Waterfowl hybridize more than any other type of bird, and Mallards are some of the most prolific when it comes to this behavior. I saw this bird yesterday, and was confused (for a while) about whether it was a Mallard/American Black Duck hybrid or just an immature/nonbreeding male. But then he stretched his wings out …
Category Archives: Birds
A fish out of water
I was on the boardwalk at the CVNP Beaver Marsh when I heard a loud “ker-plop.” I raised my eyes to scan across the water, and there was the cause of the commotion: a Belted Kingfisher had dove into the pond, secured a fish, and was now flying across the spatterdock to the tree line.
Immature Yellow-rumped Warbler
Immature or juvenile birds can be some of the hardest to identify, since they won’t look like anything in a field guide and no single photograph can show all the possible variations you might see. In this case the eye markings and belly streaking are the keys to my identification.
Juvenile Green Herons
My wife spotted four juvenile green herons at the end of the fishing dock on Bath Pond. Here is a picture of two of them. At first glance I thought they were American Bittern, but the body posture and the yellow around the eye confirm them as Green Heron.
Eastern Kingbird
These birds are masters of hovering in mid-air, waiting for a tasty insect to come along.
Northern Parula
A nice capture of this handsome bird.
Cygnets
The Trumpeter Swans nesting at Bath Nature Preserve have hatched three cygnets!
Least Flycatcher
Flycatchers are some of the hardest birds to identify because many of them look quite similar. Least Flycatcher is set apart by the white eyering, which is not a common feature with flycatchers.
Warbler Roundup
I added a lot of new “life-bird” warblers during spring migration this year! Here are some high-lights.
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
These birds are notoriously difficult to photograph, and this is one of the few I’ve made which is at least “decent” and manages to capture the crown.