The Last Bird of 2014 is...

The Grasshopper Sparrow. A continuing bird, originally located by Paul Peterson near the Boston Nature Center. This was a very skiddish bird and extremely camera shy. I was unable to any great shots but I'll take the record shots of my 335 World bird of the year, 256th in Massachusetts, and my 371st life bird. Another great year is in the books. Coming soon are all my year stats(I love this part).

A Couch's Christmas

The Couch's Kingbird happened to make its first visit to the State of New York while I was in visiting my family for Christmas. The whole family made a day of it and went to NYC in search of the Couch's and some Christmas cocktails. Upon arrival the scene was dismal: A group of people were gathered at a street corner looking downtrodden. The bird had not been seen in two hours. Knowing that the bird had been actively hawking insects and that the sun was setting, my brother and I set out to find some areas where the sun was reaching the trees(hard to do in the canyons of Manhattan). Finding nothing along the Hudson River we headed back toward the stakeout spot. Almost everyone was gone. Curious. Suspecting we were missing something, I checked recent ABA posts. Sure enough, the bird had been relocated several blocks away at Bleeker Playground.  It was an incredible spectacle. Sure enough, the Couch's was hunting from a tree(in the sun) to the delight of what seemed like hundreds of onlookers. In addition to the 30 or 50 birders there were many curious bystanders(both tourist and locals).


Find the Couch's Kingbird

 
Everyone wanted to know more about the bird. Every time I lifted my camera someone stopped to ask me what was going on. Traffic was backed up as people in vehicles craned their necks out windows to see what all the hub-bub was about. It was a really fun experience and there were many celebration drinks afterward. Here are my favorite photos:

 I call this one "Lunch"

In photography, size does matter... Here I am feeling inadequate.

North Shore to Close out the Year?

I spent some time of the north shore recently, seeking out a Townsend's Warbler at Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. I missed him on my first visit but was able to take him down in the neighborhood that abuts the park. He was part of a huge mixed flock of Chickadees, Titmice, Juncos, Nuthatches, Kinglets, and Wrens. This may be my last life bird of 2014 and a good one to go out on.

 

After the hunt for the Townsend's I spent some time "sea-watching" in Gloucester and Rockport. Target birds were alcids and other pelagic birds. I missed the Murres, Kittiwake, Fulmer, and Dovekie but added Razorbill and Black Guillemot. It was really incredible to see the numbers of Scoters and Eiders gathered along the rocky coast at Halibut and Andrew's Point. I'd have to say the Harlequin Ducks remain one of my all-time favorites. All in all it was a successful trip.

2014 CBC- Revere/Winthrop

A successful Christmas Bird Count today: 11 hours, 45 miles by car, 5 miles walking, 44 species, and 1,610 individuals(conservative). This is the highlight for me. A Barred Owl at 6:30am. Thanks to Lauren Lee Woodward, Travis Mazerall, and Sarah Butler Mazerall for joining me! 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Bird_Count

Batting 1000 Today

Today I had three target birds and was lucky enough to see all three: Two Cackling Geese at Claypit Pond in Belmont, a King Eider at Webb Memorial State Park in Weymouth, and a Lark Sparrow, also in Weymouth. Throw in a Snowy Owl for good measure and I'd call that a good morning!

Life and Death in the Public Garden

Today while hunting for a Barred Owl in the Boston Public Garden I was startled by the sound of splashing, the quacking of ducks, and honking of geese. As I turned around a Coopers Hawk swooped under the bridge on the pond and snatched Pigeon as the waterfowl scattered for cover. He then proceeded to fly to a nearby branch with the struggling bird that was nearly half his size. It was a gruesome scene but interesting to see these wild animals "making a living" in the middle of the city. This was in sharp contrast to the hundreds of obese squirrels eating peanut M&Ms from tourists.

Not my photo....

Oh yeah, and I saw the Barred Owl. Mass year bird #248.

 

The Booby/Pelican Show

At Magen's Baby Beach there was a incredible show of feeding Brown Pelicans and Brown Boobies as well as Royal and Sandwich Terns. A lone Common Tern (or Arctic, ID is TBD), looked on from a swim buoy. The Boobies hit the water like darts, catching fish with pinpoint accuracy. On the other hand the Pelicans are clumsy and seem to take a "Blue Whale" method of feeding; just open your huge mouth and swallow as much as possible!