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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 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 5

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

A Day on Merganser Lake XV

New birds are showing up every day. Yesterday marked the arrival of a gray catbird, eastern towhee, black-throated green warbler and this bird, a house wren. The hummingbirds showed up on Sunday, but I haven’t snapped a worthy photo yet. House wrens are feisty little birds and will fiercely defend their territory.

(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 house wren perches on a branch in New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

Birds to brighten your day: May 2

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

A Day on Merganser Lake XXIII

On the first day of May, “my” rose-breasted grosbeaks showed up. First, it was one male at my bedroom window feeder. Later, it was two males — both at my backyard feeding station. Welcome back! I look forward to seeing more of their relatives in the coming weeks.

Remember, always feel free to let me know via email or comment what you’re seeing.

(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.)

Bonus post: Great article in Darien Times — Animals help get us through

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Susan Shultz of the Darien Times wrote a great piece about how animals (including birds) are helping people get through this difficult time in our history. I appreciate that she included me in the article. Ms. Shultz is a great writer and passionate editor for that paper.

Click here for the story. (I’m in the birdwatching part, obviously.)

Birds to brighten your day: May 1

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Photo by Chris Bosak A red-bellied woodpecker in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XXII

Here’s a stately photo of a female red-bellied woodpecker. Males have red extending mullet-style from behind the bill all of the way down the lower neck area. Females have less red, such as this one. A photo of a male is included at the bottom of this post for comparison.

Many people call these red-headed woodpeckers, but that name is taken by another woodpecker that truly has an all red head. Red-headed woodpeckers are not seen often in New England. Red-bellied woodpeckers are now common in southern New England and working their way up north.

(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 red-bellied woodpecker in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.
Photo by Chris Bosak A red-bellied woodpecker grabs a peanut from a feeder, March 2018.
Photo by Chris Bosak A red-bellied woodpecker grabs a peanut from a feeder, March 2018.

Birds to brighten your day: April 28

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A blue jay sits on a nest in a rhododendron bush in a yard in Danbury, CT, April 2020. (Merganser Lake)

A Day on Merganser Lake XIX

With the front door not being used as often as usual, a blue jay pair took advantage of the situation to build a nest in the large rhododendron bush right outside the door. I never even noticed the nest until it was completely built and the female was sitting on eggs. The birds don’t seem to mind when the front door is used, thankfully. Two years ago, a mourning dove pair built a nest in the bush but soon abandoned it. The blue jays seem to be seeing this one through.

(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: April 26

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A yellow-rumped warbler and pine warbler share a suet feeder in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XVII

Here’s a bonus posting since I’ve already posted my latest For the Birds column today. I couldn’t resist posting this as soon as possible. I’ve said on this site before that warblers rarely visit feeders. That is still true considering there are dozens of types of warblers in New England and only two or three species will somewhat regularly visit feeders. Well, since making the statement, I’ve had pine warbler every day, and today, I had a pine warbler and yellow-rumped warbler on the same feeder at the same time. A warming scene on yet another unseasonably cold late April day.

(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 yellow-rumped warbler and pine warbler share a suet feeder in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

Birds to brighten your day: April 25

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Photo by Chris Bosak A brown creeper clings to the trunk of a tree in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XVI

Here’s a photo more for education than its quality — admittedly not the best photo. Animals, including birds, have different strategies for survival. For the brown creeper, that strategy is obviously camouflage. It spends most of its day creeping up tree trunks looking for morsels to eat. If you’re going to spend your days clinging to tree trunks, you may as well look like a tree trunk.

(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: April 22

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A male eastern bluebird feeds his mate mealworms in a backyard in Danbury, Connecticut, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XIII

I caught these love birds (eastern bluebirds really) in an intimate moment yesterday as the male fed his mate some dried mealworms. How romantic, I know. I have been seeing them do this over the last few days but have never been quick enough with the camera. This time I was ready and got their special moment.

(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.)