2024 - Year in Review

As 2024 winds to a close, I'm happy to say I observed a total of 264 bird species this last year (beating 2023 by 21), with 17 of those species being "lifers" or the first time I'd recorded them.

One of those was this Crested Caracara seen along a road.

I made a special trip to see Florida Scrub-Jays, which I wrote about here.

The "rarest" bird sighting was probably this Piratic Flycatcher, which I also wrote about here.

This is a Chuck-Will's-Widow perfectly camouflaged against the ground.

I have missed several opportunities to see Cerulean Warblers, but lucked out this year when one showed up in Brooklyn.

2024 was the year to finally record my first Whimbrel.

This is a Common Myna who took up residence in the parking lot of a Chipotle in Florida a few years ago. He is likely an escaped pet, but he now owns the parking lot and people go pay homage to him regularly. I was one of his admirers this year.

Sometimes, the photos don't really work out, but the experience is still worthwhile. Such was the case with these American Flamingos who dropped in at Merritt Island in Florida. They were among many Flamingos who went exploring North America this last year after being displaced by storms. 

These Flamingos were hanging out with Cormorants and White Pelicans on a distant island. Despite being far away, they were instantly recognizable. This was my first time seeing them in the wild.

If you get out your magnifying glass, you will see a Cormorant and Brown Booby perched together on this sign in Tampa Bay. The Booby (on the right) has a distinctive white belly and a dark head.

This photo (squint hard) shows three Brown Boobies together on a sign in the same area of the bay. One of my goals this next year is to get better views and photos of these birds. These pics were taken from a gazillion miles away and heavily cropped. Scope views were not much better than this.

Other birds first recorded in 2024:

• Long-Eared Owl
• Glaucous Gull
• Swallow-Tailed Kite
• Brown-Headed Nuthatch
• Kentucky Warbler (a nemesis bird, only confirmed for me this year)
• Bicknell's Thrush
• American Golden Plover
• Greater White-Fronted Goose

Observing birds for the first time is always exciting, but there are also experiences that just stand out. This year, seeing a White Pelican in New York Harbor was really special. The odds were slim and the weather was bad, but my friend and I had a memorable time riding the Staten Island ferry back and forth in an attempt to see the bird and our efforts were rewarded.

Of course, no year would be complete without documenting the Tompkins Square Red-Tailed Hawk family. I put in a lot of work this year, not missing a day for weeks, and it never gets old. Christo and Amelia are due to start their new nesting season in a few weeks, and I am ever grateful to be able to continue observing their activities.

May 2025 bring good birding experiences to everyone.

Feeling Blue

It's been a sobering couple of weeks. As I regroup my thoughts, I'm certain of one thing: I care deeply about this planet and all the creatures who inhabit it and I will do everything I can to fight for and preserve our natural areas and wildlife.

To see more frequent posts of my wildlife photography, please follow me on Bluesky.  💙

With that in mind, here are a few blue birds.

The Blue Jay is an accomplished mimic, and has been know to trick me into thinking I was hearing a Red-Tailed or Red-Shouldered hawk.

Male Blue Grosbeaks are always eye-catching with their cobalt blue plumage with rusty red highlights.

I love to watch Blue-Headed Vireos hunt for insects. These birds are usually cooperative for me, posing at mid-level and pausing for the camera.

Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers are more challenging to photograph as they are extremely quick as they hunt flying insects.

I found this Eastern Bluebird late one afternoon, just chilling and enjoying the sunshine.

I saw my first-ever Blue-Crowned Parakeet in Florida. They usually fly in flocks, but this little rebel came over to check me out.

Don't let the Little Blue Heron fool you into thinking it's not as fierce as its Great Blue Heron cousin - it's a formidable predator in its own right.

As seen here with an anole lizard in its beak. The lizard put up a good fight, but the heron won this round.

Another Little Blue flies across a golden wetland in the late afternoon sun.

Great Blue Herons are the largest birds in the NYC area (unless you count the occasional Pelican that turns up). I love these birds because they are almost as tall as me.

They have such an elegant form.

Who knew they could be floofy, too?

I met this heron this last Saturday. I came upon it as it argued with another heron, then it flew right up to me and blocked my path. I decided to stay still and wait for it to move out of the way. It ended up holding me hostage for about twenty minutes, but I didn't mind as it gave me time to admire its existence.

Although not named blue, Common Gallinules appear iridescent blue with tinges of green and gold.

These guys are the unmistakable voice of the wetlands - have a listen to their calls here.

 

 

 

Fall Bird Migration 2024 - Part 4

It's the first day of November, but there are still migratory birds to be found across the city. Below are some recent highlights to take you through the weekend.

Golden-Crowned Kinglet:

Hermit Thrush:

Red-Breasted Nuthatch:

Eastern Bluebird:

Blue-Headed Vireo:

Orange-Crowned Warbler:

Cape May Warbler:

Palm Warbler:

Yellow-Rumped Warbler:

Northern Parula:

I had a complaint that I post too many Ruby-Crowned Kinglet photos. So, in honor of that person, here are a few more!

Who could ever get tired of these little guys?

Previously.

Fall Bird Migration 2024 - Part 3

Welcome to Part 3 of Fall Bird Migration. I've spent so much time out with the birds, I've fallen behind posting photos. Below are some recent highlights which were seen in Brooklyn and Governors Island.

Song Sparrow:

Swamp Sparrow:

I usually say White-Throats are my favorite sparrow, but Swamps rank right up there. They're beautiful in the late afternoon sun.

Northern Parula:

I've said many times that Parulas are my favorite warbler. I love their colors and the way they glean tiny insects from the undersides of leaves.

And they're just cute.

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet:

Speaking of cute, Ruby-Crowned Kinglets never disappoint, which is why I post so many photos of them.

Golden-Crowned Kinglet:

Golden-Crowned Kinglets rank pretty high on the cuteness scale. And they're fast! This was the only decent photo I could get of this one who was furiously chasing no-see-ums.

Magnolia Warbler:

Palm Warbler:

Common Yellowthroat:

Gray-Cheeked Thrush:

Yellow-Rumped Warbler:

Showing us how it got its name:

More to come...