Stared Down By A Merlin

 I went down to the shoreline this weekend looking for shorebirds but was stopped in my tracks when I came face to face with a Merlin.

We stared each other down for at least a minute as we both sat perfectly still.

No one was going to come between her and a meal. Not even a birder with a camera.

A Holiday Tradition For Birders

 It's that time of year when the annual Christmas bird counts are taking place all around the northeast.  Prior to 1900 it was tradition to shoot as many birds as possible. Counting them seems to be much more in the Christmas spirit. I participated in a local count over the weekend. 

The day before the count I started out early in the morning crossing the train tracks and heading down toward the river to start a dry run through the count circle territory.

I found a Merlin on top of a wooden post out on the water.  I believe it was just outside the count circle so I tried to signaling it to fly up river.

While Santa decides who's naughty or nice I'm searching for ponds free of ice.

On the day of the count some people are curious as they see us wandering through the neighborhood in search of birds. Some stop by to say hello or wish us luck. Others fill their bird feeders to help our efforts.Even the deer are curious about what we're doing.

For me the Christmas count is not just about collecting data. It is a way for birders to participate in a fun tradition around the holidays.  It is also a reminder that all birds big and small are of great importance to us all. That includes Song Sparrows.

The Thrill Of Finding Good Birds Close to Home

 I decided to stay in town to look for birds on Sunday. I started out in Meshomasic State Forest. I had a difficult time finding any birds there. It was so quiet that the cold air entering my nose made a whistling sound like the song of a distant bird. Interestingly, it sounded exactly like the first half of an Eastern Wood-Pewee call.  there's no way a pewee would be around this time of year so I knew that my ears(and my nose) were playing tricks on me.

The only birds I found in the forest were some of the more common woodpeckers and woodland birds but every one counts in January.

After checking some power lines where I was able to add Field Sparrow and Golden-crowned Kinglet to the list I moved on to Wangunk Meadows. The fields looked cold and barren compared to what I see in the summer but I found several interesting species in the area. If you look out at that mound in the middle of the field you can see one of two Northern Harriers that were present. What you can't see in this photo is the flock of American Pipits which would take flight every so often and resettle to different areas.

After spotting the harriers I saw a smaller bird of prey streak across the field. It looked falconish so I searched the area carefully to relocate it. I was rewarded by finding a Merlin perched on a dead tree near the river. If I was at a premier birding spot like Hammonasset then finding Northern Harriers, a Merlin, and American Pipits would just be a typical day. Finding birds like that right in town is much more of a thrill.

Later that morning in parts unknown I saw a Bald Eagle sitting on a nest. This photo was taken from a great distance so the eagle was not at all disturbed. It's great to see the Bald Eagles doing so well in Connecticut. When I first started birding they weren't nearly as common to see. As for this one-it's number 48 on the list.
I'm at 54 species so far but I'm hopeful that I'll be able to increase that number quite a bit this coming weekend if the weather holds up.