16 December 2011

Lake Ontario Oldsquaws

I was reading e-mail last night, when a post on the CNY birding list server mentioned someone trying to find an eider that had been seen previously, but had no luck scouring flocks of hundreds of Long-tailed Ducks for it. (These were known as Oldsquaws until about 10 years ago when it was decided "long-tailed Duck" was a less derogatory name. Can't even look at birds without political correctness showing up.)

I stopped, backed up, and realized what that meant. There were hundreds of Long-tailed Ducks within an hour's drive. I have never seen a Long-tailed Duck! I had a free day today. off I went!

It wasn't overly cold, but it was windy. Here's a picture of the surf coming in on Lake Ontario.



So I tried to find places with protected harbors to search, because I knew I wasn't going to have much look trying to see anything on those breakers. I had my first luck at Henderson Harbor, where I found one, but I really scored at the harbor in Oswego.






I also found, and managed to catch an in-flight shot of a Lesser Black-backed Gull.



To give an idea of the wind a waves, here's a shot of the waves breaking over the breakwater at the Oswego Harbor.



Overall, a good day. I saw a lifer and managed to get several good pictures of them. Thankfully, all of my stops I could either bird from the car or they were a short walk. That wind just cut right through you!

26 November 2011

Navarre Beach, Florida

A week's vacation over Thanksgiving to celebrate my in-law's 50th wedding anniversary found us on Navarre Beach, Florida. Unfortunately, baggage policies and prices being what they are, my scope and good camera had to stay at home. Nevertheless, I managed a few pictures of the majestic creation of God during the week with the pocket camera. A walk along the gulf netted me a Willet.
 

Of course, Sanderlings were abundant.
 

It was rather windy several days, kicking up some rough conditions on the gulf.
 

Our rental was on the sound side, and we had some very serene sunsets.
 

04 September 2011

Monarch

Captured this Monarch on digits the other evening on some Purple Loosestrife in my back yard. Too pretty not to share.



29 August 2011

Montezuma NWR

Since my short Summer break was winding down, I decided to take last Monday and go birding at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and it's surrounding area. It was a nice day, and I saw quite a few birds.

Yellowlegs were the bird of the day. I spent a good deal of time looking at them because the staff at the visitor's center informed me that a Wilson's Phalarope had been seen the day before. They are quite similar in size and color, so every yellowlegs got a good look, and as many as possible got photographed.



At the end fo the day, and after reviewing lots of photos of yellowlegs, alas, no phalarope.

This grass is common here in central New York, mostly in damp areas. I think it is beautiful with it's purple seeds. I just wish I knew what it was...this stand is just outside the visitor's center. [update: it is phragmites, or the Common Reed, and is an invasive species in North America.]



Rose Mallow next to one of the pools.



Several immature Pied-billed Grebes were actively feeding.



I enjoyed watching a Great Blue Heron trying to figure out how to gulp down a fish that was a bit big for him....

















Gulp!



Maybe a drink will help.





Great Egrets were present in abundance.



Tundra Swan



And finishing with something completely different, a Downy Woodpecker I saw near the Audubon Visitor's Center.

12 August 2011

Onieda Lake

I am blessed to live within a stone's throw of Onieda Lake, the largest lake wholly within the borders of New York State. Yesterday being a beautiful day of partial clouds and temperatures hovering around 70 degrees all day, I spent most of the morning sitting in my backyard watching birds at my feeder and the neighboring woods. After lunch, I decided to see what I could see at Onieda Shores County Park and a fishing access where Interstate 81 crosses the western end of the lake.

At Onieda Shores I found several Caspian Terns, along with Black Ducks, both of which were firsts in the state for me.



Near the Arrowhead Shelter, there were several Ruby Meadowhawks around a stagnant pond. Very inquisitive, I had several come and land on my shirt as I walked around.



A Pearl Crescent landed at my feet, so I felt obliged to take its portrait.



Over at the fishing area, a mother Mallard was napping with some of her offspring.



An Eastern Pondhawk feasting on an unfortunate damselfly.



Spotted Sandpipers were feeding along the shore.



Despite the 10-15 mile per hour wind, I managed a decent shot of an Eastern Forktail (female).



Overall, a gorgeous day.


Niagara Falls



Living in Central New York, it is pretty well obligatory to make a pilgrimage to Niagara Falls to see the western four Great Lakes making there way down the 167' drop toward Lake Ontario. So, this past Saturday, off we went.

Well-known as a gull hotspot in the winter, in the summer, Niagara hosts an enormous number of Ring-billed Gulls. They were the only type of gull I saw all day.



Amidst all the gulls, I was able to spy a Spotted Sandpiper feeding along the rocks in the Niagara River.



Having the batteries give out in my camera, and the spares back at the car, I had to hike back to get them. On my return, I came across a Song Sparrow kind enough to pose as reward for my troubles.



He was also singing, as his name would imply.



There were Canada Geese as well.

31 July 2011

Hamlin Marsh

To celebrate the AOU giving me a new lifer this weekend....

(The 52nd Supplement to the check-List of North American Birds is out, they decided to split Snowy Plover from Kentish Plover. I am fortunate to have seen both, so +1 for me!)

...I decided to spend a little bit at Hamlin Marsh. Birds were scarce, but I did see a few winged creatures that I could grab in my viewfinder.

Judging by the conditions of the wings, this Whiteface has had a long and hard life....


The always photogenic Blue Dasher



A female Fragile Forktail resting on some European Frogbit. (The leaves are about the size of a half-dollar.)


The male Fragile Forktail.


Black-eyed Susan.