Scarlet Tanager just flew by!!

This beautiful Scarlet Tanager was singing in an oak tree behind our house and just flew by me, what a gift.

Savannah Sparrow in our field!

Singing in our big Bobolink field, this beautiful Savannah Sparrow likes this habitat. Hope it gets a mate and successfully breeds!

Red-eyed Vireos and Warbler Migration 5/18/20

Red-eyed Vireo

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Northern Parula

Black-troated Green Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Northern Waterthrush

Yellow Warbler

Pine Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Cue the Red-eyed Vireos, they were EVERYWHERE yesterday! It also was a good warbler migration day for NH birders who have long been waiting for one. We saw or heard many wonderful species including Black-throated Blues, Northern Parulas, Black-throated Greens, Magnolia, Cape May, Northern Waterthrush, Yellow Warblers, Pine Warblers, Common Yellowthroats. (photos are from other times)

Savannah Sparrows have returned!!

Yesterday there were 2 Savannah Sparrows in our yard!! Such a pretty sparrow and we have their preferred habitat of open areas with low vegetation - our big Bobolink field! There are many subspecies and they breed across much of the upper half of North America. Hope they stay to breed. Not easy to photograph as they stayed low in grasses foraging and only occasionally looking up. (Canon SX 50 photos)

Bobolinks Have Returned!! Yeah!!

Yeah!! The Bobolinks have returned to "Bobolink Farm" our 23 acres NH property which we manage for nesting grassland species and may other birds as well. Had our first Bobolink this morning, singing a little, then resting and foraging. Probably tired from the long journey back (they winter in South America). We have had nesting bobolinks on our hayfield for almost 20 years. We make sure the farmer hays the field in later summer so as not to destroy the nests of the breeding Bobolinks. Many other migrants have been flooding in as well, more on that later. Right now, celebrate the Bobolinks!

Common Loon now on the pond! Wonderful!

There's a Common Loon out on the pond here in NH this morning in the rain (photo from another time). We don't see loons here from our property much, the water level is controlled by a dam and varies up and down so not a good place for a loon to breed. Loons, however, are at nearby lakes and ponds. Love their calls!