Nature Note: A Naturalist's Travels Through Nature

As many people probably already know, I'm a little bit loopy. Verbally, action-wise, and philosophically, I'm completely off the wall. It's an asset in a job where I'm both batty about nature and batty in general. However, despite my setbacks with my old computer what with losing my life list, year list, and SBMWA property bird list, I'm still determined to hit 350 species this year. I currently have 316 with the most recent edition being a Louisiana Waterthrush ( Parkesia motacilla ) seen in the Stony Brook a few weeks ago at camp. I'm hoping for some excellent migrants in the form of shorebirds, songbirds, and shearwaters. Yeah. You heard me! Welshie's going to sea and wants to find himself some mutton birds! Okay, okay...maybe not that badly, but a whale watch is definitely an excellent excuse to look for pelagic birds like shearwaters, gannets, and terns. Who knows? I might even seen some storm-petrels. It's only mid-August after all and I figur...

Apologies for the late entry, but I have finally gotten around to writing this week's entry.  This past Sunday I got the chance to visit a very cool place called the Negri-Nepote Native Grassland in Franklin Township, NJ. I came here after hearing that a pair of Dickcissels ( Spiza americana ) had been spotted the day prior. After arriving, the first birds I saw were the ubiquitous American Robins ( Turdus migratorius ) and a few pairs of Eastern Bluebirds ( Sialia sialis ), as well as hearing the jabbering song of a nearby House Wren ( Troglodytes aedon ). I'd come for two other species other than the rare Dickcissels. I found them within the first ten minutes and they were a sight to behold. The first life bird I got was a Grasshopper Sparrow ( Ammodramus savannarum ). This lovely male decided to survey his surroundings from atop this bird house support pole allowing for good pictures and lasting views. For such a furtive bird, being out in the open seemed unusual. How...

I'm back in Ohio this weekend and I'm so pleased to announce that my girlfriend, myself, and her colleagues have spotted the Bell's Vireo ( Vireo belli ) that have been frequenting Heritage Trail Metro Park in Hilliard. We called this male in using a playback call on our smartphones. It responded more or less immediately and posed for these photos. 332 down and 18 to go on my way to the 350 I want to have by the end of the year! Let's see what I can find this week ^_^.

So having looked through my bird lists and tabulating my chances for this year, I've concluded that unless a shit-ton (actual word, just ask any Mainer) of rarities show up on the Atlantic Coast this year, my chances of reaching 400 species on my life list are quite unlikely. So instead I'm shooting for 350 species instead. Still impressive and more achievable especially with the potential to see some more southerly warbler species in the warmer months of the year. I'm also excited for spring migration which means shorebirds, neotropical migrants, and the true harbinger of spring, the Eastern Phoebe ( Sayornis phoebe ). I'll be spending a good chunk of the year in New Jersey which gives me tactical advantage in visiting places like Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in NY, the Pine Barrens of NJ, and the Chesapeake Bay to the south. Below is a list of the top twenty Mid-Atlantic/Southern species I'd like to see while I'm down there. If you guys have tips for where to...