This Week at Heinz NRW

Plenty of signs at Heinz NRW that Spring is finally well entrenched. Waterfowl - except for the nesters - have moved on. Plenty of song activity from the residents or early arrivals, plus returning passerines present. A few images ...

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Palm Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warblers were not singing during mid-day, but were finally sporting their breeding finery ...

Yellow-rumped Warbler

The nesting Bald Eagles have hatched. This adult took off from the nest and flew overhead en route to the marsh and estuary for foraging ...

Bald Eagle

 This Carolina Wren was in a song duel with another nearby male ...

Carolina Wren

Mallards were on the nest. Most other ducks were gone, except for a few pairs of Green-winged Teal and a pair of Blue-winged Teal ...

Green-winged Teal (male and female)

Along the edge of the impoundment, a muskrat was foraging, while in many locations, turtles were enjoying the returning warmth of the Spring sun ...

Muskrate

Good Birding!!

Birding Heinz NWR

We are using Philly for a birding base for a few days. Began yesterday at Heinz NWR at Tinicum.

Highlight for me was the Bay-breasted Warbler which I have not seen for several years as it heads north to the boreal forest for breeding.

The bird was working high in the trees, so the photo is at best documentary ...

Bay-breasted Warbler

Of special interest was watching a Yellow Warbler visiting a local home building center, in this case an oriole nest. Nest seems in good order, as though it may be this year's nest. On other hand, no landlord appeared to chase off the materials gatherer, so perhaps the nest survived from last year ...

Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Another highlight was to see this Baltimore Oriole shopping at his local Whole Foods market.

Baltimore Oriole and webworm nest

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole

A few additional photos, beginning with Gray Catbird which was everywhere!

Gray Catbird

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

American Redstart

American Redstart

Good Birding!!

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!!

A Photo Review of 2012

Sometimes it is good to look back, and a New Year provides a good opportunity/excuse to do so. Here are a few of the Birding/Photography images which stand out for me during 2012.

"Morning Flight" - Sandhill Cranes, Bosque del Apache, NM, 02/02/12

"Why Is It Called Ring-necked?" - Ring-necked Duck, Forsyth NWR, NJ, 03/07/12

"Alone" - Solitary Sandpiper, Herricks Cove, VT, 05/05/12

"Untitled" - Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Herricks Cover, VT, 05/06/12

"What's Up" - Chestnut-sided Warbler, Brookline, VT, 05/27/12

"Kids!" - Hooded Merganser, Putney Wetlands, VT, 05/27/12

"Leap" - Spotted Sandpiper, South Newfane, VT 08/02/12

"Yellow Blossom" - Ruby-throated Hummingbird, South Newfane, VT, 08/17/12

"Untitled" - American Oystercatcher, Cape May, NJ, 08/29/12

"On Your Way" - Red-tailed Hawk, Cape May, NJ, 08/29/12

"The Stoop" - Merlin, Putney Mountain, VT, 09/14/12

"Ignore Him!" - Red Crossbills, Salisbury Beach, NH, 12/06/12

"Friends" - Sanderling & Dunlin, Parker River NWR, MA, 12/06/12

May your birding be good in 2013!

On Time Arrivals

Spring came early to Vermont, which caused everyone to feel as though the migrants should be returning also. Not so ... but they are right on time. Here are three of the favorite early arrivals which I tracked down this morning.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ...

Palm Warbler ...

Ruby-crowned Kinglet ...

... also, three reasons why the next three months provide the best birding of the year!

Good birding!