Nature Note: A Naturalist's Travels Through Nature

199. We usually see this number (more often in decimal form) when browsing store shelves for groceries or cheap stationary, but as of this evening, this number represents an achievement. I am one bird away from reaching my goal to observe 200 species of birds in 2016! This week has been one of the most productive for birding I've had in a long time. Ten species have boosted my year birding total from 189 to one step away from a hard won goal. Here is the story of how this attempt was made! "Where are those butter-noses?" On Monday, my girlfriend and I had a chance to visit Gooseberry Neck in Westport, MA to try for scoters and other winter waterfowl. Despite our youthful energy, the weather at this time of year is hellbent on making you regret leaving any heated space. The Massachusetts coast is known for two things during the winter months: bone-chilling cold and blustery gales and it certainly delivered both on that day. As I scanned the western horizon for bi...

A lovely time was had in Florida by myself and my friends, but this being a birding blog, I'm going to post the pictures I'm most excited about and I hope you enjoy them too. Poking it's head out of the bush, this Northern Mockingbird ( Mimus polyglottos ) peers around the neighborhood. It didn't seem particularly bothered by my presence, but it did keep an eye on me. The hybrids keep showing up. Mallard x American Black Ducks ( Anas platyrhynchos x rubripes ) are fairly uncommon in the Northeast, but it feels like the Mottled Ducks ( A. fulvigula ) down here have the same problem. It would be interesting to get the stats on the threat to the breeding population from errant Mallard breeding fiascoes. It always seems to be males that are present. Very rarely, if ever have I seen female hybrids. The characteristics of the male Mallard and female Mottled are well noticeable here. A lonely decoy keeps watch over the chaos taking place within the Mottled Duck ge...

An immature wheatear was the lucky find this weekend! As the title suggests, I am in love. With birds, yes, but y'all knew that already. I went to the Cape this weekend for my girlfriend and my fourth anniversary together. It's been our first since we both graduated from Unity College in Maine and we wanted to go somewhere special. We decided that the best way to see the birds would be to spend a night in Orleans and be right in the middle of the action. On Saturday morning, we traveled from her house in Lakeville to Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. We then spent the afternoon browsing the shops and colorful boulevards of Provincetown. After all, we came for the rainbows and we got the rainbows! (Although to be honest, we also came for the birds.) Towards the end of the day, we got on a sailing ship to tour around the harbor. What a lovely trip it was with a lovely sunset and prime views of coastal winter bird life. While there I got to see bird #294; two winter plumage Bo...