There will be more about this past weekend’s Christmas Bird Count coming soon, but here’s a shot of a female hooded merganser I got during the successful event.
Here are some more mergs …
Hooded merganser on Christmas Bird Count
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A few shots from this morning’s snowfall
Snow has been scarce so far in southern New England (not that I’m complaining), so when it does snow I make sure to have the feeders filled and the camera handy.
Happy Thanksgiving from BirdsofNewEngland.com
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New feeders bring in the birds
I recently received two Kingsyard brand feeders, and they are bringing in the birds at a pretty good clip. I like the platform feeder (seen above) for its partial dome cover. The cover keeps the rain out of the tray, which was a problem I had with my previous platform feeder. Birds don’t like wet, soggy seeds.
The other feeder is shaped like a house and looks nice hanging on the hook whether there are birds on it or not. Of course, it looks better when birds are on it. I also like that it has three separate chambers for the food so you can offer a mix of seeds and other foods, such as mealworms.
I’m looking forward to seeing what birds will show up over the course of the winter. #kingsyard
Brant photos in magazine
Two of my brant photos were published in the latest issue of Estuary magazine, which is dedicated to “Life on the Connecticut River.”
The magazine is quite impressive in quality and full of interesting information about the river.
Its website may be found here.
Here’s the latest cover.
Not bad for an iPhone photo
Monarchs and milkweed are a natural combination. This butterfly stayed put as I walked by, so I figured I’d take out the phone the grab a shot.
BirdsofNewEngland.com featured in Norwalk Land Trust newsletter
Some of my bird photographs were featured in the latest issue of the Norwalk (CT) Land Trust’s newsletter. I am a big supporter of all land trusts and have a special affinity for the ones in Norwalk and Darien, Connecticut.
Happy Fourth of July from BirdsofNewEngland.com
Happy Fourth of July from BirdsofNewEngland.com!
For the Birds: Helping birds this summer
It may be early in the summer season, but it seems like a good time to prepare for the hot days ahead.
Here are some things you can do to protect and help birds this summer:
Feeding hummingbirds is one of the great joys of summer in New England. No matter how many times they have visited already, it is always a thrill to see one land on your feeder, or better yet, feed from flowers planted in your yard. It is important, however, to keep the sugar water fresh and the feeder clean.
Sugar water should be changed every couple of days during hot weather. It can be a bit cumbersome, I know, but it is worth the effort as it keeps the birds happy and safe. Also, sugar water should be made with four parts water and one part sugar, and that’s it. No red dye. It’s unnecessary and potentially harmful to the tiny birds.
Sandhill Cranes in New England
Kevin Peters sent in these terrific photos of a sandhill crane family he saw last week (mid-June 2022) east of Plainfield, Massachusetts. I’ll add these to the Reader Submitted Photos page on this site, but I thought sandhill cranes in New England warranted a post of its own. According to eBird reports, other people have reported sandhill crane sightings in the Berkshire region this year. Numerous sources say sandhill crane sightings are increasing in New England. Definitely something to keep an eye on. Thanks for the photos Kevin!
