Let’s kick off the summer weekend with a portrait of an eastern kingbird. Why not?
Here’s information on this feisty New England bird.
Here’s a story about how my son Will and I saved a kingbird once.
A kingbird to kick off the weekend
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Tag Archives: birds of New England
For the Birds: Warbling vireos everywhere
It’s funny how you can still discover new things after so many years.
I’m sure that applies to most hobbies, but it certainly applies to birdwatching. I have only recently “discovered” the warbling vireo. The small, loquacious bird, of course, has been around for far longer than I have been birdwatching, but I am only recently taking notice of it.
Part of the reason I may not have paid it much mind previously is that it is a small, fairly nondescript bird that typically hangs out in the middle to upper branches among the leaves. It is not like some birds that take an obvious perch somewhat low in the trees or brush and are easily found on a birdwalk.
Over the last couple of years, however, I have come to know warbling vireos not only because the males sing constantly, but I am finding them almost everywhere I go in the spring.
Continue readingSinging in the spring: Warbling vireo
It’s not surprising to get a photo of a warbling vireo, as these birds sing constantly. A bird that is true to its name.
A few bonus rose-breasted grosbeak photos
Yesterday, I used a photo of a rose-breasted grosbeak for my Singing in the Spring series. Today, I’m including a few bonus shots of a male rose-breasted grosbeak. You gotta love spring migration.
Scaup continue Duck Week
Lesser scaup drake in a river bay in New England, March 2025.
Scaup congregate in large numbers off the coast of Long Island Sound and its tributary rivers during the winter months. The flocks can be several hundred individuals strong, including drakes and hens. On occasion, a redhead may be found within the flock. Greater and lesser scaup are commonly seen in large numbers throughout New England in the winter.
Click here for more information about the greater scaup.
Scaup in a river bay in New England, March 2025.
Northern pintail continues “Duck Week”
The northern pintail is the next fowl up for birdsofnewengland’s Duck Week, a very unofficial declaration made by me because I have a lot of recent duck photos that need to be shared. Pintail drakes are one of the most handsome ducks we have in New England. If you missed the first Duck Week post, click here to meet the hooded merganser.
For more information about the northern pintail, click here.
Here is that pintail pair with an American wigeon pair swimming behind them, March 2025.
Hooded merganser kicks off “Duck Week”
Welcome to Duck Week, birdsofnewengland.com’s very unofficial declaration to celebrate the spring duck migration. Duck Week will be a collection of duck photos I have snapped over the last few weeks. Now seems like a good time, as I’m starting to see fewer ducks as they make their way north to their breeding grounds.
I’ll start with the hooded merganser, one of my favorite birds of all time. I saw a ton of hooded mergansers this late winter/early spring. Look for them in fresh or brackish water, including relatively small bodies of water.
Click here for more information on the hooded merganser.
One more bonus photo …
Just a few larks
I came across these horned larks during a recent walk along a beach in southern Connecticut the other week. Larks and buntings are often seen during the winter along the Long Island Sound coast. I’m yet to get a quality photo of one with its “horns” raised. Until then, enjoy these photos.
Continue readingMore robin and berry photos
I wrote a few weeks ago about robins being the frontrunner for the Bird of Winter. Click here to find out what that even means. The photo I ran with it showed a robin eating border privet berries. Separately, I also wrote recently about my fascination with photographing birds eating berries. Click here for that one.
Well, here are more photos of those robins eating berries.
A few weekend surprises
I had a nice bird walk this weekend and found 24 species in the bitter cold. When I got home, I was treated to a surprise eastern bluebird sighting in the yard. Below, a winter wren was one of the highlights of the walk.
