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