Brewster, MA
The first time I heard "bird walk" was after I moved to Cape Cod about 17 years ago. At first I thought it was a rather silly compound word, but soon after, the concept intrigued me. I've been leading bird walks now for nearly 8 years in many regional locations and I feel ever so lucky to be able to share these habitats. I don't head out on a bird walk wishing to see a certain amount of species in a certain amount of time. There is always a suspicious element of surprise, and that's certainly one of the reasons I continue to walk the same trail again and again. It's always different. On this morning, I don't think any of us were expecting to see/hear 34 different species of bird... but that's what happened.
It was tricky keeping up, writing the names down, while discussing bird nerdy things and trying to catch some images. The first two weeks of June is when phone calls and bird photos start pouring in from friends, family and other bird nerds. It is an exciting time for nature lovers! There is new life in every direction you give yourself time to take notice. I hope you get some time to do so as your own self reward. Some of the photos are blurry, again because I simply didn't have time to focus... particularly of the Green Heron - our finale bird on this Tuesday Tweets. I was on the salt marsh planks and so were several groups of school children visiting for a field trip. I didn't want to be in their way.
For so many of the children, it was their first nature walk. I couldn't help but notice, two young boys, trailing as the caboose, at the end of the last group. They were wearing hats. They were quiet. They had their own binoculars they'd clearly planned to bring with them on this sunny Tuesday morning field trip. They knew this was a place and time for viewing birds. I like to believe they will remember the morning for years to come. I got to point out that Green Heron to those two boys. That was a gift for me. (double click photos to enlarge)
Our List:
American Crow
Northern Cardinal
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-winged Blackbird
Osprey
European Starling
Common Grackle
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
American Goldfinch
Song Sparrow
Common Yellowthroat
Gray Catbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Eastern Towhee
Yellow Warbler
Cedar Waxwing
Prairie Warbler
Eastern Bluebird
Tree Swallow
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Willet
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
White-breasted Nuthatch
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Tufted Titmouse
Laughing Gull
Carolina Wren
Green Heron (!!!)
Great-crested Flycatcher
Osprey on the nest - GREAT this nest this year! |
White-tailed Deer!!! |
Song Sparrow |
Osprey pair - one on the right is feeding an osprey chick (that you can't see) |
Common Yellowthroat |
Gray Catbird |
Eastern Bluebird - male |
Eastern Bluebird - male (that darn branch...) |
Eastern Bluebird - male |
Cedar Waxwing (really a profile only due to the angle... wish you could see the plumage...) |
Cedar Waxwing - was just hanging out over us for a little while. AMAZING. |
Cedar Waxwings |
Cedar Waxwings PHOTO CREDIT: Ron |
Red-tailed Hawk PHOTO CREDIT: RON |
Eastern Bluebird - male |
We had MANY an Eastern Bluebird sighting! What a treat! |
Cedar Waxwing |
Sometimes a silhouette is all you get. I believe this is an American Goldfinch... but he was distant. |
Tree Swallows on the wing |
Praire Warbler |
A blurry backside of a Yellow Warbler |
Red-tailed Hawk - juvenile. I'm guessing female, She was BIG! |
Red-tailed Hawk |
Red-tailed Hawk |
Cedar Waxwing |
Osprey silhouette, hunting over Quivett Creek |
Crow tracks in the sand |
Tiny tracks... sandpiper? |
One of CCMNH's fabulous Field Guides doing her thing on the mudflat! "HOLY FISH!" |
Willet |
Gulls on the mudflat |
Happy Bird Nerds! |
Lots of Lady Slippers! |
Green Heron!!! |
Green Heron - notice the shape of the wings when flying... |
Green Heron, showcasing her/his wingspan (I know... blurry) |
No comments:
Post a Comment