We have all heard or used the expression “Bird-Brain.” Birds have comparatively small brains, and because of that we humans place them at a very low level of intelligence. Yes, we recognize that we can train birds of certain species to react to a limited assortment of commands, but animal science has, until now, been […]
Tag: osprey
Juvenile Western Osprey – Jubail
Whilst birding the Jubail area on 22 September I came across a Western Osprey. Initially it was seen flying over the reed beds but soon disappeared from view. After a few minutes, the bird was seen again in flight but this time flew and landed on a post nearby. Unfortunately, the bird was directly into […]
Osprey Farewell
It has been many weeks since I reported on the Lake District ospreys. The good news was that the pair of ospreys had been successful in rearing two chicks and I returned this week knowing that they had fledged. I wanted to see them before they left on their long migration to West Africa. I […]
Mongolia – 11th May (Day 4) – Travel from Ullanbataar to Dalanzadgad
Today was mainly a driving day 570km south from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad passing through the Gobi Desert with a few stops, mainly at lakes, en-route. The landscape was vast, stark and barren, mainly flat with a few rocky outcrops and dominated by gravel plains with sparse grass. The common birds here were Horned Lark, Asian […]
Scotland 2017
A short break in Tomatin up in the highlands of Scotland has given me the chance to see some fabulous sites again whilst picking up a few year ticks and grabbing a few record shots. First I visited a fish farm near Cairn Gorm and managed to see my first Osprey of 2017 without having […]
A Lost Opportunity At Hammonasset
For a handful of days after mid April 2017 Hammonasset Beach State Park was host to a rare species of bird for its time and place. The Killdeer above (image 1) was photographed at Hammonasset Beach State Park in April 2017. A conscientious effort on my part to avoid bad […]
So quiet
Some spring days just feel birdless and today was one of those. After getting a feeling over Easter that things were warming up I expected quite a bit from today but was to be very disappointed. An overnight frost and cloudless, windless skies in the morning seemed just to have encouraged birds to move on […]
13th Annual Sanibel Lighthouse Hawk Watch
The Sanibel Lighthouse Hawk Watch with Vince McGrath has been an anticipated event for a number of years prior to leaving the state of Florida for what you might not believe a move of mine to the great white north. The Osprey above (image 1) was photographed at the Sanibel Island Lighthouse in October 2016. […]