A Red-breasted Nuthatch perches near a birdfeeding station in Danbury, Conn., Oct. 2016.
I suspected one or more might show up this fall/winter and, well, one did show up over the weekend. I had seen reports of Red-breasted Nuthatches showing up throughout New England. I’ve had these small birds at previous feeders, but not yet at my home on Merganser Lake in Connecticut. Until now …
For more information on this bird, visit my previous post by clicking here.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A junco perches on a dried up plant at Weed Beach in Darien, Conn., in Jan. 2015.
Sorry for that headline. I’m sure some of you out there are looking forward to winter, but for many it’s a dreaded time of year. Personally, I love winter because of all the different birds that show up just for that season. Plus, winter can be full of surprises (just like any season in New England.)
One sure sign of winter in the birding world is the arrival of Dark-eyed Juncos around feeding stations. Well, today was the day I saw my first one. A beautiful pitch-black and pure-white male hopped along my deck looking for seeds.
Winter’s coming and I’m not bummed at all.
Photo by Chris Bosak
White-breasted Nuthatch at backyard feeder, Oct. 2014.
Here’s the latest For the Birds column, which runs weekly in The Hour (Norwalk, Conn.), The Keene (NH) Sentinel and several Connecticut weekly newspapers.
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The feeders went back up a few weeks ago. Nothing extraordinary has shown up yet, but it sure is nice to see the “regular” birds back.
My constant companions are nuthatches, titmice and chickadees. There is usually a downy woodpecker or two there as well, but they are not as reliable as the aforementioned birds.
I love seeing the nuthatches. I love the titmice and chick Continue reading
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Ruby-throated HummingAbird perches on a branch in Brookfield, Conn., fall 2016.
Well, I keep seeing them, so I’ll keep posting photos of them. Soon, the vast majority of hummingbirds will have left New England for their incredible migration to Central and South America. So as long as I keep seeing them …
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird perches on a branch in Brookfield, Conn., fall 2016.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird perches on a branch in Brookfield, Conn., summer 2016.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Chipping Sparrow eats from a a bird feeder at Merganser Lake in Danbury, Conn., summer 2016.
When the nights first start to feel just a bit like the fall, I start filling the feeders again. This year that happened to fall on Labor Day Weekend. I hope everyone had a good holiday. The bad news is that summer is almost over. The good news is that fall is next. It’s a great season for birdwatching. (Aren’t they all, though?)
One of my first visitors to the feeders was this Chipping Sparrow. It’s a cute little sparrow and VERY common around my neighborhood. It’s always good to see the birds back at the feeders again.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Tufted Titmouse grabs a sunflower seed from a feeder in Danbury, Conn., summer 2016.
Yes, yesterday was the last hummingbird photo in the series. This was the reaction of this Tufted Titmouse when it found out the news.
But in all seriousness, I don’t typically feed birds in summer, mostly because by June all I’m getting are squirrels, chipmunks and House Finches. Every so often, though, I put some sunflowers seeds on a platform and see what will show up. It didn’t take long for the titmice, chickadees and nuthatches to show up.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Scarlet Tanager sings in a tree in Danbury, Conn., July 2016.
Here’s the latest For the Birds column, which runs weekly in The Hour (Norwalk, Conn.), The Keene (NH) Sentinel and several Connecticut weekly newspapers.
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Thankfully the trees are fully leafed out. My neighbors probably would have started to wonder about me. Of course, that process likely started long ago.
I found myself standing on my roof, camera in hand, keeping an eye on a male scarlet tanager that was singing his heart out among the oaks.
I had noticed the brilliant red-and-black bird a few days before. I was writing at my computer at home when I spied him through the window eating berries from those ubiquitous wild raspberry bushes, which are really invasive wineberries from Asia. The bird was impossible to miss with that beaming red plumage that puts cardinals to shame. (No offense to our beloved cardinals.) The tanager was gone by the time I opened the front door for a better look.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird hovers near a feeder in Danbury, Conn., summer 2016
All summer a lone male Ruby-throated Hummingbird has been visiting the feeder in the back yard. This week, however, a female and younger hummingbird showed up as well. Only one eats at a time, however, as the adults are very territorial.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird eats at a feeder in Danbury, Conn., summer 2016
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Scarlet Tanager perches in a tree in Danbury, Conn., July 2016.
You had to see this coming. More Scarlet Tanager photos! When you get a cooperative Scarlet Tanager (this was the first one I’ve ever come across) you have to do more than one post about it … Continue reading
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Scarlet Tanager sings in a tree in Danbury, Conn., July 2016.
Well, I didn’t expect this guy to show up in the yard in mid-July. Typically I see the spectacular Scarlet Tanager in mid to late May and not again until the fall migration, if I’m lucky, or even next spring. Perhaps this means that it nested nearby. I sure hope so. Or, it could be an early southward migrant, but not likely. At any rate, I was happy to entertain it over the last few days. Hopefully it sticks around.
This is the male Scarlet Tanager. Females are dull yellow. During the fall migration, the males will lose this spectacular plumage and look somewhat similar to females. This guy is just starting to turn … note the yellow spot on its head.
More photos Continue reading
Birds of New England.com 