http://thebuffleheadbirder.com Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 23 Nov 2010 01:53:27 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Last week I spent a day with two friends from Colorado who were visiting New Jersey. But instead of going to a restaurant or museum, Julie and Jarett suggested we meet up for some hiking and a picnic lunch at the Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary. That was perfect. Conveniently located on ... http://thebuffleheadbirder.com/trees-of-mordor-and-the-jungle/ The best part about spring is not the warmer weather and longer days but the arrival of birds returning from their southern wintering grounds. And it's not just the American Robin that is the harbinger of warmer days ahead, but also those birds just passing through. Snow geese who gather ... http://thebuffleheadbirder.com/a-visiting-tufted-duck/ One of my philosophical mantras that I say to myself is to finish something to the end even if it feels as if there is nothing to be gained. I say this when I am at gatherings and getting bored and just want to go home and curl up with ... http://thebuffleheadbirder.com/blue-is-good-color-on-a-winter-day/  Most of my East Coast snake encounters have been with Garter Snakes. A few days ago I got to meet a clump of Northern Water Snakes (Nerodia sipedon), who were basking in the afternoon sun on a log along the Wissahickon Creek. The banding and coloration of water snakes are somewhat ... http://thebuffleheadbirder.com/basking-on-a-log-by-the-creek/ Every year local residents in my area, including employee volunteer regulars from Merck and Whole Foods, get the call to help out with the Wissahickon Creek Spring Cleanup. This yearly event is held by the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association. For a few hours we wade and scramble up and down the banks of our ... http://thebuffleheadbirder.com/charleys-hoedown/ Can you guess the species of this bird? The answer will be posted after I receive at least 3 guesses. Have fun!    http://thebuffleheadbirder.com/mystery-bird-puzzle/ I recently received an email from some friends in Moscow with this fantastic shot of a common visitor to the homemade feeder outside their second story apartment window. The Great Tit (Parus major), is a member of the Titmouse Family and is common to the woodlands of Europe and Asia. My friend, Sasha had constructed a bird ... http://thebuffleheadbirder.com/cheek-chireek-from-moscow/ It can start off as a sudden explosion of white and black wings rising from a hillside, or sometimes just a slim white funnel rising higher and higher until it mushrooms into a blast of deafening honks and beating wings that fill the sky and compel those nearby to gaze ... http://thebuffleheadbirder.com/a-gaggle-of-geese-at-middle-creek/ The jetty at Barnegat Light in New Jersey is a popular spot for photographing and seeing wintering waterfowl. And while I was aware of the potential broken ankle or banged up knee on the rocks, I never imagined the following hazard.   Below is a link sent to the Delaware Valley Ornithology ... http://thebuffleheadbirder.com/peril-on-the-jetty-at-barnegat-light/ The inlet at Barnegat Lighthouse in New Jersey is known for its high winds and last year the photography outing with the Delaware Valley Ornithology Club (DVOC) was postponed twice before we landed a day with a wind that allowed you to keep your hat and remain standing. This year we ... http://thebuffleheadbirder.com/barnegat-birds/