The long-awaited Third New York Breeding Bird Atlas officially kicked off at the start of 2020. Last year, for obvious reasons, it was difficult to engage in as much exploration as I would’ve liked. My reduced vehicle access and the various travel restrictions made it difficult for me to venture beyond NYC for much of the breeding season. Even though … Read More
The Season So Far: Fall 2020 Highlights
Each of the four seasons has something special to offer the birding world. I will always cherish the lively color and music of spring when birds return after months of absence. Winter brings the festive joy of Christmas Bird Counts and new year lists, while summer offers breeding bird surveys and plenty of free time for adventures. Even so, I … Read More
The Satisfaction of Discovery
The excitement of a rarity chase is one of my favorite aspects of birding, but it’s nothing compared to the thrill of finding something unusual yourself. For me, the feeling of accomplishment that comes with turning up even a minor regional oddity often rivals the triumphant joy of a successful twitch or long-distance trip. That finder’s high is a hell … Read More
Summer Tanagers nesting in Lebanon County, PA
Chad Kauffman, Wayne Laubscher, and I made a quick stop at Middle Creek WMA this morning to try and find the breeding Dickcissel and Blue Grosbeaks there. We were quickly able to find both of our target birds and even hear them singing. After that we made the quick jump over to Aspen Lane near Mt Gretna in Lebanon County to … Read More
Cibola NWR – 7/27/11
This morning, Anna and I conducted Yellow-billed Cuckoo surveys throughout the Cornfield Nature Trail area at Cibola NWR. We were able to find 51 species of birds, one of which would have been a new state bird for both of us, but only Anna saw it; an adult Osprey. Other highlights included an immature White-tailed Kite that was perched with … Read More