I’ve often said that people who are more actively observant of the natural world around them are more acutely aware of the seasonal cycle. When you spend most of your free time watching the comings and goings of animals, you can’t help but notice the gradual, steady changes each day brings on our yearly journey around the Sun. This is … Read More
2020 Top 10 Birds
Every year offers a different set of experiences. In 2019, I saw so many lifers that I couldn’t imagine narrowing them down to a Top 10. 2020 stands in stark contrast to last year’s international adventures, and though I managed to make the most of this challenging reality I did not crack into the double digits for new birds observed. … Read More
A Tale of Two Cuckoos
The cosmopolitan family Cuculidae contains some of the world’s weirdest and most wonderful species of birds. I am not shy about my fondness for cuckoos, and over the years I have enjoyed a number of incredible encounters with this tribe during my travels around the globe. Fantastic creatures like Greater Roadrunner, Squirrel Cuckoo, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Pheasant Cuckoo, Little Bronze-Cuckoo, … Read More
Rhode Island Mini Pelagic
Ah, the open sea. Is there anything more exciting than a trip to look for pelagic birds? Last Wednesday, along with Olivia DaRugna (who is something of a natural-born scrimshander), my old Borneo compadre Ryan Steiner (who is on pace to crack 1,000 species in one calendar year), and Clara Cooper-Mullin (queen of the hashtags), I was lucky enough to … Read More
Ye Olde New England November
November turned out to be a pretty good month for rare birds in New England. Sure, the Buffalo Bills lost to the Patriots for about the zillionth time. And of course all of my documentation photos/videos are too soft, too blurry, or just too distant. And yes, I was the only person on the east coast to miss a Franklin’s … Read More
Rhode Island Photo Highlights
Last week, I took a little trip to the lovely New England state of Rhode Island. Anytime I visit the Atlantic Coast, I am always impressed by the bounty of birds available, even during days with little migration. Possibly my favorite aspect about that part of the country is the near guarantee of finding a lot of shorebirds. We don’t … Read More
Mountain Bluebird at Fort Getty Park, Rhode Island
The morning of November 18th, 2012 was the second day of a 5 day birding trip that Josh Lefever, Ian Gardner and I went on through coastal New England for Thanksgiving Break. We had quite a few plans for the day, all of which included chasing rare birds in the region while trying to find as many other species as … Read More