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

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.

Northern Waterthrush

The Waterthrush is not a thrush at all but a member of the warbler family.

Savannah Sparrow

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.

Spring Ephemerals

Spring Beauties

Trout Lily

Yellow Violets

Fire and Ice

Tonight's sunset (above) and the post-sunset glow (below).

Porcupine

A harmless little herbivore, as long as you don't get too close.

Spring Fog

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

Osprey

Osprey have returned to the Lake Erie shore and surrounding areas.

Lake Erie Sunset

Mourning Cloak Butterfly

My first butterfly sighting of the year!

Pine Warblers

Small flocks of Pine Warblers have been migrating through our yard the last few days.

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.)

Pied-billed Grebe

The sweet little Pied-billed Grebe has now been listed as a "threatened" species in New York State.

Herring Gull

There continues to be quite a bit of ice cover on the eastern portion of Lake Erie. 

Blue-winged Teal

Red-necked Grebe

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

Feeding Time

Bald Eagle feeding two little ones in the nest.

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.

Eastern Bluebirds

A pair of Bluebirds checking out a potential nesting site.

Caspian Terns

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

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)

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.

Downy Woodpecker

A female Downy Woodpecker perched in a red pine tree.

Song Sparrow

Tonight's Sunset

Great Blue Heron