Presently the weather in the Northeast is not cooperating, but it is spring. A few weeks ago I talked about how busy the birds were getting and last week the action was definitely up a notch. Let me bring you up to date.
I have noticed a number of new birds along with some of my favorites. They all had one thing in common – finding a mate and starting a family. This tiny but valiant baird sparrow was so determined, he was still singing over 2 hours after I first sighted him. The still photos are mine – and I have added some internet videos so you can hear what I heard:
Baird Sparrow
These sparrows already formed a bond and were very busy making a nest in a tree’s knothole:
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There are always many robins hopping around, and their song is quite familiar, but they kept a very careful eye on me:
Seagulls, as my readers have seen are a popular challenge for me as I attempt to catch them mid-swoop or even better just after making a catch. This one was already feasting on quite a large haul:
No doubt he was gathering energy for his mating dance with a female gull which is quite elaborate:
This starling hadn’t yet found a mate – but was sure to attract someone soon with his sexy puffy scruff:
And his song is quite mesmerizing:
The cardinal is one of my favorite birds species – but it also one of the most difficult for me to photograph as they are very skittish. The song of a cardinal is immediately recognizable:
However, even knowing their song does not make them easier to photograph. The cardinals appear to have a large territory and they spend a great deal of time flying from perch to perch either to sing their defense and/or find a mate. This fellow gave me a tantalizing peek as his plumage shone through the branches:
Another cardinal was nearby – I don’t know whether these two battled after I left – this one certainly was out in the open and easy to see:
I though I had glimpsed a potential mate in a nearby tree:
Some birders much more knowledgeable than myself corrected my misidentification – this is a purple finch with its own distinctive call:
Hopefully the weather will moderate in the next few weeks and I can start to look for evidence of new families! Stay tuned.
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