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.)

Birds to brighten your day: May 7

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A pileated woodpecker works over a tree in New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XVI

I heard a loud tapping (no make that banging) coming from the backyard. I glanced out the window and noticed a male pileated woodpecker giving a dead hemlock tree a good working over. Chips and even bigger pieces of wood broke free and scattered under the ground. He didn’t stay long, maybe five minutes, but I got some nice shots of him.

Female and male pileated woodpeckers both have red heads, but only the male has the red “mustache.”

(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 6

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Photo by Chris Bosak A gray catbird perches on a deck railing in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XVI

Catbirds aren’t known as big feeder birds, but this one stopped by briefly for a mealworm or two. I haven’t seen it since. This photo shows the rusty patch under its tail, which is not always shown. During the dog days of summer, sometimes it seems that a few catbirds are the only birdlife to be found. Welcome back to New England!

(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 gray catbird perches on a deck railing in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

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.