Things with Wings

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Dorchester Harbor Walk

Yesterday I started the day with a walk on beautiful Duxbury Beach with my new friend Erica. She is an expert sea glass collector and a Duxbury resident. She is a lucky lady to live so close to the beach!

Erica's treasures

Did you notice the glass knob among the pieces of sea glass in the photo above? I didn't like it too much because of the rusty hardware inside it, but apparently, it is a rare and wonderful piece of sea glass. Erica was thrilled to find it.

My treasures

(I was hoping for a snowy owl, but I failed. Good thing I found a few pieces of sea glass!)

It was chilly early in the day, but still a beautiful morning to be out in the fresh air on a beautiful beach! The ocean was sparkling in the sunshine.

I often wonder how uncomfortable this beach would be on your bare feet in the summer...

Herring Gull

Now, many people find gulls boring, and sometimes I feel that way too. But, this one looked particularly handsome in this light and setting. Don't you love the yellow eye with its bright red border?

We are still waiting for major melting to occur....and this coming week we may finally get it. Temperatures should be above freezing for five straight days. Perhaps by my next visit, the dune fence will again be doing its job.

On my way home, I stopped at Dorchester Harbor Walk on Columbia Point. I was still in need of a bird fix. Good thing I had my micro spikes with me for the walk was an icy mess!

More sparkles!

White-Winged Scoter

Bufflehead (male)

Bufflehead (female)

Red-Breasted Merganser

Surf Scoter

Now this is one interesting looking sea duck. Its nickname is "skunk-headed coot". I guess that's due to the combination of black and white, but to me, this duck deserves more than to be named after a skunk!

gas storage tank in Dorchester

The painting on this gas tank was designed by artist Corita Kent, who also designed the 1985 "Love" postage stamp with which you might be familiar.

Common Goldeneye (male)

Common Goldeneye (female)

Common Eider (male)

looking very distinguished

Common Eider (female) with catch

in profile

Common Eider (male) with catch

Common Eiders feed on mollusks and crustaceans. They don't have any way to break the meat out of the shell. They simply swallow them whole; the shells are then crushed in their gizzard and excreted.

The down feathers of the Common Eider are highly desired as the lightest and most effective insulators known. Did the name Common Eider make you think of eider down? The down is plucked from the mother's breast and used to line the nest. It can be harvested without harming the ducks after the ducklings have left the nest.

Boston

Friday, March 6, 2015

Cardinal Courtship

Today was one of those special blue-ribbon nature days. It started out with a male Northern Cardinal feeding a seed to his female friend. I love seeing this! If you haven't seen it, it looks like they are kissing. It means he is courting her and trying to prove to her that he would be a good provider for their future family. I think they make a very cute couple!

Showing he could be a good provider

It was so early in the morning, there was no sun hitting the feeder area yet. Too bad!

The next bit of excitement was in the front yard, where I noticed a much larger group of deer (eight) than the usual high of three. Do I dare refer to it as a herd? Yes, I do!

Single file please....it makes going through the deep snow so much easier if they use the same path. They must have gone back and forth 4 times over the course of the day. I wonder where they were heading?

This one came to check out the sunflower seeds, but there were none to be had.

When I came back from lunch, they were all piled up in the wetlands area. Since I stayed in the car, shut it off and rolled down the window to take photos, they couldn't decide whether I was a threat or not. Cars they are used to.

Favorite photo

I restocked on bird seed at lunch, so when I got back from the store, I filled the sunflower seed feeder and the thistle feeder, rehung the mealworm tray feeder (no good in snow), and hung a fresh suet cake. The tray feeder is very poorly constructed and is falling apart. I need to take a staple gun to it and make some repairs. It definitely can't withstand the extra weight of snow, so I had taken it down.

The Eastern Bluebirds wasted no time visiting the mealworms. They are so brilliantly blue in the sunshine!

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Jack Frost was Here

Birds were very active in the yard today. Two male cardinals pursued a female cardinal, while she pretended disinterest in both of them. Dark-Eyed Juncos were chasing each other from tree to tree. A couple American Robins ate the last few berries on the Oriental Bittersweet. Bluebirds are still visiting, and I saw almost twenty out front today, but they didn't stay long. They are regular visitors to the mealworm tray as are the Juncos, American Robins, Black-Capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice and Carolina Wrens. I have had an occasional Northern Cardinal come to the mealworms, too, although only in really nasty weather.

Eastern Bluebird (male)

Eastern Bluebird (female)

Carolina Wren
(also looking disgusted with the snow!)

The wren had found some mealworms that had blown off the tray and into a hole in the snow.

Pine Siskin

a trio

Northern Cardinal (male)

Northern Cardinal (female)

American Robin

I took a walk at the Rural Cemetery in Southboro, but boy, was it windy and cold! Sometimes I can spot a bird from a good distance just by its general silhouette. This shape fooled me though! I would have sworn it was a woodpecker!

I also spotted this mysterious pink stringy thing growing high up in one of the oak trees. I hope one of my readers knows what it is!

and a closer view

Frost decorated the edges of some of the cemetery's roads. I see so few signs of Jack Frost. I was glad not to miss this!

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Cedar Waxwings

Bohemian Waxwings are showing up in New England right now, but I was pretty happy to find these Cedar Waxwings. I couldn't think of too many places that might still have fruit hanging on the trees. I tried Speedway Plaza in Westborough, but the only bird there this time and the last few times has been a single Northern Mockingbird. I checked next at Northborough Crossing. Not even a fruit tree. Then I checked at Wachusett Country Club, and here I found 8 Cedar Waxwings in two trees that still had fruit.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Red-Tailed Hawk Pair

Two signs of spring at Wildwood Cemetery:

Red-Tailed Hawks

Hawks mate for life, unless one is killed. Then, the remaining individual may take another mate.

I loved seeing them sitting side-by-side. I took this shot and then continued up the road towards them, hoping for a closer one. They did not wait around for me and flew off, one at a time, as I approached. I was no threat to them. They were really high up in the tree.

Would you look at THAT! Spring is coming - March 20th! Signs are showing up. Are you hearing more bird song? Seeing trees beginning to bud? Winter is almost over. By the way, we are supposed to get another 4-6 inches of snow tonight. Boston is hoping to break its record and move 2014-2015 into first place for the snowiest winter on record. We are about 4 inches shy now. We shall see!

Monday, March 2, 2015

Same Old Same Old

I did venture into Southboro today for a little walk in the cemetery, but most of my photos are backyard birds once again. The Red-Bellied Woodpecker was at the cemetery. Also, I saw a Red-Tailed Hawk as I drove slowly and stared longingly at Breakneck Hill Conservation Land on the ride home. I miss going there!