Photo by Chris Bosak
A tufted titmouse contemplates grabbing a peanut from a deck railing following a snowstorm in Danbury, Conn., Feb. 2017.
Here’s another leftover snow shot from last week’s storm. Titmice were the second-most reliable sighting in the backyard during and after the storm(s). Junco was the best most reliable with dozens in the backyard at any given time.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A black-capped chickadee checks out a feeder during a snowstorm in Feb. 2017.
Snowstorms are great for backyard birdwatchers. The snow adds an interesting element to an already fascinating subject. Here, and a few more in the days to come, are some more shots I got over the snowy weekend.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Red-bellied Woodpecker eyes a peanut a few days following a snowstorm in Danbury, Conn., February, 2017.
Yesterday I posted photos hairy and downy woodpeckers. Today it’s the red-bellied woodpecker’s turn. They love peanuts at my house (as you can tell from the amount of photos I post of them grabbing peanuts off my deck railing.)
Not too long ago, the red-bellied woodpecker wasn’t a New England woodpecker. The species is gradually expanding its range northward and is now very common in southern New England and becoming more and more common in the middle of New England.
Now that’s it’s snowing again (it’s the morning of Sunday, Feb. 12 as I write) feel free to keep sending me your snow bird photos. I got some great shots on Thursday from readers, how about some more? To see the Thursday entries, click here.
I’ve done similar posts before comparing the larger Hairy Woodpecker with the smaller Downy Woodpecker. But I’ll repeat the lesson as I captured them both on a homemade birdfeeder during Thursday’s snowstorm.
The hairy is larger overall, but without a reference it’s tough to tell strictly by size. To really determine the species, check out the bill. The hairy has a much more substantial bill. Females of each species are shown.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A hairy woodpecker eats bark butter out of a homemade feeder in Danbury, Conn., Feb. 9, 2017.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A downy woodpecker eats bark butter out of a homemade feeder in Danbury, Conn., Feb. 9, 2017.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A junco seeks shelter in an old Christmas tree during the winter storm of Feb. 9, 2017.
As kids we had snowball fights and played football in the snow. As adults we take photos of birds as our way of playing in the snow. Well, some of us anyway. Some of us still play the old-fashioned way, too.
So here are a few of my shots from today’s storm and a few photos from readers. Send in your shots for inclusion on this post, too! Send them to bozclark@earthlink.net
I’ll update this post throughout the day.
Thanks and have fun out there.
Welcomed visitor
Anna Fay of Marlow, N.H., captured this photo of a barred owl during the storm.
Goldfinches and a nuthatch
Jason Farrow of Norwalk, Conn., captured this beautiful shot of a White-breasted Nuthatch.
Jason Farrow of Norwalk, Conn., captured this great shot of American goldfinches and a house finch.
Cardinal in snow, can’t go wrong
Ernest Franklin of Winchester, N.H., got this wonderful photo of a male cardinal during the snowstorm of Feb 9, 2017, in New England.
Goldfinches galore
Jo Belasco of Colrain, Mass., got this great shot of American Goldfinches during the Feb. 9, 2017, snowstorm.
Another nice cardinal
Jo Belasco of Colrain, Mass., got this shot of a northern cardinal during the Feb. 9, 2017, snowstorm.
Talk about variety!
Alicia Primer of Weston, Mass., got a nice variety of birds in this photo. How many can you pick out?
Bluebirds in the snow, so cool!
Jeanne Ludlow of Warrington, Penn., sent in these great photos, taken with her iPhone, of Eastern Bluebirds.
Jeanne Ludlow of Warrington, Penn., sent in these great photos, taken with her iPhone, of Eastern Bluebirds.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Dark-eyed Junco eats a sunflower seedsthe day following a snow storm in New England, Jan. 2016.
A snow storm is coming to New England. It makes for one of my favorite times to photograph birds in the backyard and beyond.
If you haven’t already, fill your feeders. You don’t want to wake up to several inches of snow and realize your feeders aren’t filled. Do it now, even in the dark. I just got done with mine. Sunflower seeds, suet cakes, bark butter and peanut nuggets. I also filled a sizable Tupperware container with seeds and brought it inside. That way I can toss some seeds out the window tomorrow at various times as the snow comes down. Many birds will eat seeds off the ground during these storms.
Please send me any photos you get tomorrow (Thursday) during the storm. I’ll post them on this site. It’s not a photo competition; just for fun. Send them to bozclark@earthlink.net.
Thanks and enjoy the storm.
Here is the latest For the Birds column, which runs weekly in several New England newspapers.
A White-breasted Nuthatch perches near a birdfeeding station in Danbury, Conn., Oct. 2016.
I call them the Big Three.
In order to make it easier to keep track of the number of bird species I see in my backyard, I lump together black-capped chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches and tufted titmice. They count, of course, as three different species, but it’s just easier to group them.
On any given day I can count on seeing those three birds. Cardinals, downy woodpeckers, juncos, white-throated sparrows and mourning doves are nearly as reliable in the winter, but The Big Three just seem to logically belong together.
Well, the Falcon part is easy. The Patriot part is a bit more difficult. But I guess you have to go with the bald eagle if you are going to try to represent both Super Bowl teams with a bird.
So tonight we have:
Photo by Chris Bosak
A young Peregrine Falcon flies overhead in Norwalk, CT, Dec. 2013.
Falcons
vs.
Patriots
Have fun tonight.
I should know better than to try to fool my viewers. Once again you passed the birding quiz with flying colors as 56 percent of you got the right answer. It is a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. It it colored nothing like the flashy male, but the overall shape and bill size and shape are similar to the male.
Good job everyone! Til next time …
Here’s an easy birding quiz to warm up this cold New England weekend. (I shouldn’t say it’s easy. I wouldn’t have known it when I first starting birding.)
Two hints:
So what it is it?
Birds of New England.com 