Bombay Hook NWR

Yesterday was only the fifth sunny day in the Philadelphia area during February. We took full advantage and went early morning to Bombay Hook NWR near Smyrna, Delaware. The refuge during winter in a prime location for observing wintering waterfowl, and there were abundant numbers in attendance.

But the highlight of this preview-of-Spring day was two songbirds.

In fresh Spring plumage, Tufted Titmice were enthusiastically singing. Actually, their singing was vocal dueling. The ladies were nearby watching, listening, and assessing.

Tufted Titmouse

The second songbird highlight was the Yellow-rumped Warbler. They were not yet singing, but they showed clear signs that song fests are not far off - they were well along in their molt to breeding plumage, as this individual will testify. His yellow cap and sides are much more brilliant than in winter plumage, but the black and white of his body is not quite as crisp as it will be when he makes his way north.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Among the waterfowl, I was especially pleased at the number of Tundra Swans. I counted upwards of 80 in the various pools. I usually see them along the mid-Atlantic coast during winter, but rarely in the numbers I saw yesterday.

Tundra Swans (Shovelers in foreground)

All of the usual puddle ducks, and a few diving ducks, were present, and the drakes were brilliant in fresh breeding plumage.

Northern Shovelers

Northern Shovelers

Northern Pintails

Ring-necked Duck

Can you identify these dabblers?

 And finally ... this first year Great Blue Heron has yet to achieve the resplendent plumage of a breeding adult, but he/she survived its first winter.

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

The day ended with 40+ species. Not too bad for late winter birding.

Birding in DC

No winter birding trip this year.

Spent 4 days last weekend in Washington DC, with coincidental birding during long walks each day around the National Mall, with a species tally somewhere around 25.

(I had my "walk-around" lens (16-300mm) which is adequate for landscape and cityscape, but not that great for birds.)

Most entertaining sighting was a Red-tailed Hawk being mobbed by American Crows.

Red-tailed Hawk being mobbed by crows

"Enough, already!!"

 The best surprise was a fast fly-by of a Peregrine Falcon, and the Northern Shovelers and Ring-necked Ducks on the pond by Constitution Gardens.

Northern Shovelers with Canada Geese

Ring-necked Ducks

 A few other birds which sort-of  posed for a photo ...

Ring-billed Gull

Northern Mockingbird

Double-crested Cormorant

 On the first day, I thought my birding might be limited to the Snow Geese on display in the "Castle" of the Smithsonian.

Snow Goose in Smithsonian display

Ring-necked Duck

The drake Ring-necked Duck is one handsome devil. The plumage he sports rivals the most elegant tuxedo. I have had some success getting a formal portrait of this gentleman, but he tends to be publicity shy, staying at a distance on ponds and lakes.

At Lands End in Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco, I saw a flock of these gentlemen, with some ladies in attendance, swimming in the waters of the Sutro Bath ruins.

Ring-necked Duck

Ring-necked Duck

Ring-necked Duck (ring neck visible)

Ring-necked Duck (hen)

Ring-necked Duck

Ring-necked Duck (hen)

Ring-necked Duck

Ring-necked Duck

Good Birding!

Ring-necked Duck

I'm back home in Vermont where winter is still hanging on. The snow pack in the yard is retreating, but every so slowly.

Even so, today there was a feel of Spring which sent me down along the Connecticut River. The ice is still not out of the Retreat Meadows waters, but it is receding.

Few of the small birds have ventured this far north yet, but ducks are passing through, including one of my favorites ... the handsome and dapper Ring-necked Duck.

The name is often a puzzlement to modern birders, because we hunt them with binoculars, not with shotguns as did the reputable ornithologists of previous generations. So we don't get to see the "ring" on the neck.

Ah ... but sometimes the camera does see the ring on the neck ....

And ... a few additional shots of this diving duck and its pitter-patter means of getting airborne ... 

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!

Common Pochard

Yesterday I made the trip to Lake Champlain with neighbor Richard Foye. Just offshore from the Dock Street Campground in Port Henry, NY, the Common Pochard was with a tight group of Ring-necked Ducks, Mallards, American Black Ducks, and three Redheads.

The Common Pochard has been photographed (not by me) with a leg band, and there has been list serve discussion as to whether it is wild, or an escapee. Whatever the outcome of the discussion (debate?), yesterday was a day of good birding, with thousands of waterfowl in the open waters of Champlain, beautiful views of Ring-necks and Redheads, and an usual bird that we ought to feel sorry for. Whatever the origin of the Pochard, it is unlikely to fulfill its function in life: keeping its presence in the pochard gene pool alive.

Light and distance made photography difficult, but I did manage a few documentary images ...

Common Pochard

Common Pochard and Redhead

Common Pochard, Redheads, American Black Duck, Mallard

Common Pochard, Ring-necked Ducks, Redhead

Common Pochard with Redheads

Addison County in Vermont, and the southern Champlain Valley, is a great place for winter raptor viewing. We saw 4 Bald Eagles on the edge of the lake ice, a Peregrine Falcon, 2 American Kestrels, and 6 Rough-legged Hawks. The latter provided (sort of) photo ops ...

Rough-legged Hawk

Rough-legged Hawk

The farms in Addison County also hosted many flocks of Horned Lark, Snow Bunting, and a few Lapland Longspurs. I post photos in a few days. Come back soon for soon.

Good birding!!