The weather here in Maine has been around the mid-50s to 60s and we have even experienced a few enjoyable nights in the 30s. The humidity hasn’t left us though and this past Wednesday was especially hot and humid. We had a bit of rain the day before and it felt as though summer had […]
Birds
This category contains all my blog posts about birds and birding. In my posts, I discuss how to attract birds to your yard, the many different species of backyard birds, bird photography, and more.
Photographing Common Yellowthroats During Fall Migration
Late August through October is a perfect time to observe new birds as they migrate to their winter homes. A couple of days ago, I spotted a pair of common yellowthroats in one of the front gardens and was able to take a few photographs. I believe this male is pretty young, as his black […]
How to Tell the Difference Between the Female Purple Finch and Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Whether out in the field or at feeders, it can be quite difficult to tell the difference between the female purple finch (Haemorhous purpureus) and female rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus). The purple finch is often mistaken for the rose-breasted grosbeak. Perhaps this is due to their sharing similar coloring as they do not share the […]
Spotting a Broad-winged Hawk in the Front Yard
A few mornings ago, I was drawing back the curtains in the kitchen window and I discovered something was out of place. I suppose when you do the same thing everyday, you just notice these things. Anyway, I looked a little closer and I spotted a juvenile broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus) in the front yard. […]
Discovering a Hairy Woodpecker Nesting Cavity in the Backyard
One morning while I was working on the computer, I heard the voice of one of our female hairy woodpeckers that comes to the bird feeders quite frequently. I had mentioned her in another post and you can read all about her here. In addition to this familiar voice, I heard a second woodpecker as […]
July in Maine: What Types of Birds Can I Expect to See?
Maine is home to a wide variety of nonmigratory and migratory species of birds. Now that it is almost the middle of July, we have been enjoying our resident species and the arrival of many new bird species for the season, as well as sightings of their offspring. In this post, I would like to […]
How to Tell the Difference Between Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers
Whether bird watchers are enjoying birds from their backyards or out in the field, many individuals are faced with the question, is that a hairy or downy woodpecker? These two species are quite common, year-round visitors in North America and once you know what to look for, it is not as difficult as one would […]
Spring Bird Watching
As the seasons change and time moves on, so have a few of the species of birds here in Maine. With seasonal migration, many birds will move from one place to another to gain more advantages of the favorable conditions of their surroundings. This is quite an exciting time for bird watchers and photographers alike, […]
The Hummingbirds are Here
There are three different areas of the property where I put my hummingbird feeders out. The old feeders I used in these areas were getting cracked and leaking, so I bought three new ones. The first feeder I bought is called the Droll Yankees Easy View Hummingbird Feeder. This is a tough plastic feeder that […]
Bird Photography with a Canon Rebel T6i Camera & 55-250mm Lens
While taking bird photographs, I felt like I wasn’t achieving the kind of images I wanted to capture. I recently upgraded from a Canon 18-135mm lens to a Canon 55-250 lens. I got by with the other lens, but I want to take my photography to the next level. I also upgraded to a Canon […]