Birds always find ways to surprise us. No matter how much you know, no matter how well you prepare, no matter how long you’ve been tuned in to the wild world of birding, there will be times when you get caught completely off guard. I think that’s wonderful. This Tuesday morning, I was standing in the Tucson airport after a … Read More
Snowy Owl Season: Reflections on Winter 2017-18
Bubo scandiacus is a highly evocative species. As one of the largest, most striking members of the ever popular owl family, Snowies have a special magic that drives people wild. Wherever these Arctic predators go, excitement bordering on chaos usually follows. I’ve been hooked on Snowy Owls my entire life. I spent my early childhood dragging around a beloved plush … Read More
South TX Raptor Notes – April 2016
From savannas, to subtropical forests, to desert scrub there is no better springtime paradise for hawkwatchers than southern Texas. Huge numbers of migrant raptors slip northward along the coastline, taking the shortest possible route around the Gulf of Mexico, and 11 different species call the southern portion of the state their year-round home. There are even a few species that can … Read More
Eagle Madness
When it comes to raptors, eagles often come out on top in every category. And why not? They are massive, long-lived, fierce, majestic, and did I mention that they are very large? Whether it’s soaring past a hawkwatch or giving Gandalf a ride to freedom, eagles are worth looking at every time. Easily one of the most rewarding experiences of … Read More
Rio Grande Valley Raptors
As fellow Nemesis Birder Alex Lamoreaux was out looking for one of his nemesis birds today, I was sitting in my office a few miles away, pining to also be on the Mission Nature Park levee, scanning the skies for the local group of Hook-billed Kites which have been rather faithfully putting on a show for any interested birders who … Read More
Raptors in Northern Nicaragua
For two glorious weeks between February and March, Drew Weber and I were in northern Nicaragua completing bird surveys on shade grown coffee farms for the lovely folks over at Birds and Beans. Much of our time was spent in the department of Madriz, an area that previously was severely under-birded. Relishing in the challenge of birding unknown territory and … Read More
Review – The Crossley ID Guide: Raptors
By now I am sure most birders have seen the Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds, with its unique plates loaded with color photographs of birds set against natural backgrounds. No other field guide to birds is as interactive and innovative; allowing the reader to study each species in multiple plumages, at various distances, and in multiple lighting conditions. As Crossley … Read More
The Crossley Raptor ID Quiz
In anticipation of the new Crossley Raptor ID guide release, we have this photo ID quiz made by Richard Crossley. See how many you can identify, leave your answers in the linked form, and we will post the answer next week. There are 11 birds in the photo, make sure you identify each one. Anyone who correctly identifies all the … Read More
Another year of birding underway!
With the first month of the year officially behind us now, I thought I would take a look the current status of my year list. Beginning a new year is always fun – every single bird is ‘new’, it’s winter, and there are typically a bunch of winter rarities and other good birds around to chase. You never really know what the … Read More
Hoary Redpoll and WRS Part 2
Due to a closed bridge, I was only able to access the western two-thirds of my Winter Raptor Survey (link to Part 1), so today Josh Lefever and I ran the last third as its own survey. The weather was great, with a bright sun and blue skies accentuating the snow-covered stripmines of northern Centre County, Pennsylvania. Within the first … Read More