Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Trees are Poems

"Trees are poems the Earth writes upon the sky, we fell them down and turn them into paper, that we may record our emptiness."  ~  Kahlil Gibran


Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Bonaparte's Gulls

Bonaparte's Gulls in breeding plumage flying over some of the remaining chunks of ice left on Lake Erie.  The gulls are headed to their far northern breeding areas of isolated taiga forests in Canada and Alaska.


Monday, April 28, 2014

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Black-throated Green Warbler


I found a small flock of Black-throated Green Warblers high in the canopy of some hemlock trees.  Their song sounds like "zoo zee, zoo zoo zee."  These are males in their striking breeding plumage.


Thursday, April 24, 2014

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Today's thoughts for Earth Day...


"Most scientists know what needs to be done to save our earth.  But the politicians don't listen to them.  They will listen to popular pressure; the people got to supply that."  ~  Pete Seeger



Green Heron

"We could have saved the Earth, but we were too damned cheap!"  ~  Kurt Vonnegut

Monday, April 21, 2014

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is special to me.   I consider it to be my "trigger bird."   This tiny little creature first captured my attention when I was very young and began my lifelong fascination with all birds.


This bird's ruby crown is only visible when it raises the crest and the ruby feathers pop up.  A tiny wisp of the flattened crown is visible in the photos below.  (Click on images for an expanded view.)


Friday, April 18, 2014

Monday, April 14, 2014

Spring Migration Continues...

The last few days of warm weather and southerly winds brought us plenty of new arrivals.


Yellow-bellied Sapsucker


Male Eastern Towhee


Female Eastern Towhee


Brown Creeper


Brown Thrasher


Yellow-rumped Warbler

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Friday, April 11, 2014

Foggy Sunset

Melting ice and fog on the horizon made for a lovely spring sunset over Lake Erie this evening.


American Kestrel

She's new in the neighborhood.  I've seen her nearly every day this week and she finally let me take some photos.


Thursday, April 10, 2014

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Caspian Terns


The Caspian Terns have returned to Lake Erie.  These are the first arrivals I've seen this Spring.


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

American Crow


"A bird seems to be at the top of the scale, so vehement and intense his life... The beautiful vagabonds, endowed with every grace, masters of all climes, and knowing no bounds." ~ John Burroughs (excerpt from Birds and Poets, 1887)

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Pectoral Sandpipers


Pectoral Sandpipers are migrating through Western New York now.  These amazing travelers spend the winter in South America and breed on the Arctic tundra in summer.


Saturday, April 5, 2014

Snow Squall over Lake Erie