Bird Field Shots of Notable Birds - 2013

Wilson's Warbler at Huntley Meadows near the Visitor Center and the new picnic pavilion. First reported 12-30-2012, we went and looked at it on 1-1-2013. Nice New Years' bird!

 

Razorbill on 1-21-2013, at the west end of Jones Beach, past the Coast Guard and the [former] fishing pier. This is a clip from 1 second video .. the bird was about 50 feet from me, but the mode knob on my camera had somehow shifted to "movie". By the time my brain engaged and I realized what the problem was, the bird was 300 feet from me.

 

Snowy Owl on 1-21-2013, at the west end of Jones Beach. Common wisdom is that this is the same bird as appeared in 2012, based on the perfectly white plumage, which I gather is unusual. The bird is incredibly photogenic, which of course means that there is an endless procession of birders (myself included) photographing it.

 

Juvenile Northern Goshawk on 1-21-2013, at the west end of Jones Beach. I had actually seen a flock of Snow Buntings that I estimated at 110 birds drop into the brush in the center of the west end. I was walking through the brush to see if I could relocate the SNBU and I flushed this bird off of a kill (note the blood on its bill and talons). It was not interested in losing its meal and flew to a nearby tree and glowered at me. I took a bunch of photos and then backed out of the area, hopefully allowing it to resume feeding.

 

Cackling Goose (Richardson's) north of Dyke Marsh, seen in with about 900 Canada Geese on 1-27-2013. Shown with a Canada for comparison on size and bill length. I remain somewhat uncomfortable with the whole Canada - Cackling realignment and where exactly the line between Richardson's and Lesser falls. Which makes me reluctant to report geese like these that are in the "2/3" size range. But anyway this bird seems to be generally accepted as a Cackling Goose.

 

Nashville Warbler, north of Dyke Marsh near the Stone Bridge, seen on 1-27-2013. This was my 3rd day trying unsuccessfully to see the possible MacGillivray's Warbler there, so I walked up to see the Nashville, Pine and Tennessee Warblers that had been reported. I like this photo, in that it is probably about the worst photo you could have and still say "oh yes, that's a Nashville".

 

Faced with missing a key northern finch species in the phenomenal 2012-2013 irruption year, I finally broke down and crossed the Potomac to see White-winged Crossbills at the National Arboretum in DC on 2-3-2013. They were actively feeding on Sweetgum seeds, both in the Sweetgums and on the ground. I counted 6 males and 3 females in the group I observed. The flock was in the trees right in front of the "Grove of State Trees" display.

 

A Friday morning stop at Winkler Botanical Preserve in Alexandria, VA yielded up some interesting birds on 10-25-2013. Above are a late-ish Indigo Bunting and one of two Peregrine Falcons that passed overhead. I realize the PEFA shot is terrible ... it is frustrating to have a camera in your hands and not be able to make it do anything useful. I would note the pointed wings and the tail barring that is visible in the fanned retrices.

 

A Ross' Goose located by Kurt Gaskill and Rich Reiger in a pond on Gap Run Road at the north end of Sky Meadows State Park in Paris, VA. Phil Kenny and I went to see it a week later on 10-27-2013; it was still consorting with about 500 Canada Geese.