Category Archives: First_of-year

Some Perched Birds

We are leaving for a little trip to Florida this weekend and it will be fun to handle the camera with warm, or at least thawed-out hands. I’ve been grabbing some shots here on our daily walks and thought I’d share a few.

Song Sparrows are everywhere, singing up a storm, adding their audio brightness to our lengthening days.

Even the more common birds stand out with leafless trees (and power poles.)

One of the first Common Grackles of the year for me.
House Sparrows need some love too.
Northern Cardinals are very vocal as they establish territory and checking out each other.
This is my first Belted Kingfisher of the year, at a great distance.

Yesterday, while walking with Ginger at the Wrightsville Reservoir, I came upon this perched Bald Eagle who watched us as we circumvented his perch but seemed pretty disinterested. I can’t determine if it’s a molting bird or a juvenile.

FOY Hoodies

Ginger and I have a Friday morning routine: take the recycling/trash to the depot and then head up to the airport and Berlin Pond to check for birds. Today, it was too windy to chase balls on the tarmac but we came across this nice pair of Hooded Mergansers.

Hoodies are fun to find but the first pair I see is always a special treat.
I was able to use the car as a blind – and kept from disturbing them.