PI

At Plum Island today I had close to 50 species, which I thought wasn't too bad for a mid-winter day of birding.  Highlights included the continuing Western Grebe, a Eurasian Wigeon, a couple of Canvasbacks and six species of raptors.

This Kestrel and Kingfisher were hanging out in the same spot, doing similar things. Both were birds I was not really expecting to see today.

BEKI passes

Weird weather today with lots of intermittent rain showers and strong winds. But despite all that 35ish songbirds were caught along with 51 raptors at the main blind including a Kestrel, a recaptured Merlin, and 4 or 5 Harriers (who really seem to start showing up when the rain starts up). Two highlights of the day: a stooping Bald Eagle getting the adrenaline going when it came in for a lure, peeling off at about 15ft from it, and getting a couple of looks from a Belted Kingfisher that was flying by, why it was interested in our lures, I cannot say...

Female Kestrel


Western Palm Warbler


Northern Harrier releases

Trail's caught today

Best day yet for raptors, 78 at the main blind with Frank. Slower day for songbirds, but still close to 80.

End of the day Northern Harrier at Paine Farm







Male Kestrel


Male Magnolia


Male Redstart

A release

Saw this first year female Kestrel released yesterday at the East Leverett Meadow. It flew off very well after being reared in captivity from a chick, but we didn't get any release photos, as it was suddenly tossed into the air with no warning. But I'll be getting a lot of chances at those types of photos this fall I suppose...

Did the PCT today

I found my last official nest today, a White-headed. Yesterday we backpacked into a site and surveyed under some very windy conditions today. It was along the PCT and it was beautiful, pictures to come. But for now, the usual random assortment...

This female Kestrel was not as pleased about the discovery of her nest by me as I was.


Though Brown Creepers really do blend in well with their common foraging substrate, their constant high-pitched calls are hard to miss.


Western Wood-Pewee. Most commonly heard in the background of recording of every other western songbird.

Kestrel vs. Raven

Jug Handle

Fur Seal pup with the jug handle

More from Larbear

Photo by Larry


Photo by Larry


Photo by Larry


Photo by Larry


Photo by Larry

In Review

I grabbed a couple hundred photos from Larry, who got some great shots throughout the season, so I'll be putting up his pictures for a while, as I have no new ones, and a way of reviewing the season, which is essentially at an end.


Photo by Larry

Kestrel

Photo by Larry


Photo by Larry

Pbird

Photo by Larry

Grant releasing the rough leg

Photo by Larry

Adult goshawk. Redder than red.

Photo by Larry

Long eared with a broken pupil...

Photo by Larry

Fud, in his element

Photo by Larry

Comparison

I don't have much new to show, but I thought I'd put up a comparison post. A lot of these pictures are repeats but I separated them by genus and labeled them by age and sex if I knew it. We still haven't caught some varieties (like an adult male harrier) and I'm missing pictures of a few (like a female kestrel), but I thought this would give a good look at the hawks we have been catching, with side-by-side comparisons to show some differences.

Falcons:
Immature Merlin


Immature male kestrel




Immature peregrine





Accipiters:
Sharp-shinned
Two immature birds, female on the left, male on the right:


Two adults with different shades of the eyes:




Cooper's
Immature:


Adult:


Northern goshawk
Immature



Buteos
Broad-winged
Immature:


Red-tailed
Immature:
These are three different birds






Circus:
Northern harrier
Immature


Adult female