Here are a few more preening photos to go along with my last For the Birds column post. Click here in case you missed it.
…
Photo by Chris Bosak
A yellow-crowned night heron preens in Norwalk, Conn., summer 2017.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Piping Plover preens at Milford Point in spring of 2014.
Here is the latest For the Birds column, which runs in several New England newspapers.
…
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Red-tailed hawk preens at Weed Beach in Darien, Conn., January 2015.
I thought my cat was bad. The incessant licking to keep himself clean. He’s got to be the cleanest cat ever.
Then I watched a northern mockingbird preening itself. It went on for as long as I could watch and who knows how much longer after I walked away.
Feather maintenance is an important part of life for birds and it takes up a great amount of their time. Feathers play a role in a bird’s ability to fly, attract a mate, hide from predators and protect itself from the weather. Birds are the only living creatures with Continue reading
Here is the latest For the Birds column, which runs in several New England newspapers.
Photo by Chris Bosak
Snow Bunting at Norwalk’s Calf Pasture Beach, March 26, 2013.
I had two very different birdwatching experiences on consecutive days recently. Both of them were great, of course, but very, very different.
Let’s start with a Wednesday outing. I had some rare time to myself, so I was going somewhere. I didn’t care how cold it was outside, I was getting out of the house.
I had read the previous day on the Connecticut Rare Bird Alert Web site that short-eared owls were being seen at Silver Sands State Park in Milford. I’ve never had much luck finding owls, but figured I’d give it a shot. Maybe this was the day my luck would change. Snowy owls are being seen in larger-than-normal numbers this year, too, so my chances were doubled.
Armed with a heavy winter coat, hat and oversized dorky mittens, Continue reading
Story in Special Places, the magazine of The Trustees
Kudos to the layout team at Special Places, the magazine of the The Trustees of Reservations, a Massachusetts conservation organization with many terrific lands under its care. I was asked to write a story on winter birdwatching, which of course I accepted. The editorial and layout team did a great job of packaging the story and making the story look great. (All of the photos are mine, too, except for the nice shot of the snowy owl, which was taken by Ryan Pennesi.)
I know this photo of the layout makes the story close to impossible to read (if not impossible). The text will be available soon at the website of The Trustees. Check out what this great organization has been up to at www.thetrustees.org.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A red-shouldered hawk perches on a wire in Brookfield, Connecticut, Jan. 2018.
Sorry for the delay on this post … I ended the last post with this:
“I have a feeling this bird is digesting a recently eaten meal. Anybody know what makes me think that?”
Take a look at the bill and talons of the bird. Some small bird or animal found out why hawks are “birds of prey.”
Photo by Chris Bosak
A red-shouldered hawk perches on a wire in Brookfield, Connecticut, Jan. 2018.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A red-shouldered hawk perches on a wire in Brookfield, Connecticut, Jan. 2018.
Birds of New England.com 