by Lanny McDowell on October 20, 2010
This is prime season for peregrines to move through Martha’s Vineyard. One guy up at the Gay Head Cliffs at Aquinnah saw eighteen the other day, with four visible at one time. Right place at the right time.
Sometimes the falcons exert what seems from my vantage point like a lot of energy acquiring a meal, like chasing down a Sanderling, maneuvering one out over open water and cutting off its climb for height or an escape back to the flock. Recently I have been noticing, instead, some almost casual chases. [click to continue...]
by Lanny McDowell on January 4, 2010
They were also the first in quite a while on Martha’s Vineyard. They sort of had to be the first of the year, since it was the first of the year, about ten thirty in the morning.
The checklist for the Martha’s Vineyard Christmas Bird Count, which takes place tomorrow, on January fifth, due to a weather delay, says the CBC has recorded one Tundra Swan since 1999. Soo Whiting’s book, Vineyard Birds II, says tundras were seen more frequently and more regularly on CBCs up until ‘92 and then, for the most part, not seen after that. She writes, “Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are the two best places in Massachusetts where an observer might expect to see this rare visitor.” It’s only a guess, but I would be quite surprised if [click to continue...]
by Lanny McDowell on July 2, 2009
It’s not very hard to obtain decent bird photos of duck, goose and swan families this time of year. Whatever attitude you may hold about introduced species and the roles they play, Mute Swans are easy on the eyes, truly avian art in the most basic sense.
You know I have a schtick about getting close to my avian art subjects, so here is another set:
There is nothing wrong with this little guy’s leg. It’s just one of their postures, young and adult alike. They often seem to be doing exactly the same behavior or pose at the same time:
These images and Avian Art fine art prints are available for purchase. Contact me or View my gallery.
Birds are cool! Lanny
I have a list of folks who get an emailed notice from me with a URL to click on when I have posted a new blog. There are also times when I just send out photos to the list without bothering to blog about them or post them to a listserve. Not on the list? Want to be? Just contact me saying you want to be on the list or, better yet, subscribe to Feedburner above, in the right side column for automatic blog feeds to your email. Getting off the list is just as simple.
by Lanny McDowell on May 14, 2009
Hot off the presses, straight from the fields of Chilmark to your monitor screen. The phone and email thread went from Keith to Whiting to Manter to McDowell to refinding with Whiting this very elegant and rather casual drop-in.
No frills, just bird photographs:
It is the Vineyard, after all:
I have a list of folks who get an emailed notice from me with a URL to click on when I have posted a new blog. There are also times when I just send out photos to the list without bothering to blog about them or post them to a listserve. Not on the list? Want to be? Just contact me (below right) saying you want to be on the list or, better yet, subscribe to Feedburner above, in the right side column for automatic blog feeds to your email. Getting off the list is just as simple.
These images and Avian Art fine art prints are available for purchase. Contact me or View my gallery.
Birds are cool! Lanny
