Tag: Nature

Marching in brightness, color, and warmth

by fetchingtheworld, posted in Birds, Own Photos

Oh, and BIRDS of course.

Somehow I began writing this post at the end of March, and now, almost two months later, I’m finally publishing! A LOT to catch up on, so I’ll begin here….

March began the cusp of migration, both with birds coming and going. And, there’s nest building too, where even some early chicks bring in the brighter, warmer more colorful month of March. And, we didn’t have snow! A first ever, at least in my lifetime.

  • Mama Great Horned Owl sitting on her nest. And such began March.
  • A freshly hatched egg at the base of the Sycamore tree! Owlets – 2 of them!
  • The Sycamore tree Owl nest
  • A Carolina Wren busy busy nest-building
  • Out from it’s kinda sorta hibernation, the Eastern Chipmunk
  • Spring morning
  • Bird houses hung, what will they bring for nests??
  • Forsythia in bloom
  • Male Goldfinsh in bloom too! His plumage will go all bright bright yellow
  • Eastern Bluebird pretty pair
  • Mom owl on the nest, the owlets still elusive (but, soon!)
  • The great Great horned Owl.
  • More spring color
  • Who complements who here? White-throated Sparrow, a migratory bird who will head north to breed this summer
  • Red Fox – this one a Vixen, I think!

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Exploring with a guide by your side… Anguilla, Vol. 3

by fetchingtheworld, posted in Birds, Own Photos

Two years ago, I was fortunate to discover Nature Explorers Anguilla, the lone – and wonderfully so – ecotour company on this fabulous little island. Here are more highlights to the three days we went out together on my recent trip down, which included a wonderfual array of birds, and most any wild life and sea life that crossed our path….

We started our first day early with a sunrise view from Sandy Hill Bay, which seemed to set the tone for all the beauty we’d continue to see during the week!

  • Snowy Egret with breeding plumage
  • How different birds can look in flight, with their fancy feathers!
  • Brown Pelican: Strike the pose!
  • Goats!
  • Semipalmated Sandpiper, here for the winter before it heads back to the Tundra to breed – wow!
  • Tricolored Heron – fancy!
  • American Kestrel
  • Chillin’ birds: White-cheeked Pintails and Lesser Yellowlegs
  • Gray Kingbird – yup, he really is King!
  • Semipalmated Plover giving a little hop and show. This cutie is also a summer Tundra bird!
  • Lesser Antillean Bullfinch. Handsome!
  • A rare treat on Anguilla, the American Flamingo. I’m told this is the returning male, named Martin. Hello, Martin!
  • Brown Pelican taking flight. The blue on its belly is the reflection of that beautiful turquoise Caribbean water!
  • The critically endangered Hawksbill sea Turtle – beautiful, and humbling to see!

Back to Anguilla, Vol. 2

by fetchingtheworld, posted in Birds, Own Photos

This my fourth trip to my all time favorite island of Anguilla, with new places to explore around and on the remote islands of Dog Island and Prickly Pear Cays! Both gave us several species of nesting birds!

An early start as we to head out from Sandy Ground, Anguilla, for the day on (and off!) our boat!

Gorgeous Prickly Pear Cays

First up is the unique-looking Brown Booby. I love the pastel colors of their beak and eyes, and the chocolate brown plumage. We came across a pair actively nesting, with one egg thus far. This was a first for me, and it was spectacular to witness.

  • Hard to say who is the female!
  • Perhaps both pretty and goofy?
  • The wait begins – Booby eggs take about 45 days to hatch.
  • Both Boobies will share in incubation and chick-rearing duties.
  • Sitting on the egg!

To be so close to a nesting pair of Red-billed Tropicbirds – without infringing on the nest of course – was another amazing first!

  • Red-billed Tropicbirds
  • The egg! And, the bird closest is banded (a tiny band placed around the leg for tracking)
  • See the wispy tail on the bird on the right?
  • A priceless photograph!
  • In flight.

While we were able to dock our boat at the beach of Prickly Pear and take our short hike to see these beautiful nesting birds, we viewed the nesting Masked Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds from the boat, as it was a bit too rough to dock there. It wasn’t until after our trip when I was looking at the photos on my laptop that I realized there were chicks!!

  • Masked Booby chick with parents.
  • Another little fluffball Masked Booby chick.
  • Would love to see them up close! Next time perhaps.

The Magnificent Frigatebird colony too was on Dog Island, with many flying high in the sky above it. While I couldn’t see any chicks, the Frigatebirds were clearly sitting on nests. As to the ones in flight, during breeding season males will puff out their red throat sac to attract females! I was fortunate to see a male in flight doing just this!

  • Male Magnificent Frigatebird looking to attract the ladies!
  • Soaring high above the colony
  • Juvenile Magnificent Frigatebirds
  • A colony, with nests and a couple male’s throat sacs puffed out!

We saw many other birds and wildlife that day, both on land and at sea, as we finished the day at Little Bay and Crocus Bay on Anguilla. I’ll save those beauties for my next post!

Snowy Day Birds

by fetchingtheworld, posted in Birds, Own Photos

Our first snowy day of winter, the best backdrop for birds (and, a squirrel).

  • Female Northern Cardinal
  • Mourning Dove
  • Male House Finch
  • Goldfinch
  • Dark-Eyed Junco
  • Male Northern Cardinal
  • Goldfinch
  • White-breasted Nuithatch
  • Female Red-bellied Woodpecker
  • Male Red-bellied Woodpecker
  • Eastern Gray Squirrel
  • Male Northern Cardinal
  • Goldfinch
  • Female Northern Cardinal
  • Dark-Eyed Junco
  • Female Northern Cardinal

October Flies By

by fetchingtheworld, posted in Birds, Own Photos

October is a time for change – in the weather, and in our surroundings both flora and fauna… and as usual, plenty of birds, some just passing through.

  • Northern Flicker
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler
  • Carolina Chickadee
  • Belted Kingfisher
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Chickaree (American Red Squirrel)
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Bald Eagle
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler
  • Wood Ducks
  • Red Maple leaf
  • Indigo Bunting (female)
  • Mixed flock

Migration Splendor

by fetchingtheworld, posted in Birds, Own Photos

Fall is an exciting times to be a bird lover, as many species pass thru on their migration trek south, while some have been here all summer during the breeding season. Conversely, we’ll begin to see our wintering birds arrive within the next couple of months too. It’s never a dull moment to enjoy our feathered friends!

  • American Redstart (female)
  • Solitary Sandpiper
  • American Redstart (female) with a breakfast moth.
  • American Redstart (male)
  • Eastern wood-Pewee
  • Yellow-billed Cuckoo
  • Black-and-white Warbler
  • American Redstart (female)
  • Common Yellowthroat (female)
  • American Redstart (female)
  • American Redstart (male)
  • Yellow-billed Cuckoo
  • American Redstart (female)