Pink-Footed Goose, Harlequin Duck & Long-tailed Duck

Perfect weather for winter birding at the Barnegat Lighthouse on January 5th. Although it was cold, dressed in heavy winter clothes, I found it most enjoyable, even at the end of the jetty.

                                                                 Long-tailed Duck

 

                                                                    Harlequin Duck

Sunday, Jan. 20,  I saw Northern Lapwings in New Egypt, but they were so far away on the other side of a cow field, that I had to look through a friend's scope. Even then, with the extreme wind making it hard to focus, it was difficult to see. Nevertheless, I did get a fairly good view of them.

Yesterday was extremely cold and quite windy, but the sighting of a Pink-Footed Goose (pictured below), made freezing fingers tolerable.

 

 

 

 

Immature Black Back Gull and More

Summer’s  end has been quiet, with the same birds at the feeder that have been there since I put them up last winter: Finches, Sparrows, Titmice, Blue Jays, Chickadees, and Doves. Then I went on a photography workshop on an island off the New Hampshire coast. And although I didn’t see a wide variety of birds there, the large gull population provided interesting photo opportunities, such as this immature Great Black Back Gull pleading to be fed.

And this one shouting above the wind.

A Herring Gull posing on a tombstone.

There were a few other species. This little peep found food in a sheltered pond.

The best recent sightings were at a wildlife refuge after I returned home. The American Bitern pic was very difficult to get because he blended so well with the grasses.

Luckily, this Clapper Rail liked to pose.

 The fall migration is just beginning. Soon there should be many interesting sightings to report. I'm looking forward to seeing a wide variety of hawks in Cape May.

From Green Head Flies To Peregrine Falcons

Prepared with our bins and cameras, a friend and I recently set off for a birding adventure through a New Jersey marsh on a steamy hot day. I’m driving, thought I, no bugs will get into the Jeep, so I left my insect repellent at home. But I had over looked the need to open windows to shoot pictures. When we stopped to get a closer look at sandpipers, interspersed with other small shore birds, I soon realized our mistake.

My friend got out with her camera to take a closer look, while I waited in the Jeep. Immediately, I felt something biting my feet and legs: feasting green heads. To make matters worse, I was wearing shorts. I swung open my door and shooed out the vicious beasts.

Then, instead of focusing on scratching, I turned off the engine and got out. While swatting flies, I managed a few pictures of Dowitchers (I’m not sure whether they were long or short bill), Sandpipers, and Killdeer. A White Pelican made a graceful descent into the pond, but was too far away for a clear picture.

 

As we continued on in the Jeep, the flies were our ever-present companions, both inside and out, clinging to the Jeep ceiling and darting at the windows. In spite of their biting presence, they did not ruin the afternoon. 

Other birds of interest were a Peregrine Falcon and fresh juvenile Forster Terns.

                                                                Top bird is a Killdeer.

                                                                Peregrine Falcon

                                                             Fresh Juvenile Forster's Tern

Butterflies

On a recent visit to a butterfly sanctuary, being with other group members was the best part of the trip. Although we were able to get a few good pictures, there were only a few species to view.

Goatsuckers

A few nights ago, ten members of the local birding club, well equipped with bug spray, set off to listen for Whip-poor-wills and observe Common Nighthawks, commonly referred to as goatsuckers. The birds received this erroneous label many years ago when farmers believed they came at night and sucked goats’ milk. Since these birds eat flying insects, it seems likely they were attracted to insects around the goats.

We met at 6:30 p.m. to drive over 40 miles to an area the Nighthawks are known to frequent in Wharton State Forest. While waiting to sight them, we enjoyed an unusual sunset, with the lowering sun shining through a large cloud, presenting a wide range of colors. We were at a spot so seldom traveled that other than two passing vehicles, our only other company there were two deer.  

Our first sign of a Nighthawk came at dusk when we heard one’s distinctive call. Soon there were calls coming from various directions. Then someone spotted a Nighthawk in the sky. After circling high above the forest, a Nighthawk would suddenly dive straight down, the air in his wings creating a sound that to me sometimes resembled an organ note, sometimes a distant train whistle, other times it was more like a boom, and once it was as if the diving bird farted. They always reversed the dive shortly before reaching the ground. 

Only the trees and the deer know whether the sounds the birds’ wings made or the people oohing, aahing and chuckling over them was funnier. 

In spite of not hearing any Whip-poor-wills, the trip was well worth the ride to get there.

The next trip is to a butterfly farm.

Feeder Warning

I went out to my backyard this morning and found a little chickadee fluttering around inside a feeder. It was a long cylindrical feeder with holes and perches around the bottom half. The food level was just below the top hole, which allowed the little bird to enter. Too late, I now know not to let the food level drop that low. .

I immediately dumped the bird, and all the feed, onto the yard and ran inside for a shoebox and rubber gloves. I was back out within a very few minutes, but it was already dead. Nevertheless, I put grass in the box and placed the chickadee on the grass. I also dripped a few drops of water onto its open bill. After all, perhaps it was only in a coma. But I am quite sure now that it is dead. I'll give it a nice burial later this afternoon when the blazing sun sinks behind the trees. In the meantime, the box is in the shade.

Birds and Butterflies

After days in the upper 90s and severe lightning storms, I welcomed the surprisingly low temperature Tuesday morning. I found my Audubon sweatshirt, grabbed my backpack with bins packed inside, and started off to meet my fellow adventurers for our trip to a horse farm in central New Jersey. I congratulated myself on being so well prepared that I’d arrive at the meeting place a good ten minutes early. Then a half mile from home, I realized I’d forgotten my camera. A quick u-turn to retrieve it, and I made it to the parking area on the dot.

For this trip, someone else was driving. I relaxed in the back seat and watched the scenery change as we entered the Pine Barrens. This time of year the road was dotted with blueberry stands, and I hoped to buy some on our return trip. 

Soon we entered the farm country of the Garden State. I had envisioned that we'd be birding on a small farm, but once we turned onto the property, I was astounded at how far we drove before parking at a back field.  Although we saw various sparrow, finches, red-winged blackbirds, and a lone Cedar Waxwing in that field, the butterflies were  most interesting, at least until we saw a Red-tail Hawk circling a different field, making lots of noise. Eventually a swarm of starlings chased him away. 

The Painted Lady (see picture) posed long enough for us to snap good pictures, as did a Pearl Crescent. A Black Wood Nymph wasn't as cooperative, at least not for me.

 In spite of the lack of bird activity, it was a fun day. And I did get the blueberries on the way home.