprey were busy building their nest on a transmission tower and pursing their courtship ...

Osprey

In nearly every location I stopped, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were actively "singing" and displaying ...

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

During late April in our back yard, we watched many species in active courtship, including Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ...

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

 ... and Belted Kingfisher, a trio of which put on quite an air show one evening as we sat on the lawn.

Belted Kingfisher

In the realm of serendipitous good fortune, Evening Grosbeaks are again performing their pre-nups in our yard, and we anticipate that we will have another summer of helping to raise their young.

Evening Grosbeak

And finally, when I returned home for lunch, I was greeted by a stunning Rose-breasted Grosbeak and his shy lady lover ...

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

 Spring!! ... and after a long, tough winter, a time of exceptionally Good Birding!!

Bombay Hook NWR - Good Birding!

I made my first ever visit to Bombay Hook NWR on the Delaware Bay in Delaware. It was a delightful refuge and will merit return visits during other seasons.

For a late winter day of birding, it was a very good day, and even yielded some good photo opportunities ...

... as for example, the Belted Kingfisher, a species that has been devilishly difficult to photograph. But this female posed on branches above a canal, apparently unconcerned by the several photographers who crept around taking her picture ...

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Near the historical Allee House, two Black Vultures, usually seen soaring high overhead, were up close, and almost too personal ...

Black Vulture

Black Vulture

For the second time this winter, I have seen Great Horned Owl - usually at this time of year the limit of contact is their haunting hooting. Not much action from this roosting owl, save for the occasional turn of the head ...

Great Horned Owl

This young red fox hunted in the short grasses along the refuge road ...

Red Fox

And finally ... there were plenty of waterfowl in the pools and ponds, and in nearby fields, several thousand Snow Geese ...

Northern Shoveler

Snow Geese

Good Birding!!

Heinz NWR redux

Last Sunday I returned to Heinz NWR in Philadelphia for another delightful morning walk. Still no sighting of the Northern Shrike that has been reported, but there were sights and sounds which provided evidence that Spring-time thoughts are in the minds of some birds, in spite of the recent winter storm.

For example, along Darby Creek, this Hooded Merganser had his crest up as he proclaimed his handsomeness to the nearby hen ...

Hooded Merganser - drake displaying

Many songbirds were trying out their territorial / attract a mate songs including White-throated and Song Sparrows ...

White-throated Sparrow - "pooor sam peabody peabody peabody"

Song Sparrow

Along Darby Creek, this Belted Kingfisher gave me an opportunity that the residents along the Rock River behind my Vermont home have not given me - a reasonable photo opportunity as it flew up and down the creek ...

Belted Kingfisher

Several minutes of entertainment were provided by the White-breasted Nuthatch displaying its acrobatic foraging techniques. The following photo does not conveys something of that acrobaticism. I include it because in this case I especially like the photo's composition, the texture of the branch, and the wispy details hanging from the branch. Deep in the rotting crevices, it found tasty morsels ...

White-breasted Nuthatch

And ... in the same tangled mass of bittersweet, the Northern Saw-whet Owl was once again roosting. Its position was just slightly different from my previous sighting, giving a better opportunity for a photograph ...

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Good birding!

Riding the Rapids ...

Riding the rapids ... and more from the bird nursery.

Shortly after 7pm last evening, when the sun was below the hills and the light beginning to fade, we received our hoped-for summer treat when Mrs. Common Merganser led ten chicks down the river behind our home. I had to run for my camera, and missed them as they went over the "big" falls. But then they gathered to ride the rapids ...

Common Merganser mothers gathers ten chicks in preparation for riding the rapids

Let's go gang ...

In addition to the treat of seeing the mergansers, there is also the reassurance that the river and its environs is rapidly recovering from the violent scouring it received last year from Hurricane Irene. Additional evidence is seen in this Belted Kingfisher which emerged from a dive with a fish in its mouth. He has been foraging up and down the river, and in the last few days has been pursued by a youngster noisily demanding food ...

Belted Kingfisher (male) pauses across the river with food for young

 The backyard nursery continues in full swing. The jays and grackles are raucous and demanding. By far, the quietest, and I could say most polite, are the Rose-breasted Grosbeak fledglings. They flutter their wings inconspicuously while softly peeping for food ...

Fledgling Rose-breasted Grosbeak calling for food

All of the young are beginning to get the idea that mom and dad only feed them for a short while. Then they have to figure things out for themselves. This young Evening Grosbeak has definitely gotten the idea ...

Juvenile Evening Grosbeak deftly cracks sunflower seeds

Good birding!

Spring and the Recovering River Valley

Last August Hurricane Irene scoured the river valley around our home in devastating ways. Most of our backyard disappeared in a few minutes on a Sunday morning when a huge log jam gave way. The river was returned to its course and we got our backyard rebuilt (see posts in September/October).

Now comes the recovery. In the next few days, we will have topsoil brought in and begin the process of lawn and yard recovery.

Some is happening of its own accord. I am especially happy to report that Belted Kingfishers are working the river behind our home - a sign that life is returning to what last Fall was a scoured riverbed.

Belted Kingfisher - female

Other Spring signs are beginning to show their teeming presence. Eastern Phoebes are singing in several locations, and I watched one pair which was well into their nest building.

Eastern Phoebe

Evening Grosbeaks have nested somewhere nearby in past years. They have returned. They are singing - they don't have much of a song, but it is a song. A couple days ago, it looked as though they were trying to break sticks from a bush, a probable sign that they are preparing to nest - hopefully somewhere nearby. And the gentlemen are splendidly attired ...

Evening Grosbeak

Song Sparrows continue their enthusiastic singing, along with robins (4:30am) - joined by chickadees, titmice, Chipping Sparrows, and others.

Song Sparrow

Goldfinches are singing their cheerful song, joined by a good number of Pine Siskins - probably more Spring siskins than we have had in recent years.

Pine Siskin with American Goldfinch

And finally ... the Red-winged Blackbirds are no longer tuning up. The girls have returned and the boys are fully into their display.

Red-winged Blackbird

Spring!