Merlin

American Goldfinch

American Goldfinch drinking from a heated bird bath in bitter cold temperatures of 2° F.

Common Redpoll

Moonrise at Sunset Tonight

Sunshine and Ice along the Lake Erie Shore

Common Ravens

Northern Shrike

Northern Shrike hunting a fallow farm field from utility lines along the road.  The shrike's main prey are rodents and other small birds.

Happy New Year!

The Merlin is my favorite raptor and spotting one on the first of the year made my day!

Morning Light on the Chautauqua Ridge

White Ibis

Snowy Egrets

Laughing Gull in Winter Plumage

Northern Gannets

Northern Gannets flying and diving for fish over the Atlantic Ocean.

Waxing Gibbous Moon in Taurus at 83%

Pileated Woodpecker

Cedar Waxwings

Cedar Waxwings feasting on winter berries.

Eastern Bluebird

An Eastern Bluebird gives a soothing pop of color on an otherwise gray December day.

Blue Morph Snow Goose

One of these geese is not like the others...

Red-shouldered Hawk

Not a common sight in late November in Western New York.

Surf Scoter

Common Loon

Common Loon molting into winter plumage.

Northern Mockingbird

Peregrine Falcon

This immature male Peregrine Falcon was found several weeks ago with a fractured scapula.  He was successfully rehabilitated and these photos were taken just moments after he was released back into the wild today along Lake Erie.

Arcus Clouds over Lake Erie

Swamp Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow in the Dunkirk Harbor

Backyard Birds

We were visited by a small flock of 16 Pine Siskins in the yard this morning!

Red- Breasted Nuthatches (below) are plentiful this Fall!

The most common bird species in our yard all year round are the lovely American Goldfinches!

Snow Bunting

Cattle Egret

A Cattle Egret migrating through the Great Lakes area on its way south for the winter.