Open Window

Spring is in the Air

  Birds & Berries © 2017 Claudia Ward 

The first day of Spring has come and gone and the days are now officially longer than the nights. The croci are croaking, the daffodils are dawdling, and the birds are returning. This winter it appears that the robins remained up north. Apparently, robins migrate more in response to food than to temperature. Fruit is the robin's winter food source and these robins found a veritable feast on our neighbor's holly tree.

Robin Soaring © 2017 Claudia Ward

Some of you may recall that I first saw this feasting frenzy four years ago, was mesmerized watching the flock of robins darting in and out of the 25 foot holly tree, and photographed the scene as best I could. I've hoped to see it every year since and this year my patience was rewarded. Armed with a better camera, a longer lens, and a sturdy tripod I spent one February day parked on our back stoop capturing as much of the action as I could. Four years ago the preponderance of my images were of the birds perched on the snow covered branches snapping up berries as quickly as possible. This year these are certainly some of those images but more rewarding to me were the images I captured of the robins in flight. I hope you enjoy this slide show as much as I enjoyed creating it.

Photos and Slide Show © 2017 Claudia Ward
Music: "Boeuf Bourguignon" by Alexandra Desplat from Julie & Julia
 

 

Robins in Snow

Robin in a Snowy Holly Tree © 2013 Claudia Danforth Ward

Yesterday as we were truly beginning to appreciate the results of Blizzard Nemo, I was gazing out our bay window looking at a world that was mostly devoid of bright color, and then I saw them - robins. I first noticed their bright orange breasts and then I notice their motion. Robins were everywhere flying frenetically in, out and about our neighbor's 25-foot holly tree. What was the attraction? The bright red berries on the holly tree.

I always thought birds migrated south in the winter but apparently that's not always true. Robins in particular will stick around if there's food. As their usual food supply - earthworms and insects - is not available in cold weather, robins will eat fruit throughout the winter and this holly tree was laden yesterday with not only snow and ice but thousands of bright red berries - a feast for any robin or scores of them.

I was mesmorized by these creatures yesterday and couldn't stop watching them dart to and fro - thrilled with this cornucopia of food.

  

Photos and Slide Show ©2013 Claudia Danforth Ward
Music: Going Hunting by George Fenton - Soundtrack "Dangerous Liaisons" 

UPDATE: Within 24 hours of the end of Bizzard Nemo and my sighting of the robins next door, the holly tree has been picked clean of its bright red berries and the robins have moved on. Wow!

Holly Tree Sans Berries, Birds, and Snow

Montauk Seagulls

Seagulls are a generally an under-appreciated bird. Growing up along the coastline of New England, seagulls were an integral part of the environment in which I lived. They floated above the beaches on warm summer days, darted past one another during the spring mating season, and dropped clams and other shellfish on the concrete parking lots to extract the food within.

Seagulls are part of the Larus family and are most closely related to terns. The word larus is reportedly derived from a Greek word meaning gluttonous bird, a reputation these fowls do nothing to dispel. Most of us know seagulls to be opportunistic scavengers, birds that will be equally satisfied eating fish and crabs as they are eating your french fries or turkey sandwich. 

Peter and I recently spent the weekend at Gurney's Inn out in Montauk. Off-season rates allowed us to get a room, with a balcony, overlooking the ocean. Facing south, the views were spectacular, as were the sunrises and sunsets. We spent most of our time either on the beach or on the balcony - always with camera in hand. The first morning we were there, Peter took part of his breakfast bagel outside to enjoy it with his coffee sitting in the sun. Well that apparently was an open invitation to all seagulls, near and far, to "come and get it". These birds that appear so docile and curious perched on a banister can become quite aggressive when free food is around. They will swoop in and take food right out of your hand and will fight off any others who might want to partake of a free picnic.  

So here are the many "faces" of the Montauk Seagulls.

   

Photos © 2012 Claudia Ward
Music: Fuga a cavallo by Ennio Morricone from the original soundtrack of
"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" 

 Note: If you've never seen this 1966 spaghetti western starring Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, and Lee Van Cleef, and featuring this stylized music as a fourth leading character, seek it out ... it's a classic. 

Birds in Hawaii

Day two of our trip seemed to be all about the birds.

Exotic Crowned Bird   

Common Myna Bird

House Sparrow

House Finch Waiting Impatiently

House Finch Enjoying Our Leftovers

Exotic Hawaiian Bird "Hooked" On Himself

Hawaiian Parrot

Preview of coming attractions: We took a two hour helicopter ride around the Big Island of Hawaii. What an experience that was! 

 

Sanderlings at the Shore

Photographing birds at the beach I always find entertaining but this group kept me busy for nearly an hour. Running to-and-fro, chasing the waves and pecking for lunch, and then taking flight in a flock for no apparent reason but flying only yards from where they left, sanderlings are in constant motion. No wonder these birds are so svelte! They use up the calories they consume pursuing the next morsel.

I found their behavior fascinating and their colors against the sand and sea captivating, I hope you agree.