Ranger at Large!

• American Robins - Thursday 12 February 2009

One of my favorite birds to watch and in my opinion one of the best looking birds we get here in Florida. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...all digiscoped from my driveway this evening. American Robin Turdus migratorius

Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

• Pine Siskins - Monday 9 February 2009

It has been an incredible winter for this species in the South-eastern USA, perhaps unprecedented. Reports first starting hitting the listservs in October and by the turn of the year some lucky backyard birders in Geogia and Alabama were seeing flocks of siskins numbering into the hundreds at their thistle socks and sunflower feeders. One even made it to the Everglades! Here in Tallahassee I've heard of large flocks at feeders and I've been seeing them at almost every site I've birded this winter, feeding on sweetgum seeds with the American Goldfinches. We haven't had big numbers in our yard yet. So far our max count of siskins has been 4. They are aggressive little buggers and chase off the goldfinches especially from the sock. I was surfing the internet a few months ago trying to glean more information on this years irruption and I came across a winter finch report written by Ron Pittaway from Canada. Here is a link for anybody who is interested. Winter Finch Report Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus The yard was full of birds this afteroon including up to 7 Baltimore Orioles and an Orange-crowned Warbler. Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata

Comments (2) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

• Masked Duck et als - Wednesday 28 January 2009

Chris and I took a trip to Gator country today to twitch a couple of rares and to see what else we could find. Our first port of call was Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park in Alachua County. A terrific birding spot that plays host to a load of Sandhill Cranes and other avian delights. A Harris's Sparrow was our main target and it didn't take long to see this beautiful spadger feeding a mere 15 feet in front of us. Unfortunately the views were not for long but I did manage a couple of ok digiscope shots. Harris's Sparrow Zonotrochia querula - named after Edward Harris who accompanied Audubon on some collecting trips. There were lots of Sandhill Cranes, at least 10 by my reckoning but maybe 500...somewhere in between. Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis A very tame American Bittern was showing off. American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus The bittern didn't seem bothered by the very large female Alligator that lay in the water nearby. She had 6 babies hiding inn the reeds nearby. American Alligator Alligator mississippiensis From there we went for a slap up breakfast at Perkins Bakery in Gainesville. Yummy! Alligator Lake beckoned and we arrived on site to hear bad news. The Masked Duck was no where to be seen. Chris and I grilled the area in which it had been reported and after 2 hours were losing hope until Chris saw it fly in from the other side of the lake and land right in fornt of him. Bonzer! We watched this splendid little stifftail for over an hour. Masked Duck Nomonyx dominicus I couldn't go a whole day without digiscoping an Eastern Phobe. The second shot was a pure fluke but looks cool. Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe

Comments (4) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

• Baltimore Oriole video - Tuesday 27 January 2009

• Bullock's Oriole - Thursday 22 January 2009

• Reddish Egrets - Saturday 10 January 2009

Went down to St. Marks NWR this morning with Chris, Julie and Maisie for a few hours and had a nice variety of birds which included 3 very showy and approachable Reddish Egrets down at the lighthouse. Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens (digiscoped with Nikon CP4500 thru KOWA TSN-823 20 x WA eyepiece) Other species noted included a Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Canvasback, American Wigeon, Bald Eagle, Sora, 2 very fine male Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Hermit Thrush.....

Comments (2) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

• Happy New Year - Thursday 1 January 2009

Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Canvasback Aythya valisineria and Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis White Ibis Eudocimus albus

Comments (1) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

• Hermit Thrush - Sunday 28 December 2008

Took my parents to Lake Lafayette for an hour this morning and we all got great looks at a very tame Hermit Thrush. I managed a few decent enough digiscope pictures. All of the Hermit Thrush images were taken at 1/60 second at F5.6 with an ISO of 100. I always use a remote shutter cable when I'm digiscoping to prevent camera shake. Thankfully Hermit Thrushes keep still for long periods and that allowed me to get these images despite the poor light conditions underneath the forest canopy. Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus I also got a digiscope picture of a preening Anhinga, which sat on a snag close to one of the fishing fingers. I enjoyed taking close ups of the birds wings and rotated the image in photoshop to obtain a more interesting composition. Anhinga Anhinga anhinga

Comments (3) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

• Downy Woodpeckers - Thursday 25 December 2008

Merry Xmas! It sure didn't feel like it today in North Florida. The high temp got up to 76F (24 celsius) and it felt more like spring than winter. Anyway the bird activity around the house was pretty quiet most of the time but every now and again a small flock of the usual suspects paid us a visit, including at least 3 Downy Woodpeckers who enjoyed bark butter for their xmas dinner. Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens

Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link

• Sparrowing - Wednesday 24 December 2008

I took my Dad up to Lake Seminole this evening to see what birds were about. The usual fare really although 27 Bonaparte's and 7 Herring Gulls were of note as were the 3 Spotted Sandpipers that chased each other up and down the dam. The lake itself was, as usual, covered with American Coots. Amongst the coot horde floated several hundred ducks of assorted variety, mostly Canvasbacks, Ring-necks and Lesser Scaup with a few Bufflehead and Ruddy thrown in for good measure. A lone female Red-breasted Merganser kept herself to herself. Sneads Park offered little but there was a nice group of Palm Warblers at the baseball park of both the eastern and wetsern variety. We then headed up to Bullfrog Rd and Concord Rd to check out the ploughed fields for pipits and larks but skunked! We did have a nice group of sparrows in the scrubby areas on both side of the lark fields on Concord Rd, which included Fox, Vesper, White-crowned, Song, Swamp and Chipping. On our way back to the interstate we stopped to admire the huge blackbird roost along River Rd. There were literally tens of thousands of 'em, mostly Red-winged but we did pick out a single female Rusty perched in a roadside tree, there were probably many more. Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineusWhite-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys

Comments (0) :: Post A Comment! :: Permanent Link