Monthly Archives: April 2019

Cusp of Warbler Migration

While the cold and rain continues to depress us . . . we’re seeing more and more warblers . . . some in the most unusual locations. This weekend we had Yellow-rumps all over our bird feeders.  In 20 years of feeding birds at this house, we’ve never had Butter-butts but suddenly we had at […]

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Spring Migration Picking Up Speed

Trying to get out and look for birds for an hour or two, once or twice a day . . . and the birds are definitely moving north. Yesterday I saw my first three warblers in Maine: Yellow-rumped, Pine and Palm . . . my first Maine Ruby-crowned Kinglet and lots of other things. [ngg […]

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Rain Rain Rain

Since Ingrid and I returned from Arizona it has rained . . . and rained . . . and rained.  The good news is some brief clearing tomorrow followed by rain through Sunday. Sigh. Still I managed to get a few birds over the last few days. A Pied Grebe in the fog (initially identified […]

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Back in Maine

Ingrid and I got back from Arizona early, early this morning.  We left Patagonia at 9:30; drove 90 minutes to Tuscon; flew to Phoenix; then to Boston; and then drove back to Maine.  Our heads hit the pillow about 3:00 am (and our Maine Coon Cats climbed all over us all night . . . […]

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Pyrrhuloxia

Today we were up early for the 90 minute drive east through the Arizona desert to visit the legendary Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast.  No longer operating as an Inn, the owner has dozens of feeding stations, chairs benches and bird blinds that birders can enjoy (for a $10 entrance fee). Its well worth it!!!! […]

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Vermillion Flycatcher

Today we just hung around Patagonia and the Duquesne House . . . the best B&B for birding we’ve ever stayed at. Highlights included our 500th Vermillion Flycatcher of the week (I’m exaggerating . . . but they seem to be everywhere); male and female Summer Tanagers (at the Inn); and Hooded Orioles (also at […]

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Magnificent Hummingbird

Before 2017 . . . if you visited a small corner of Arizona . . . you might be lucky enough to see the large and beautiful Magnificent Hummingbird. But then the powers to be split the species into the Rivoli’s Hummingbird and the Talamanca hummingbird (found in Costa Rica and Panama).  I think this is […]

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Playing Tourist in Arizona

Today we took a break from birding and played tourist. We travelled to Tombstone and saw a campy reenactment of the gunfight at the OK Corral.   On the way back we did a wine tasting at one of the many wineries in Southeast Arizona (who knew). Of course we had to stop any photograph […]

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Verdin

Day two of our Southeast Arizona Birding Adventure was a trip west thirty minutes to Patagonia Lake State Park . . . a large lake by Arizona standards . . . a community swimming hole in Maine. We started the day with a one hour pontoon boat trip around the lake, followed by a two […]

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Lucy’s Warbler

Our first day in southeastern Arizona started at an airport hotel in Tuscon and ended at a Bed-and-Breakfast for Birders in Patagonia. In between we visited the Paton Center for Hummingbirds and the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve.  We’re about to head out for another day of Birding so this won’t be a long blog but highlights […]

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Arizona here we come!!!

As Ingrid and I continue “training” for our Big Year in 2024 . . . today we headed to Southeast Arizona for a little birding, a little relaxation and some well earned warm weather. But as we were leaving the house . . . I heard that a Lapland Longspur was being seen among the […]

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Horned Larks

Today was lots of heads down coding and conference calls . . . tommorow Ingrid and I are heading to Arizona for a week of birding and relaxation. But managed to drive around the now defunct Brunswick Naval Air Station (revitalized with shops, manufacturing and services as the Brunswick Landing) looking for a Lapland Longspur […]

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Pacific Loon in Maine

I was up very early this morning getting ready for a presentation and when it was over around lunch time . . . I had already put in a full day.  So, I cleaned up a few odds and ends and headed out birding in the early afternoon. Maine was recovering from two straight days […]

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Tundra Swan

There are three species of swans commonly found in North America . . . the Tundra, the Trumpeter and the Mute.   We see  Mute Swans quite regularly in New England (the famous Boston Commons has “Swan Boats”) . . . but Tundra and Trumpeter Swans rarely visit. Three weeks ago, a Tundra Swan was […]

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Day of the Wood Duck

Wood Ducks in Maine are a rare skittish species.  If we see one, we have to be very careful and move very slowly . . . cause the slightest movement will cause them to take flight. In the last 24 hours I’ve seen three groups of Wood Ducks and none of them took the slightest […]

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Take our Warbler Quiz

Welcome to the Big Year Birding Warbler Quiz. For the next several several minutes we’ll test your know knowledge of these beautiful little visitors. The questions will get harder as we go along. At the end there are no awards, prize money or new cars . . . just the satisfaction that you’ve added to, […]

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