One more Christmas Bird Count photo

Photo by Chris Bosak A red-tailed hawk perches on the top of a pine tree in New England, December 2020.

Here’s one more shot of the red-tailed hawk that we saw during the Christmas Bird Count on Sunday in Norwalk, Connecticut. We were looking for warblers among the pine trees and this bird flew in out of nowhere to entertain us for a bit.

Christmas Bird Count photos

Photo by Chris Bosak A northern shoveler swims on the Norwalk River in New England, December 2020.

It was a gray day that turned into a snowy day that turned into a misty, gray day. The weather never fails to be part of the story of a Christmas Bird Count (CBC) in New England. Yesterday (Sunday) was the annual CBC in my area and, as usual, I covered the Norwalk (Conn.) coastline and parts inland with Frank Mantlik, one of Connecticut”s top birders. We tallied 61 species, which will be combined with the other birds spotted by the Count’s other teams. Highlights included northern shoveler, northern pintail, prairie warbler, pine warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, northern harrier, merlin and horned lark. Full story coming in my For the Birds column. In the meantime, here’s what the Christmas Bird Count is all about.

Photo by Chris Bosak A red-tailed hawk perches on the top of a pine tree in New England, December 2020.
Photo by Chris Bosak A prairie warbler perches on a cement barrier at a waste water treatment center in New England, December 2020.
Photo by Chris Bosak A northern pintail drake swims in a pool of water with Canada geese in New England, December 2020.
Photo by Chris Bosak A northern shoveler swims on the Norwalk River in New England, December 2020.

A few more snowy bird photos

Photo by Chris Bosak A pair of Carolina wrens visit a platform feeder in New England, December 2020.

Parts of New England got varying degrees of snow during this week’s storm. I got about a foot of the white stuff, but I’ve heard from friends throughout the region of much more and much less. At any rate, the birds came out to eat during and after the storm. Here’s proof.

Photo by Chris Bosak A dark-eyed junco eats a berry following a snowstorm in New England, December 2020.
Photo by Chris Bosak A black-capped chickadee visits to a New England backyard, December 2020.
Photo by Chris Bosak A dark-eyed junco eats a berry following a snowstorm in New England, December 2020.
Photo by Chris Bosak A pair of Carolina wrens visit a platform feeder in New England, December 2020.

Junco eats berry in the snow. More snow photos to come

Photo by Chris Bosak A dark-eyed junco eats a berry following a snowstorm in New England, December 2020.

Here’s just the start to the bird photos taken during the snowstorm that blanketed New England on Wednesday and Thursday.

Prepping for the storm

Photo by Chris Bosak A Carolina wren visits to a New England bird-feeding station, December 2020.

New England is bracing for a major snowstorm on Wednesday evening and into Thursday. In the meantime, we got a little preview on Monday with a coating of snow. Here are some shots from Monday with thoughts for better snow photos coming soon. Feel free to send your snowy bird photos to birdsofnewengland@gmail.com and I’ll include them on the Reader Submitted Photos page.

Photo by Chris Bosak A red-breasted nuthatch visits to a New England bird-feeding station, December 2020.

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Grackle brightens up a rainy day

Photo by Chris Bosak A grackle visits a feeding station in New England, December 2020.

This common grackle visited my feeding station recently and brightened up a gray, Continue reading

Good winter for red-breasted nuthatches

Photo by Chris Bosak A red-breasted nuthatch visits to a New England bird-feeding station, December 2020.

Based on emails I have received and bird reports I have read, it has been a good fall/winter to see red-breasted nuthatches throughout the region. This one has been hanging around my house for the last several days. Have you had any luck seeing this small bird Continue reading