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Behind the Bins
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Join me behind the bins to watch birds around the country and sometimes in other places around the globe.
Recent Posts Tagged With 'birds'
Birding from the top of the Canopy Tower
With a view of the Panama Canal and the surrounding forest canopy, the Canopy Tower is an incredible place to stand in the early morning light. I climbed the narrow steps to pop my head above the hatch to see the vista open before me. As I ...
Harlequin Duck Soap Opera
Mrs. H. was going about her business but keeping close to the Mister after such a hard migration. The usual rigg-raff was in the neighborhood of course, but that was to be expected in NJ. What she had not expected, afer all off this time, was a b...
Sparrows in Winter
Drive along any back road in winter and you will flush birds up from the sides of the road where they are eating grit. Most often they are Juncos and Sparrows, but I always stop and look if I can, ever hopeful that there be something else in those ...
First bird of 2009
Ooooo, lookee. It’s an American Tree Sparrow. What a great first bird of 2009. It is not a rariety by any means but I only see them in the depths of winter. One showed up at the nyger feeder during the first big storm (remember that 17 ...
Birding in Albuquerque
Anytime you go birding in Albuquerque you need to include the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park in your circuit. It is close to the downtown and offers a view of a wetland in an otherwise water-starved landscape. The Visitor’s Center has ...
Birding Southeast Arizona-part 1
To maximize my time in Arizona and not wander all over the state being frustrated, I hired Melody Kehl to guide for me. She picked me up at the hotel at 5:30 AM to try for the Sinoloa Wren at first light. The day turned windy and rainy so many bi...
Commuter’s view of Autumn Migration
Driving home due west into the sunset, I am treated every night to the most amazing sherbet shades of lemon, raspberry, apricot and orange. Flowing across these mouthwatering colors is the long river of migration. The birds are high but their lon...
Bird Photography Weekly
The birding in Costa Rica is legendary, with Toucans, Parrots, Motmots, Trogons and Oropendolas. But the thing I could not get enough of, were the Hummingbirds. We saw 27 species of Hummingbirds in the 10 days we were there. This Green Violet-e...
Migration way-station
Migration makes for strange bed–er–tree fellows. I saw the Yellow-shafted Flicker and the Eastern Bluebird. What I did not see until the Flicker flew away was the Blue-headed Vireo. Can you see it? Ok. I know the picture is crap...
Jonathan Trouern-Trend will speak at the 5th NJ Meadowlands Festival of Birding
Knowing that I love all things birdy, a few years ago, a friend gave me a small birding book called Birding Babylon: A Soldier’s Journal from Iraq. Originally written by Sergeant First Class Jonathan Trouern-Trend during his time north of Bagd...
Snake in a tree
Thinking some kids had thrown an old bicycle inner tube up in a tree, I only gave it a passing glance until my friend yelled over, “Hey. What’s that in that tree? Is it a snake?” I looked away from a promising woodpecker hole ...
Skywatch
On a birding boat ride on the bay (huh, how do you like that?) during the Kachemak Bay Shorebird festival a Bald Eagle threw all these Black-legged Kittiwakes into a swirling cloud around Bird Rock. It was a sight to behold! Check out Skywatch Frid...
I Like Gulls
Can we talk about gulls for a moment? I know some birders eschew them, won’t even look at them, call them names like sea rats, G-U-11s, but, truth be told, …shhhh…I sorta like them. Maybe it’s because growing up in the fla...
Sea lions in the San Diego bay
In order to get out onto the bay, I plunked down my $32 and took one of those land-to-water crafts. In some cities they are called Ducks but here in San Diego they are called Seals. It is a, well, I guess I would call it a bus that can go in the ...
Birding the Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail (AT) is about ¼ mile from my house as the crow flies. I have walked various parts of it, often birding along the way. The interesting thing about birding the AT is that the habitat varies from woodland, to marsh, to wide open...
Young Downy Woodpecker
I sat gazing out the big colonial windows in my kitchen with my cat, Winkie perched on one knee. She saw the bird before I did. A disheveled young Downy Woodpecker landed on one of the green metal lawn chairs. She pecked at the metal repeatedly...
Willow Flycatcher
Of the 5 look-a-like Empidonax flycatchers, I see Willow the most, or rather I should say I hear it. Well, I do see it but since they all look alike, I depend on their call to identify which one I am looking at. So, I both hear and…oh, never mi...
Wordless Wednesday
Birds and Bugs
I have been bitten or stung by just about every insect in the woods and fields. As a kid I ran barefoot through the grass stepping on my share of bees, both honey and bumble. (It is like stepping on a live coal). We romped in the warm summer ev...
Last Beech Road Birdwalk
I lay considering the pitter-patter of rain on the windows. Should I go to Beech Road or not? Rain is not much of a barrier with the right gear, but I had to go to work right from the field. On the other hand it is the last scheduled bird walk ...
Birding Clinton Road
Hard on the heels of my disappointed over missing the World Series of Birding because of my delayed flight back from New Orleans; a friend and I spent some time yesterday on Clinton Road. Clinton Road is a 10-mile wooded wonderland that goes from Ro...
Birding City Park in New Orleans
Right before I left NJ, I threw out an email to a birdingpal from New Orleans. I have not been successful with using this service in the past, but 2 people told me that have connected with someone and got great advice. So, what the heck. Whe...
Sabal Palm Sanctuary Needs our Help
Located at the tip of Texas, close to the border with Mexico and south of Brownsville, believe it or not, the Sabal Palm Sanctuary is owned and maintained by the National Audubon Society. It protects a small relict stand of the palms that once lined...
Warbler Show in Central Park
I had been looking forward to today since a frigid day in January, when a friend from work planted the seed of the idea; let’s go birding in Central Park in May for migration. It may sound odd, but the birding in the middle of Manhattan is superb....
Eagle Day at Beech Road
I stamped my waterlogged sneakers on the frosty grass. It was another 30-degree morning on Beech Road. I had rifled around in the car and found a fleece vest that I had neglected to put away. I put it on under my coat and over my blouse and swe...
Beech Road Bird Walk
With only a cursory look at the shoreline, we headed off to the woods with its inviting green blush of tiny leaves. The light shining through was translucent and limey, like a long drink of a margarita on a hot day-tangy, refreshing, relaxing but a...
Thursday Morning Bird Walks
I lagged behind; dazzled by fuzzy willow catkins glowing in the pale morning light while the rest of the group went ahead. It was a cold but not frosty morning on Beech Road. Monksville Reservoir was flat and still with only one boat of fisherman t...
Birding in the Rain
I’m birding in the rain Just birding in the rain What a glorious feelin’ To see warblers again. Ok, it was just a passing thought, as I stood in the 40-degree drizzle looking up at dozens of Palm Warblers and Yellow-rumps and 6 or 7, mayb...
Confessions of a Roadkill Voyeur
WARNING: THIS IS A DISGUSTING POST. “Don’t Look.” “Don’t Look.” “Don’t Look.” ‘possum. I don’t know what it is about road kill, but I am compelled to look at it. Nay, even worse, I am compelled to try and identify it. It is ...
Wordless Wednesday
