Rails are shy birds of the marshlands. Clapper rails are usually heard before they are seen, if they are seen at all. I stood in the muck at low tide for several minutes, and finally, this clapper rail decided to come out of the vegetation and walk along the mud for a few seconds. Several rails were calling back and forth in the marsh.
It had been several years since I had been to Pittsburg, NH, a place I used to visit three times a year or more back in the day.
My visits gradually became more infrequent as I got older, gained work and family responsibilities and grew less inclined to make the long drive. Besides, moose sightings had become increasingly rare up there, while they used to be a sure thing. Moose had always been the main attraction for me and many others who visit there.
Even so, the area has retained a special place in my heart, and I often long to be there. I just wish I could teleport there with my truck, canoe and camping equipment.
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Here are a few warblers I saw on my trip up north. Previously, I had posted photos of loons and an eagle. Canada warblers and magnolia warblers are similar looking with their bright yellow chests and bellies streaked with black. There some obvious differences, such as the eyes. Canada warblers have an obvious eye ring, while magnolia warblers have a black mask with less obvious broken eye ring.
Everything about a Baltimore oriole nest is ingenious. From the design and materials to the location selection, the nest is a perfect haven to raise young birds safely from predators (for the most part).
Fall is the best time to find oriole nests, after the leaves have fallen. Of course, by that time, the orioles are long gone, and the nest is a mere relic of the past breeding season, but it’s still interesting to see one of the pouch-like nests dangling from the end of a branch.
The other week, I was lucky enough to watch a female oriole build one of those remarkable nests. I was walking along a trail that was teeming with yellow warblers, catbirds, and Baltimore orioles when I glanced up and saw an oriole perched at the end of a branch overhead.
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I missed an opportunity to photograph a least bittern (it would have been my first photos of that species) when I noticed it too late, and it quickly and silently disappeared into the reeds never to be seen again.
A few hours later, I found this green heron as a consolation prize. Not that I consider the heron a lesser bird, but I already had plenty of photos of green herons. A light rain was falling and at one point the heron shook its body to get rid of the excess water.
One day I’ll get that least bittern.
Brown thrashers are one of my favorite birds. I think I’ve now said that about 88 birds or more. But, really, brown thrashers are one of those birds that make me stop in my tracks every time I see one. In this case, I saw two. Thrashers are usually quite timid and do not allow for a close approach. I didn’t even try to get closer to these birds because I knew what the result would be. So, I let my zoom lens do the work from a distance that would not disturb the birds.
Below are a few shots of just one thrasher. (Just the name itself is awesome.)
Here are a few warbler photos I took earlier this month and never got around to posting, until now. The photos don’t do it justice, but the blackburnian warbler is one of the more strikingly colored birds that pass through New England. The warbler migration is winding down, but the ones that nest in our region will keep us busy and occupied for the next few months.
What is rare and causes excitement in one area is often commonplace and taken for granted in other areas.
For instance, a roseate spoonbill caused quite a stir in southern New England a few years ago. People came from all over the region to see it. If you visit the right places in Florida, however, roseate spoonbills, while I’m sure still appreciated, are no big deal to the locals.
Conversely, there are birds common to New England that sometimes stray into other regions where they are not common and are a thrill for the people in that region.
Last week, while visiting my brother in Erie, Pennsylvania, I had one of those out-of-place bird experiences. We were walking along a trail looking for warblers and other migrating songbirds when I heard in the distance a very loud song from a bird that I did not recognize. Even though I didn’t know what the song was right away, I knew it was something special as I was certain I had never heard it before. The call was extremely distinctive, loud and carried a long way.
My brother had his Merlin app activated and sandhill crane came up. I had no idea that there were sandhill cranes at Presque Isle State Park as we have visited there frequently and had never seen, heard or even heard mention of the large birds being there before.
Continue readingBaltimore orioles have one of the most unique nests of all the songbirds in New England.
According to allaboutbirds.org, “Baltimore Orioles build remarkable, sock-like hanging nests, woven together from slender fibers. The female weaves the nest, usually 3 to 4 inches deep, with a small opening, 2 to 3 inches wide, on top and a bulging bottom chamber, 3 to 4 inches across, where her eggs will rest. She anchors her nest high in a tree, first hanging long fibers over a small branch, then poking and darting her bill in and out to tangle the hank. While no knots are deliberately tied, soon the random poking has made knots and tangles, and the female brings more fibers to extend, close, and finally line the nest. Construction materials can include grass, strips of grapevine bark, wool, and horsehair, as well as artificial fibers such as cellophane, twine, or fishing line. Females often recycle fibers from an old nest to build a new one. Males occasionally bring nesting material, but don’t help with the weaving. Building the nest takes about a week, but windy or rainy weather may push this as long as 15 days. The nest is built in three stages: first, the female weaves an outer bowl of flexible fibers to provide support. Next, springy fibers are woven into an inner bowl, which maintains the bag-like shape of the nest. Finally, she adds a soft lining of downy fibers and feathers to cushion the eggs and young.”
During my recent trip to Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pa., I came across an oriole pair building a nest. We saw tons of orioles overall, but this was the only nest I found under construction. I was amazed at how much progress the orioles made in just one day. The first photo below was taken on a Sunday and next two photos (and the one above) were taken on a Monday. Nature is amazing.
Click here to see photos of sandhill cranes at Presque Isle.
I recently visited my old hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania, and took several trips to Presque Isle State Park with my brother Paul. Presque Isle is one of the country’s birding hotspots due to its location on Lake Erie. We have been birding there for many years, but this year we were surprised to see sandhill cranes there. I believe it is the first year sandhill cranes have stayed for an extended period of time at the park. A ranger expressed hope that the birds will breed there. More on the cranes coming to birdsofnewengland.com in a future column. In the meantime, here are several photos of the beauty.
Birds of New England.com 