Snow(y) Day!

We have lots and lots of snow today in New York City, and I've been hanging out at home editing my photos of the incredible bird I was blessed to visit on Staten Island just before and after Christmas.

Snowy owl, Staten Island, December 20, 2017

This was the first snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) I had seen in the wild. (I have visited a snowy owl in the Bronx Zoo.) I was walking on the sand on the beach looking for the owl but seeing only gulls, when I turned and glimpsed what I first thought was an overturned paint bucket. What a joy to find this largest of the North American owls hanging out on a cold beach in New York City! I spent three and a half hours watching the owl, the first two hours pretty much by myself, and this video, although a little long, reflects the time I spent sitting on the beach and the burrs as the bird perched on the sand. If you are not as fascinated by the owl's turning her head 180 degrees one way, and then 180 degrees the other, you can skip to about minute 1:30 to see the bird poop and then walk around, then head to minute 14 to see those golden eyes as the sun starts to set. (I returned twice after Christmas to see the owl again, and will post those photos and videos soon.)

I took hundreds of photos on December 20, but these are my favorites.

Terns With Crowns

My love affair with shorebirds continues!

Royal tern, Midland Beach, Staten Island, November 2

A group of royal terns (Thalasseus maximus) is called a "highness." That seems appropriate for birds with crowns! I had a chance to watch two highnesses of royal terns on October 31 and November 2, 2017, at Midland Beach on Staten Island.  I also saw a single royal tern at Broad Channel American Park in Queens on October 17, 2017. You can compare the royal terns with the common terns and Forster's terns on the Cornell site. The royal terns are the second largest of the terns (after the Caspian tern), and have distinctive black crests and orange bills.

Royal tern, Midland Beach, October 31

Royal terns on Midland Beach, November 2

What was particularly fun to watch, as you'll see in the Filming the Feathers video, was the young royal terns persistently discussing world affairs with other terns (actually, it was probably a demand for food from a parent). The young bird would follow the older bird around, chirping and complaining. The older bird most often looked as if she wanted nothing to do with the conversation. (Males and female look the same.) At one point (around minute 7 in the video), you can see one insistent youngster slipping, falling, and getting up without a break and continuing the conversation. I used music by Henry Purcell arranged for recorders and performed by Papalin. But I've also left in the sound of the wind, the waves and the loud conversations.

This group of photos was pulled from the video. The photos show flight and displaying behavior.

This group of photo features photos from October 31 and November 2. More photos can be found on the Royal Terns page.

On the Beach With Black Skimmers

I saw my first black skimmers (Rynchops niger) on October 31 at the beach at Wolfe's Pond on Staten Island. I was mesmerized, and was able to watch them again on November 4. The longer lower bill is fascinating, as the birds use it while skimming the water to pull up small fish.

Black skimmer, the beach at Wolfe's Pond, Staten Island, November 4, 2017

Black skimmers, October 31, 2017. Note the bands on two of the birds.

The first Filming the Feathers video is very short, featuring the shorebirds on October 31. The second video, from November 4, is more extensive, with more time spent with these birds flying, skimming and resting on the beach. I was particularly taken with how much these birds seem to enjoy the company of other skimmers, and how their flight is so synchronized.

These photos of the skimmers in flight were pulled from the October 31 video.

These photos were taken October 31 and November 4.