Short-eared owl & others

Bitter cold weather this weekend, with temperatures in the single digits when factoring the windchill. Even so I made it out all weekend, lots of great birds about even with the cold conditions. Managed to drag my buddy Davey & Casey for most of it. 6 + imm Bald Eagles at Deer Island along the river. In Newbury we found a screech hiding in a small nook. Also caught a  short-eared owl in the reserve tonight with a nice winter backdrop of snow and fading light. I also had the opportunity to hear Norm Smith speak at the Newbury library, he brought a Barn Owl and gave a short lecture on Snowy owls & other raptors. All and all a very good weekend.

                                                                  Imm- B.Eagle

                                             Short-eared owl w/ snow falling.  shot by Casey

                                                             Birding in the freezing cold

                                                                        Stage pool

                                        Sea-smoke at the jetty, Brian confirmed the terminology

                                      Red phase Screech ducked down prior to shot, sneaky little bugger.

Montana

About a year and a half ago Casey & myself went out to Montana to stay with my Aunt and Uncle  for a few weeks. We got the royal tour from the fam of this incredible landscape. We explored Yellowstone, Grand Teton's, Red Rock's Lake National Park, and the lands near where our family lives. I have yet to post the pictures from this trip & I thought it would be a good time to add this post to the blog. We saw amazing avian life, and most of the large Mammals of the West, aside from the big cats, we saw none of those.
While we did not capture amazing shot's of short-eared owls, we saw over 12+ SEOW's while out west. Incredible trip, we hope to make it back there ASAP.

Mammal's of note: Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, Gray Wolf, Coyote, Red Fox, Gray Fox, Badger, Big Horn Sheep, Mountain Goat, Elk, Moose, Prong Horn and Bison.
                                                       .Photos by Casey.

                                                      mt. goat ( little white dot in middle)

                                                            Griz & 2 yearlings

                                                                  SEOW

                                                                   Great Horned

                                                                    A. Avocet

                                                                 Avocet on nest

                                                              Baby Badger's

                                         B. Eagle's were everywhere, we also saw a number of Golden Eagles

                                                              these two....

                                                             Baby Coyote's

                                                          mother coyote waiting to return to den

                                   Gray Wolf at wolf center ( we also saw 2 wild Gray wolf in the Lamar valley )

                                               

                                                           Lark Sparrow

                                                    Magpie's, I wish we had these in the east

                                                                    Moose & calf

                                                              Mt. Bluebird

                                                        Nighthawk

                                                                   

                                                        Mt. Bluebird

                                                     white pelican's - thousand's in Montana

                                                              Common Raven

                                                                   Red Fox

                                                              Sand Hill Cranes

                                                       Red Rock's lake marsh - Idaho

                                                                 Bull Snake

                                                              Chatting some birds

                                                          Western tanager

                                                                     Tetons

                                                      Yellow headed blackbird

Red shafted Flicker 

The West is just so incredible. While it would be tough to leave the ocean, the shear amount of wildlife you can see anywhere out in Montana...well...I would move. Thanks again to Martha & Gary for the best trip ever!!! 

Eastern Screech Owl & w.w Crossbill

Exploring West Newbury today, my buddy Davey & I came across a gray screech owl sleeping in the mid day sun. I think this is the same bird others have viewed judging by some of the pictures I've seen . A few Crossbill's were at Salisbury, it is the least amount I've seen there since they began coming this winter. I think high winds today kept the bird numbers down.

Snowy Owl & other such not

Casey & I spent the weekend in Maine; Wells, York, and Kennebunkport area. Some interesting birds; Crossbills, Siskins, a Common Raven, and the highlight a Snowy Owl. A few Snowy's have been spotted along the Maine coast, and I was hoping to catch one while up there. The owl was out in the middle of the Harbor on a small "island" or pile of rocks... from what I could tell. Very odd location, the bird was waaayyy out there, but still great to see.

Later today upon my return to Plum Island Casey & I caught a Rough-legged Hawk, a few hundred Dunlin & Sanderlings at lot 5 and Barred Owl in the reserve.

To give a idea of how far out the Snowy was....

A white blob is the best the lens could muster 

Barred Picture by Casey

                                     
                                                  Late flock of mixed Dunlin & Sanderlings

W.W. Crossbill on cones