Leucistic Goldfinch Year 3

Leucistic Goldfinch

I was thrilled to see my old friend, the leucistic goldfinch, waiting for its turn at the window feeder this morning. What a gorgeous bird. Perfect plumage for a day like today.

Happy New Year Cutler Style

Cutler Park, Needham, MA

Took a walk from one end of Cutler to the other (and back). The temperature was in the 50s.

The willow on the ditch, Cutler Park, Needham, MA

Mergansers on the river. People and their dogs and their children on the trails.

Cutler Pond, Cutler Park, Needham, MA

A coating of ice on the pond (not for long).

Christmas visit to Bullocks Cove

Bullocks Cove, Barrington, RI

The annual post-Christmas dinner walk down to Haines Park and Bullocks Cove. The weather was mild and the water was still and the tide was low. The sun just about to emerge from behind the cloud cover.

Ducks, coots, wigeons, mergansers, scaup, brant, geese, swans...

Hooded Mergansers, Bullocks Cove, Barrington, RI

Greater Scaup, Bullocks Cove, Barrington, RI

Always something interesting. From confusing tide marks on pilings

to conch piles and burnt-down port-a-potties.

Why would someone burn down a port-a-potty? Why would someone pile up conchs (still in their shells) in front of it? Is this some kind of RISD art installation?

My Christmas Bird Count, 2011.

 

An annual tradition, a Christmas Bird Count, old school Bird Lore style. Things were a little quiet this morning compared with last year.

Needham, Mass.--Dec, 24; 7:15-8:45 A.M. Overcast; ground bare; tem., 22°. Canada Goose, 1; Mallard, 16; Hooded Merganser, 4; Common Merganser, 4; Great Blue Heron, 1; Red-tailed Hawk, 1; Rock Pigeon, 5;  Mourning Dove, 3;  Downy Woodpecker, 1; Blue Jay, 3; American Crow, 8; Black-capped Chickadee, 12; Tufted Titmouse, 1; White-breasted Nuthatch, 2; American Robin, 3; Northern Mockingbird, 1; American Tree Sparrow, 3; Song Sparrow, 3; Dark-eyed Junco, 4;  Northern Cardinal, 1; Red-winged Blackbird, 4; American Goldfinch ; 5. Total, 22 species, 86 individuals.

Plum Island

Early morning walk on the beach at Plum Island.

 Snowy owl at the edge of the dunes.

Hunters on the water shooting scoters.

Harrier inland hunting crows.

Cutler Cattails

Cutler Park, Needham, MA

It's luminous cattail time of year.

Millennium Park Snow Buntings

Millennium Park, West Roxbury, MA

A most gorgeous November day. Thought I'd take a sunny late morning stroll around Millennium Park. I won't lie--I'd heard there might be snow buntings.

Snow Buntings, Millennium Park, West Roxbury, MA

It didn't take long to find them. I'd barely begun when a small flock flew onto the path about twenty feet ahead of me.

Snow Buntings, Millennium Park, West Roxbury, MA

Why were they so attracted to the pavement?

Snow Buntings, Millennium Park, West Roxbury, MA

Drinking water. They stayed for a couple of minutes. And then like snow buntings, they flew off all at once together.

Snow Buntings, Millennium Park, West Roxbury, MA

Nice to have the snow bunting craving satisfied so early in the season....