New York is home to an impressively diverse array of natural habitats. The Empire State’s various ecoregions run the gamut from the beaches and marshes of Long Island to the grasslands and high peaks near the Canadian border. The Adirondack Mountains are perhaps the wildest, most distinct region of the state, representing the southern edge of the boreal forest biome … Read More
2019 Top 10 Birding Highlights
Like many nature-based bloggers, I enjoy closing each year with a retrospective highlight reel. Ever since 2016, this personal countdown has taken the form of a Top 10 Lifers post, detailing the best new species I tallied during the preceding months. 2019, however, has been the undisputed biggest year of my life thus far. A pair of long-awaited dream trips … Read More
Boreal Bird Blitz
No one likes to let vacation time go to waste. As my schedule began to fill up with responsibilities and obligations, it became apparent that I wouldn’t be able to orchestrate a grand international adventure for my February break this year. Nevertheless, I still had a few days to spare and didn’t want to spend them just sitting around. I … Read More
New Year Birding
Year listing is one of the most popular traditions in the world of birding. The annual cycle of seasons is felt especially strongly by those of us who immerse ourselves in the world of birds, and each new year brings a new set of chances to enjoy unforgettable experiences. On behalf of the whole Nemesis Bird team, I’d like to … Read More
Owling in Ottawa – Part 3
Our day of birding in Ottawa was going wonderfully – we had gotten incredible views of both Great Gray Owl and Boreal Owl, and still had two more major targets lined up for the day. We were running out of daylight, but drove over to the Old Quarry Trail in southwest Ottawa, hoping to find the Northern Hawk Owl that has … Read More
Library Black-backed Woodpeckers Update
I posted last week about a pair of Black-backed Woodpeckers that Anna and I found in the parking lot of the Island Park Public Library. This week, the woodpeckers are hard at work excavating their nest-cavity in a Lodgepole Pine right next to the parking lot. They are sharing the tree with a pair of Tree Swallows, although the swallows don’t seem … Read More
Lifer Black-backed Woodpeckers!
Yesterday, Anna and I pulled into the Island Park Public Library to check internet, but the library was closed. As we sat in the truck deciding where to go next, we heard and saw two woodpeckers in the pines above the parking area. We got out and figured they were the more common American Three-toed Woodpecker, but then realized they … Read More