I’ve always appreciated the seasonality of birding. When you’re paying close attention to the goings-on in the world outside your windows, the annual cycle of nature is conspicuous and easy to track. This visible, reliable schedule has been a major boon throughout the pandemic, which has caused weeks and months to blur together and warp all perception of time. The … Read More
Life in Queens: A New Patch
My recent move from Nassau to Queens was one of the final big events in a very eventful 2019. A few months out, I’d consider myself comfortably settled in, and the pros certainly outnumber the cons so far. Somewhere in between “notably shorter, easier commute” and “return to reliance on laundromats” on the Cool-to-Lame Scale lie the changes to my … Read More
4th of July Birding Challenge!
It’s that time of year again…..fireworks, patriotism, awkward outdoor barbecues with people you know from work. But the real highlight of every 4th? The annual NemesisBird 4th of July Birding challenge. It’s really the highlight of America in general – I’d like to think that this prize-less birding contest is now included in some of our country’s most cherished traditions: … Read More
Fourth Annual 4th of July Birding Challenge!
It’s a big year for the annual Nemesisbird 4th of July Birding Challenge: It’s an election year in the US (in case you have been under a rock for 9 months), it’s the Fourth year of the 4th of July birding challenge, Hamilton the musical swept the Tony Awards, and the sequel to Independence Day is in theaters. What more could … Read More
A March Big Day in Delaware
Last Saturday, Nate Fronk, Alan Kneidel, and I made a run for the March Big Day record for Delaware. We decided that owling in the morning was pointless due to ~20mph winds, so we left Newark around 5:00 AM. After quick stops at Helen’s Sausage House and Wawa, we arrived at the Indian River Inlet shortly after sunrise. Our first … Read More
Snowstorm in Cape May
When we went to bed on the evening of January 2nd in Cape May, the temperature was dropping quick and it was beginning to snow. When we woke up to the next morning, there was a half-foot of snow on the ground and the wind was howling. We had camped in my truck overnight, and it managed to stay pretty … Read More
Bird Surprises
Before moving to Syracuse and becoming a plant ecology graduate student, my field work was bird-based. I was a point-counter, transect-walker, and wife of the bird-obsessed. In fact, last summer’s field season left me with the vestiges of being a real birder – I realized this after I found myself subconsciously tallying what birds and how many were singing in … Read More
Biggest Week 2013: Day 1 photo highlights
You have probably already read my summary of my first day at the Biggest Week, but were wondering where all the photos were. Well, here they are!  Check out the summary post here: The Biggest Week 2013: Day 1! and also check out my Cerulean Warbler post, my favorite bird I saw on my first boardwalk stroll!
Timberdoodle season is here!
Tonight I went to Scotia Barrens with hopes to spot a few American Woodcock. Joe Verica reported two displaying males near the “big sign” at Scotia on February 28th, so it was likely that they would be there again. I arrived at the barrens around 5:30 pm. There was an unusual amount of traffic and barking dogs, so I figured … Read More