Cedar Waxwings
I have a new passion for Cedar Waxwings. Before the last few months, I’d only seen a small flock of a dozen or so at most, not often either.
Cedar Waxwings
I’ve now become accustomed to seeing them daily, early in the morning from my yard, so love it!
Cedar Waxwings
Past couple weeks, they’ve been traveling in larger flocks as they do in the fall/winter months.
Flock of Cedar Waxwings
The Cedar Waxwing’s tail tip is a bright yellow. It’s possible to see some with orange/red tail tips. This occurs from the bird’s diet. They love honeysuckle berries, and it’s been found that the imported invasive Morrow’s Honeysuckle’s berries contains red as well as the normal yellow honeysuckle pigment. If a Cedar Waxwing happens to eat enough of Morrow’s Honeysuckle berries at the time of feather formation (they molt between August and January), its tail feathers will have orange/red tips instead of the usual yellow.
I ‘ve seen orange/red tail tipped Cedar Waxwings. Next, is a not-so-great shot of two Cedar Waxwings showing the tips of their tail orange/red.
Cedar Waxwings (top left, top right) have orange/red tail tips
One more photo of these gorgeous birds….
Cedar Waxwings
Eagle Fly-By
A Bald Eagle swooped down to the water to snatch a fish in front of our boat and then another appeared to try to take it unsuccessfully.
Bald Eagle Tango
They quickly split up, and the Eagle with it’s catch turned and did a fly-by directly in front of us.
Bald Eagle
My direction is given the eye in the next couple shots.
And off to a nearby tree to eat that catch!
Chesapeake Bay Sunset
One of my recent sunsets, this one overlooking the Chesapeake Bay from Lowes Wharf.
Remember….
“When your world moves too fast and you lose yourself in the chaos, introduce yourself to each color of the sunset.” – Christy Ann Martine
Green Heron Running A Little Late In Migration
Last week, a very cooperative Green Heron flushed out and flew over to a piling two down from ours at the marina as I was sitting on our boat.
Green Heron
This one is running a little late on its migration south, so a very cool autumn sighting.
I shifted my location to include a boat’s sail in the background for this next shot.
Green Heron
Green Heron
To all my southern birding buddies, he/she’s on the way to ya!
The Birds and I Are Back
Hello! It’s been way too long, and I apologize for disappearing. Once things began rolling, I quickly had no time for anything hobby. We were suddenly buying a new home and moving further south on the eastern shore of Maryland, just outside St. Michaels (“the town that fooled the British”).
Moved in 2 1/2 months now, and I’m still unpacking and setting up. But I say that with a smile, as life is indeed grand, we couldn’t be happier!
Our 3+ acres backs up to a marsh that’s fed from Harris Creek/Choptank River, plus there’s a small farm to our one side. Birds? Oh yea!!
My little birding paradise has shared 120 species so far with me. Not only do I have a wonderful variety of year-round birds, fall migration has been fabulous! Here’s just a few….. 😉
Carolina Wren
Black-and-White Warbler
Brown Thrasher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Carolina Chickadee
Great Egret
White-throated Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Blue Jay
Ruby-throated Hummingbird in my garage!
Summer Tanager
Osprey
Cedar Waxwing
Blue Grosbeak
Red-eyed Vireo
Winter Wren
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Bluebird
Great Blue Heron
Eastern Wood Pewee
My lifer bird count has increased as well, I am now at 307 species with 279 of those being photographed. I’ll share my last two. 🙂
First, a warbler making it’s way south from our northern states and Canada that just happened to pass through my backyard, how awesome!
Chestnut-sided Warbler – Lifer #306
Just a couple days ago I received a text on a rare sighting of a LeConte’s Sparrow that was pretty far east of it’s normal mid-West migration path. I arrived to find two others also tipped. After 45 minutes of looking in the wind, the gorgeous sparrow finally popped out and gave us a very cooperative five-minute shoot before disappearing again down in the brush. It was very exciting to us all!
LeConte’s Sparrow – Lifer #307
LeConte’s Sparrow
I’ll share one final exciting bird before ending. Another rare one for our area that surprised everyone in Maryland, a Roseate Spoonbill! This beauty showed up on Poplar Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Right after we moved in, I luckily scored a ticket for a free birding boat trip out to the island in hopes it would be there. As soon as the boat docked, we were informed the spoonbill was spotted so we hurried onto a bus. As soon as we pulled up, it took flight but it was grand to even get to see this gorgeous bird….in Maryland!
Roseate Spoonbill, Poplar Island, Maryland
We’re back!
Great Blue Heron Coming In For A Landing
Welcome to Chesapeake Farms’ Neff Ponds airport…..
GBH: “Air Traffic Controller, this is GBH 01 doing a fly-by. Am I clear to land?”
Air Traffic Controller: “10-4, GBH 01, you are clear to land. Note the slight wind at 10 mph.”
GBH: “10-4, Air Traffic Controller, will circle back around. Wing gear being set for wind control.”
“Ta-Da”
Great Blue Herons
I’ve seen a lot of Great Blue Herons recently and can’t help myself in capturing them if I’m able to. They do make it easy if you don’t spook them!
Did I mention I’d seen a lot?!! 😉
A Symbolic Bird Visit
Well, hello there! It’s been a long while since my last post. Just too much going on that’s not allowing any blogging time, and I’ve missed so many of yours, so sorry! The down time has all been good, including lots of sleep-overs with our grandboys. Other good news will be forthcoming maybe in another month or so….
With all the good, exhaustive chaos, I’ve had little time to get out with nature. My early mornings with coffee/birding in my backyard has had to suffice to keep me birding-happy. I did finally make it out two early mornings this past week to the refuge and farm that were just awesome.
Yesterday morning, having spent an enjoyable 45 minutes on my deck with my coffee and counting birds (25 species!), I stopped my time and turned to go back into the house. I glanced up to see what might be flying overhead before walking in and saw a white pigeon sitting on our roof, watching me. I froze, admiring its beauty. I wondered how long it had been there. It just kept watching me, so I slowly brought up my camera to get some shots.
Rock Pigeon
I stepped under the roof eave, thinking just how wonderful that sighting was for me. I waited a few seconds and stepped slowly back out to view it again, and the pigeon was gone.
White pigeons are unique birds with powerful symbolisms of peace, fertility, purity, and prosperity. They are also considered to be a symbol of the holy spirit, adding to their spiritual significance. It was a perfect-timing visit for me!
And those recent grandboys’ visits?!! Here’s a good laugh of hubby and I after they leave each time! 🤪🤣
But, boy, do we have fun while they are here!
Perched Raptors
My last post shared flying raptors, now here are a few taking a break!
Bald Eagle (adult)
Bald Eagle (juvenile 1st year)
Red-tailed Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk (juvenile)
Cooper’s Hawk (adult)
Turkey Vultures
Black Vulture
Bald Eagle
Osprey (check out that 180° head-turn!)
Osprey now checking YOU out! 😉
Five On The Wing – #35
Time for another series of five bird species in flight, with the added bonus all are raptors!
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagles – adult left, immature right
Osprey catching sight of an Eagle and high-tails it to avoid a pursuit
Bird power in the sky!
Bay Photos by Donna 