The day after the storm, take 1

Photo by Chris Bosak A song sparrow perches on a fence post the day after a snowstorm in New England, Jan. 2022.

Here are a few photos from the calm after the storm. It’s still bitterly cold in New England, but the sun is shining brightly.

Photo by Chris Bosak A song sparrow perches on a fence post the day after a snowstorm in New England, Jan. 2022.
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Storm photos, take 5

Photo by Chris Bosak A blue jay stands on a fence post during a snowstorm in New England, Jan. 2022.

Here are a few leftover photos from yesterday’s storm.

Photo by Chris Bosak A white-throated sparrow perches on a branch following a snowfall in New England, January 2022.
Photo by Chris Bosak A blue jay stands on a fence post during a snowstorm in New England, Jan. 2022.

Storm photos, take 4

Photo by Chris Bosak A junco perches on a branch during a snowstorm in New England, Jan. 2022.

A montage of snowy bird photos wouldn’t be complete without a junco, so here you go. Also, a blue jay as a bonus.

Photo by Chris Bosak A blue jay stands on a fence post during a snowstorm in New England, Jan. 2022.

Storm photos, take 1

Photo by Chris Bosak A red-bellied woodpecker perches on a fence during a snowstorm in New England, Jan. 2022.

Well, you all had to have seen this coming. Here is round one of the January 29, 2022, snowstorm photos. Like any great bout, this will likely go several rounds.

Photo by Chris Bosak A red-bellied woodpecker perches on a fence during a snowstorm in New England, Jan. 2022.

A few bird photos ahead of the storm

Photo by Chris Bosak A mourning dove perches on a wire during a snowfall in New England, Jan. 2022.

As of Thursday morning, the forecast calls for some snow throughout New England. Will it be a fierce Nor’easter that will drop a foot or more of snow or a relatively calm storm with an inch or two? That much remains to be seen as different models are predicting different outcomes. Like always, we’ll wait and see. In the meantime, here are a few snowy bird photos as we await the storm.

Photo by Chris Bosak A blue jay stands tall during a New England snowfall last week.
Photo by Chris Bosak A Carolina wren perches on a branch following a snowfall in New England, Jan. 2022.

For the Birds: Birding New Year’s resolutions

Photo by Chris Bosak A black duck hides in the grasses near a pond in northern New Hampshire, July 2020.

I dreaded looking it up, but as it turns out, there was nothing to dread.

Let me explain.

There are a handful of regular birding columns that I write every year about this time. One is on Christmas gifts for the birdwatcher, one is about the Christmas Bird Count, one is on my birding highlights of the year, and one is on my New Year’s resolutions for the coming year.

It is the resolution column that I dread looking back on. There are sure to be many failures, and I just hope there are a few successes to go along with it.

I was surprised when I looked up last year’s resolution column. As it turns out, I didn’t write one last year after all. Maybe there was too much going on, maybe I figured I wouldn’t stick to the resolutions anyway, or maybe COVID’s first Christmas had me so down I just couldn’t bring myself to write a forward-thinking, optimistic column.

Well, COVID is still with us and wreaking havoc on another holiday season, but I am not going to let it win this year. So here’s my latest birding New Year’s resolution column.

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Watch where you step

Photo by Chris Bosak An eft works its way across a path in New England, fall 2021.

If you’ve spent any time in the New England woods in the spring, summer or fall after a rain, you’ve certainly come across an eft or two (probably way more than that.) They wander onto hiking trails and can be quite numerous the day after a rain. I came across several during a recent walk at Huntington State Park in SW Connecticut. Notice the different colors of the two efts pictured. The eft is the terrestrial stage of the eastern newt. The four stages of the newt are described succinctly in the following post by author David George Haskell.

Photo by Chris Bosak An eft works its way across a path in New England, fall 2021.

A few more bunting shots

Photo by Chris Bosak An indigo bunting perches in a tree in New England, July 2021.

The upcoming For the Birds column will provide more detail, but until then here are a few more shots of this beauty.

Photo by Chris Bosak An indigo bunting perches in a tree in New England, July 2021.
Photo by Chris Bosak An indigo bunting perches in a tree in New England, July 2021.

A few warblers

Photo by Chris Bosak A chestnut-sided warbler lurks in the brush in New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

Due to various reasons (excuses?), I haven’t been out this year looking for warblers yet. But here are a few “old” shots to celebrate warbler season, a highlight of the birding year. I will take my own advice soon and “get out there.”

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