Author Archives: Chris Bosak

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About Chris Bosak

Bird columnist and nature photographer based in New England.

Birds to brighten your day: May 13

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A hermit thrush visits a backyard in New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake

I’ve seen a lot more hermit thrushes this year than in year’s past. (Probably because I’m looking more.) They are handsome birds but their claim to fame, of course, is their song. The website www.musicofnature.com says this about the song of the hermit thrush: “The Hermit Thrush is perhaps North America’s most highly regarded singer, both for musicality and emotional impact.”

Thank you for checking out this website and for supporting http://www.BirdsofNewEngland.com

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Follow up to this morning’s post: Red fox with mouth full of prey

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A red fox walks through the woods of New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake

The fox was back and, boy, did it provide some photo opps. I saw it trotting along the trail behind my house again and watched it through the open windows of my sunroom. It paused briefly to look up at me, then continued a short way (about 30 feet) down the trail. It stopped for several seconds along the trail. At the time, I was simply taking photos and didn’t realize what it was doing.

Here’s where I should warn you that the story takes a bit of a gruesome turn, so stop here if the death of little critters upsets you. … You’ve been warned and, remember, it’s only nature running its natural course. (I’ll even add a ‘continue reading’ break here.) Continue reading →

Birds to brighten your day: May 12

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A red fox pauses in the woods of New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XXI

As you can tell, this post is mislabeled as it’s not a bird at all. I’ve been seeing for the past few weeks a fox run along the trail that runs behind my backyard (I’m assuming it’s the same fox.) Yesterday, the fox veered off the trail and cut into the deep woods. I, of course, went to check out the deep woods to see if I could find it. I did indeed find it, but it was fairly far away, as you can see from the photo. I still like the photo as it shows a wild animal in a very wild habitat.

For those who need their daily bird fix, below is a shot I got of a female eastern bluebird yesterday.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Photo by Chris Bosak
An eastern bluebird perches on a branch in New England, May, 2020. Merganser Lake.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A red fox pauses in the woods of New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

Birds to brighten your day: May 11

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A rose-breasted grosbeak perches on a feeder in New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day in Merganser Lake XX

This isn’t the first and hopefully won’t be the last rose-breasted grosbeak in this series. I’m pretty sure they nested in the woods behind my property two years ago. I’m hoping they repeat that this year. Daily visits by rose-breasted grosbeaks would certainly brighten up these odd times.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Birds to brighten your day: May 10 (Part II)

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Photo by Chris Bosak
An ovenbird perches on snowy branches at Bennett’s Farm State Park in Connecticut during a rare May snowfall in 2020.

Usually I post my latest bird column on Sunday and leave it at that. But yesterday (yes May 9) many in New England woke up to a snow-covered ground and then got another dose of the white stuff later in the day. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get up early and head into the woods to try to get photos of warblers and other spring migrants that we typically don’t associate with snow. There was just a covering of snow and the morning sun was melting it quickly so I had to hurry. I ended up with a few shots of an ovenbird and a blue-winged warbler on snowy branches. Strange times, indeed. (I’ll post the ovenbird a bit later today.)

Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there!

(Here’s even more repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Photo by Chris Bosak
An ovenbird perches on snowy branches at Bennett’s Farm State Park in Connecticut during a rare May snowfall in 2020.

Birds to brighten your day: May 10

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Photo by Chris Bosak A blue-winged warbler perches on snowy branches at Bennett’s Farm State Park in Connecticut during a rare May snowfall in 2020.

Usually I post my latest bird column on Sunday and leave it at that. But yesterday (yes May 9) many in New England woke up to a snow-covered ground and then got another dose of the white stuff later in the day. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get up early and head into the woods to try to get photos of warblers and other spring migrants that we typically don’t associate with snow. There was just a covering of snow and the morning sun was melting it quickly so I had to hurry. I ended up with a few shots of an ovenbird and a blue-winged warbler on snowy branches. Strange times, indeed. (I’ll post the ovenbird a bit later today.)

Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there!

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Photo by Chris Bosak A blue-winged warbler perches on snowy branches at Bennett’s Farm State Park in Connecticut during a rare May snowfall in 2020.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A blue-winged warbler perches on snowy branches at Bennett’s Farm State Park in Connecticut during a rare May snowfall in 2020.

For the Birds: Patience is key, even though it’s hard

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Photo by Chris Bosak A yellow-rumped warbler perches on a clothesline in Danbury, CT, April 2020. (Merganser Lake)

I doubt Tom Petty had birdwatching in mind when he wrote the lyrics “the waiting is the hardest part,” but it sure is appropriate for birders in the spring.


Signs of spring start as early as January or February when a few hardy flowers poke out of the ground. Owls also start their breeding season about this time but that is done in secret and largely unbeknownst to humans. March brings the first spring peeper calls, more flowers, red-winged blackbirds, American woodcock and, finally, eastern phoebes, at the end of the month. March also brings the official start to spring, of course.


April starts off fairly slowly until the first pine warblers arrive. Then it’s warbler season! The problem is, pine warblers are three weeks to a month ahead of most of the other warblers and other colorful migratory songbirds. Palm warblers and yellow-rumped warblers are the exceptions as they closely follow the pines.

Those three weeks to a month can seem like an eternity. We’ve endured winter and have slowly gotten small teases of spring. Bring it on already! We jump Continue reading →

Birds to brighten your day: May 9 (II)

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Photo by Chris Bosak A female rose-breasted grosbeak visits a backyard in New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XVIII

Here’s a bonus shot for today because the weather certainly won’t lift your spirits. The male rose-breasted grosbeaks showed up May 1. A lone female showed up a few days later. Yesterday another female arrived on the scene. Not as colorful as the male, but still a looker.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Birds to brighten your day: May 9

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Photo by Chris Bosak A Baltimore oriole perches on a branch in New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XVIII

Here’s another first at the feeder for me. It was hard to miss this guy as he perched in a branch outside the window. Wow, the color! He mostly hung out on the branch as if deciding what food to try out. I have oranges and grape jelly offered — two foods orioles are supposed to like. This guy ignored both and grabbed a few bites of suet before moving along.

There will be more photos of this guys coming soon.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Photo by Chris Bosak A Baltimore oriole perches on a branch in New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

Birds to brighten your day: May 8

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Photo by Chris Bosak An eastern bluebird perches on a branch in New England, May, 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XVII

Yes, my bluebirds at still hanging around. I still have two males and one female coming around daily. I got this shot toward the end of the day.

Could I really be posting a snow photo this weekend? I hope the weather people are wrong, but it’s possible.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)