Things with Wings: March 2015

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Looking Back: 1Q2015

My hiking activity was severely limited this quarter due to the 8 feet of snow we had here in Massachusetts. Yes, we broke the historic record for the snowiest winter with 108.6". If we hadn't taken our trip to Florida, I imagine this quarterly review would have been pretty boring. I have to admit I'm pretty glad to say farewell to this particular quarter!

New Butterflies:

Cassius Blue Butterfly
Gulf Fritillary
Orange Barred Sulphur
White Peacock
Zebra Longwing

New Birds:

AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN
ANHINGA
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE (Boston, MA)
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER
BLACK SKIMMER
BOHEMIAN WAXWING (Gardner, MA)
BURROWING OWL
CAROLINA CHICKADEE
CATTLE EGRET
FORSTER'S TERN
LIMPKIN
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE
MOTTLED DUCK
PAINTED BUNTING
RED KNOT
REDDISH EGRET
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK
ROYAL TERN
RUDDY TURNSTONE
SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER
TRI-COLORED HERON
WHITE IBIS
WHITE-EYED VIREO
WOOD STORK
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER

Of these, only two were found in Massachusetts. The rest were on my trip to Florida. Here are the Massachusetts life birds:

Bohemian Waxwing

Barrow's Goldeneye

To date, my 2015 bird list stands at 131, and 26 of those were new *life* birds. My yard list has slowly ticked up to 26 birds. Florida really provided a big boost to my 2015 list! I'd have to say that my favorite new bird was a toss up between the Painted Bunting and the Bohemian Waxwing!

New Places:
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
Naples Botanical Garden
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens
Deer Island Harbor Walk, Boston

This year, I started photographing town and city halls in the areas where birding takes me. During 1Q2015 I managed to visit 50 town/city halls while on my trips around Massachusetts.

I also attended a Capture the Stars Workshop with Christopher Georgia at Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine. I have admired his photographs on Facebook over and over again and really wanted to learn how to photograph the night sky. It was a wonderful experience, and I can't wait to practice this skill a bit more.

Best Surprise:

The best closeup of a Snowy Owl I've ever had was while on a walk at Duxbury Beach. Oh my!!! They played a huge part in my being motivated to get out during the past winter!

Favorite Photos:

I noticed an emerging theme when I pulled these photos. Water and light!

Waseeka Wildlife Sanctuary

First, I wasn't sure I should even go into the parking lot, which isn't plowed in the winter. One car was in there already, though, taking the most melted area and leaving me with some deeper snow to contend with. I was hopeful that getting out would not be a problem as I hit the trail.

I went to the woods with only my hiking boots and microspikes. We've had a lot of melting, you know, which gave me more confidence than it should have. Things were going pretty well at the start, but the snow got progressively deeper with fewer established footprints as I went along. Then, it was soft and deep in a sunny section. In the end, I was stretching to walk in the footprints of some long-legged man who had gone before me. Where he sunk, I had to sink.

Once I got closer to the water, I managed to stay on the surface of the snow (mostly). Those few times I sunk deep, it was a bit chilly where snow would catch around the collar of my hiking shoe, but once I scraped it out, I was OK.

It was tough walking, but beautiful and peaceful. I passed only one other person, a man who was cross-country skiing and on his way out. He said the tracks were his and his wife's, and that was why he was there with skis today. Walking was too difficult. Well, I was determined to see the water (or ice) so I continued on. I really hoped to see if any Ospreys had returned yet. I did not see any. I heard Black-Capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmice. The man reported hearing a Pileated Woodpecker, but I was not lucky enough to share in that.

I didn't have any problems getting out of the parking lot, which was very exciting given the conditions I drove into!

My deepest sink hole!

So...to sum things up. I got good aerobic exercise, saw nothing in the way of birds, realize that we need to do a lot more melting before hiking in the woods is easy again, and the Osprey are not yet back at Waseeka.

Meanwhile, back at home, I had a few things with wings to entertain me.

Eastern Bluebird (male)

Pine Siskins

(isn't it time for these birds to go back North?)

European Starling

This is not my favorite bird. He's greedy and a bully, but would you look at the coloring he was displaying today? Amazing!

Monday, March 30, 2015

Ashland State Park

I needed a place to go where I wouldn't have to walk in the snow. My back is a little tweaky at the moment, so paved roads seemed like a good idea. And after yesterday's tease of a spring day, we were back to colder temps, gray skies and occasional snow flurries. Ick.

I decided to walk the road into Ashland State Park. I've never had much luck with nature at this location. Such was the case again today. I've also usually had bad luck with dogs jumping on me at this location. That was the case again today...twice.

I couldn't tell if this was a sign of thawing or a sign of refreezing. It was an interesting looking patch of ice in either case.

One of the abutters to the park was tapping their maple trees.

Meanwhile, back at home, I was thrilled to see the following. I just need to know WHERE she is setting up housekeeping! I have one bluebird nesting box, which didn't seem to be chosen by any birds yet. So where is she taking these nesting materials? I hope I can locate it!

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Great Blue Herons Return!

Since I had seen a group of Great Blue Herons flying by the other day, I thought I'd should go back to the rookery and see if any birds had moved in there yet. Bingo! There were several, and some of them were standing in the nests.

A second Great Blue Heron flew in as I was watching and joined this one at the nest.

Even after the wonderful sea ducks at Deer Island and spring blooms at Mt. Auburn, this brief stop was my favorite part of the day. I love seeing these birds setting up housekeeping and starting a new season of breeding, nesting and raising their families. What a treat!