Catching up

Well, I have been slacking in my updates, so this is sort of a combined smattering of pictures. I traveled to the Kennebunk Plains, an upland prairie habitat to see; grasshopper sparrows, vesper sparrows and upland sandpipers. Very cool place. Indigo Bunting's and Blue Winged Warblers have returned to Martin Burns. Plovers and Least Terns are on nests here on Plum. I also completed a bird survey at my in-laws farm in Boxford and found a Savannah Sparrow, a first for me at this location. Pictures are in no set order.

                                                               Black Bellied Plover

                                                                Black Crowned Night Heron

                                                                              ?

                                                                             ?

                                                              Eastern Blue Bird

                                                            Empid - ?

                                                                  Indigo Bunting

                                                                     Piping Plover

                                                      The local Red-tail

                                                                  Willet's

Eastern Screech Starling 

Warblers on Plum Island

So with the weather front on Thursday night, the fallout of Warblers was pretty awesome on Plum Island. I had 14 different species in about an hour around the Hellcat area. A few other people I ran into had a couple of other birds that I missed. While I only got pictures of a few of the birds, the full list of Warblers that I saw, is as follows: Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler, Black throated blue warbler, Black throated green warbler, Chestnut-sides warbler, Magnolia warbler, Blackpoll warbler, Black & white warbler, American Red-start, Overbird, Louisiana Water-thrush, Common yellow throat, Canada Warbler &  Yellow-rumped warbler. Other FOY birds seen this week were: Rose -breasted Grosbeaks, Eastern Kingbirds, and Bobalinks.

Various stuff

While it may not big news for some, a B.C. Chickadee in the yard on plum island happens about twice a year...and I had 2 birds at my feeders. Big day...also a beautiful Savannah Sparrow in the thicket across the street. ( i didnt get a pic)

Palm Warblers & Hermit Thrush's were quite numerous in the woods of West Newbury, and the Eastern Screech is still in his / her roost !!! My latest screech owl to date. 

                                                           Palm Warbler

Hermit thrush 

A few Owls

                                              A few owls from the weekend. Also tons of Kinglets everywhere, but they don't seem to like to sit still for me.

Red Tail Dinner

Caught the year old PRNWR Red-tail eating an early dinner.

 GBH by the side of the turnpike to PI, and 3 Kestrels by the Newburyport Industrial area.

Short-eared Owl's and some FOY's

I had a nice early show today of a few Short-eared Owls dog fighting and hunting in the reserve. I also had a few first of the year's: Killdeer, Osprey, Glossy Ibis, Fox Sparrow and Pectoral Sandpiper.

                                Into the sun shot, but still a capture of the dog fight between the 2 owls

Northern Shrike

While birding early on Easter my buddy and I caught a Northern Shrike in the S-curves in the Parker. This is he second time I've seen this bird in the past few weeks. I wish I remembered my new little point & shoot takes HD video, but I forgot. At any rate the shrike was singing its heart out, really amazing to see.