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September 2012

The Early Frog...

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John Pastore reports: "Attached is frog, enjoying sunrise, from yesterday (Friday 9/14).

"He was on end of Warden's Watch peninsula, and proved to be a most cooperative subject.  

"As I had my wide angle lens deployed, I needed to get quite close for the frog to be large enough in the frame.  

"I was down on my knees, with camera extended full arms length.  He tolerated several shots before abandoning his rock."  (Thanks, John!)


Saturday's Walk: The Full List

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A big thank you to all the folks who joined Marsh Warden Mike Limatola and me for our September walk at the Celery Farm last Saturday.

Highlights included a Cooper's Hawk, plenty of Wood Ducks, a Monarch caterpillar and plenty of Jewel Weed "Poppers."

(Poppers are on left in pic below.)

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A great time of year at the CF!

Full list of Saturday's birds follows.

Continue reading "Saturday's Walk: The Full List " »


My Latest 'Bird Watcher' Column: Pigeon Hunt!

DSCN0221-001My latest column for The Record and the Herald News is about my quest to see a rock pigeon from my yard -- yet another reason to go living.

I write: " Mourning doves, the pigeon's elegant but equally blasé cousin, I get by the dozens. Bald eagles, Wilson's snipes, red-breasted grosbeaks and more: I have seen all of these birds from my yard over the years, including more than 80 species in 2011 alone. But nary a rock pigeon.

"Many folks would chide me to be more careful with what I wish for. After all, we've all read about some schlep who has dozens of pigeons infesting his yard and treating his house and patio like an enormous statue. No one wants that.

"So let me be clear. I don't actually want a rock pigeon at my feeder. An admiring glimpse of one in flight sometime will do, just so I can add it to the list of yard birds."

The link is here.


Hawk Watchers Wanted!

Kurt Muenz writes:

829 birds counted Tuesday at the State Line Hawk Watch as of 4 p.m., and Eric W. was still counting when I left. Of the 829, 739 were broadwings. Given this and healthy numbers from other sites, the big Broad-wing push may well come on the early side this year and before the weekend.

During the 2 peak hours, only Stiles [Thomas] and I were counting, and it was tough checking all the directions, finding the more distant
kettles, etc. with only 2 people.  We look to be short-staffed the next three days. So I'm asking for more help if practical.

Please check your schedules and see if you can squeeze out some
time for the watch on Fri., Thurs. and Wed.

E-mail Kurt at  elkumu (at) aceweb.com for more info.