Common Terns

The graceful Common Terns have returned from wintering in South America to breed here on the Great Lakes and in areas of Canada.  These photos were taken in the Dunkirk Harbor.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Hermit Thrush

Neotropic Cormorant in Western New York!

An extremely rare visitor to Western New York State this week is a Neotropic Comorant.  The bird was first spotted in our area on early Thursday morning and is still here as of today.  This is only the second time one has been reported in all of New York State.  This is a bird native to Central and South America with a range that normally extends as far north as Texas.  The first sighting of one in NYS was a few years ago on Lake Ontario.

Brown Thrasher

Migrating Grebes

Red-necked Grebe (above) and Horned Grebes (below) seen in the Dunkirk Harbor.

Spring Snowfall

Snow squalls can still be seen over Lake Erie this morning.

Great Egret

Pine Warblers

The Pine Warbler is almost never found away from a stand of pine trees.  They are also one of the few warblers that will come to a backyard bird feeder.  We have been treated to their visits to suet feeders hanging in pine trees in our yard over the last few days.

Greater Yellowlegs

Eastern Phoebe

Migrating Red Admirals

Red Admiral Butterflies spend the winter in Texas.  Several made it to our yard in western New York today!

Greater Yellowlegs

Wilson's Snipe

Pine Siskin

Pied-billed Grebe

Also known as a "hell diver" for the way it dives underwater to feed on fish, insects, crayfish and amphibians. The Pied-billed Grebe is listed as a "threatened" species in New York State.

Field Sparrows

Carolina Chickadee

Almost identical in appearance to the Black-capped Chickadee of the north but they have a very different song.

Eastern Meadowlark

Palm Warblers

Northbound Palm Warblers seen in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Snowdrops in Bloom

And the snow has finally turned to rain...

April Snow Showers

Trumpeter Swan

Northern Harrier

Blue-winged Teal

The Blue-winged Teal spends the winter in a range from the southeastern part of the United States to as far south as Venezuela and Brazil.  It's good to see them back.

Killdeer

Much happier looking than the one pictured in the snow last Saturday!

Merlin

Great Egret

The first returning Great Egret that I've seen this Spring.

Eurasian Wigeon

A Eurasian Wigeon was in the area this past weekend and I was able to get a photo of it.  It was a very distant shot and not the best quality, but good enough for a positive ID.  This adult male bird most likely originated from Siberia or Iceland.  (He is the duck with the rufous head, buff colored forehead and peach breast in the center right of the photo.)  A truly rare sighting in Western New York or anywhere in North America!