Costa Rica Birding.wmv

Northern Wheatear in Connecticutt

A life bird for me. This is a male in transition to winter plumage. This bird nests in Greenland and normally migrates through Europe to Africa. However, each year a few show up randomly in the United States.

American Golden Plover

3rd record for rockland county new york and quite a shock on my way to the company picnic

Third record of American Golden Plover in Rockland County New York http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF_MaeV3N2Q

23.Very informative article. The video is awesome! I was looking for more information on brood size. I did a Harlequin duck brood survey in northern Idaho for the USFS and saw one group/brood of 13 - took a few pictures. Is it possible to have a brood that big, or would a couple of hens combine their broods? They all stayed tight together like one family. I saw two groups farther up the same river that were feeding in the same spot, but never joined together - a group of 3 and a group of 4. I did the survey Aug 3, 2009 so all the ducklings look the same size and color as the hen. 8/3/2009

Garnet-throated Hummingbird

I've seen this bird illustrated. wow.

Birdingonthe.Net

Birdingonthe.Net: "Colombia is both beautiful and birdy and now, after a long absence, back in the catalogs of US bird tour companies: VENT is running several tours this year and next (with Steve Hilty), Wings (with Barry Walker) has a tour in August, and it's reliably reported that Field Guides will have a tour announcement soon. We're just back from the Birdquest tour which I can very highly recommend. Among the many notable species seen were Santa Marta and Chestnut-naped Antpittas, Bearded Helmetcrest, White-tailed Starfrontlet and Blossomcrown, Beautiful Woodpecker, Apical Flycatcher, Yellow-eared Parrot, and Northern Screamer. The infrastructure and main roads are good but be prepared for some long days, long hikes and rough mountain roads."

Snail kite grabbing some supper.

Turquoise-browed Motmot Eumomota superciliosa

I am often asked whats my fave bird. There are so many but this is the best.

Worm-eating Warbler Eating Spider

This worm-eater was the shock of my Florida birding trip. It could well have been the only one in the US on 2/4/09. Normally WEWAs winter in the Caribbean and the Caribbean slope of middle America.

Purple Gallinule

As a kid birding in Florida Purple Gallinules were few and far between. It was great to have these extremely cooperative birds entertain me at Green Cay.

Birding Green Cay Wetlands

the boardwalk at green cay wetlands offers a great opportunity to getup close and personal with many marsh birds

Brown Pelican from evan mark on Vimeo. These Brown Pelicans had easy pickings in the shallow lagoon at Estero Bay, Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

Corkscrew Swamp Birding

I almost didn't visit Corkscrew this visit which would have been a grave error. How fantastic this place is. Wall to wall birds. Paradise.

thoughts on the ivory gull "invasion". Carrion feeders. Large carrion. This implies a crash in either seal or Polar Bear pops(or both) in the arctic.

Painted Bunting

During an afternoon walk in Flamingo, Everglades National Park i fortuned apon this Painted Bunting bathing in the a puddle in the parking lot by the cabins, which may have been destroyed by Hurricane Wilma.

violet sabrewing

This Violet Sabrewing was filmed at La Mirador restaurant north of Vara Blanca Costa Rica, at the epicenter of the recent earthquake. It is doubtful the restaurant still exists.

pileated woodpecker

This Pileated was extremely cooperative on the Old Sleepy Hollow Road trail in Rockerfeller Sate Park. For a large bird they can be very stealthy and often people walk by them without knowing they are there.

Wilsons Warbler

When I look back as to what bird turned me from a birdwatcher to a birder, this was it. I was probably 13/14.I remember being pointed out a Wilsons in Central Park in the tops of the trees at Warbler Rock(Wilsons in the treetops?) and not being able to get on it. The next day walking down to Nature Study Woods, my birding homefield as a kid, in my neighbors yard was this charismatic bird at the proper eye level, and it blew me away. Many years later on my first trip to Costa Rica. We were at Hotel Chalet Tirol. Like a good birder i awoke before dawn (despite one cognac to many) and the first bird to greet me outside my window was my old friend Wilsons. I missed this bird this fall. I'm losing my touch.

Magnificent Hummingbird

This Magnificent Hummingbird, all bill and attitude, was at a feeder behind the amazing Volcan Poaz Lodge, Vera Blanca Costa Rica. No word as to its condition since the earthquake

Very Cold

Took a short drive around the snow and ice covered Tarrytown Lakes and Rockerfeller State Park to see who's around. The lakes are frozen except for a small hole in the large reservoir, occupied only by three Ring-billed Gulls. Along Old Sleepy Hollow a sizable Pine Siskin flock enjoyed eating rock salt in the road. Siskin flock size can be very difficult to size estimate, but my best guess is 40. Also at this spot were one each Eastern Bluebird and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. The shock of the day were two Northern Ravens croaking above my house in downtown Tarrytown, headed south. A yard first. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker