Have you ever had a small bird visit your feeder wearing a purple wash on its head and breast? There are two types of finches with red or purple color commonly found in our area. One is the House Finch. The second is the Purple Finch. Now, here’s the challenge. How do you tell one […]

Fall is well underway, and many birds have left our area for their wintering grounds further south. As a result, you may have noticed that you don’t hear as many birds. Now is a good time to discuss bird songs and calls. Generally speaking, the sounds made by perching birds; chickadees, nuthatches, warblers, cardinals and […]

Walking in the woods is my favorite activity during these cool fall days. I love watching the maples starting to turn and the spikes of the pin oak against a deep blue sky. This time of the year I am also feasting my eyes on all the wild berries. Hobble bush has lush clusters of […]

This past Saturday, Mahoosuc Land Trust lead a field trip to Fryeburg, ME to see Sandhill Cranes (photo courtesy of USGS). As I wrote in a recent article, Sandhill Cranes have begun breeding in the fields around the Saco River in Fryeburg. Doug Albert hosted our group of 33. It was a beautiful day and, […]

This morning after I returned from my early morning walk to the river I stood at the east window watching a few Black Capped chickadees flying out of my adopted juniper to the bird feeder. Although there are other trees around, the thick cover provided by my arboreal friend is everyone’s favorite. I love to […]

Bob O’Brien and Michaela Casey of Albany sent me this picture of a Gray Jay, also called a Canada Jay. This bird and two of his friends (probably its mate and another family member) visited with Bob and Michaela on a recent hike up Speckled Mountain. The birds appeared and watched while Bob and Michaela […]

Walking in the woods is my favorite activity during these cool fall days. I love watching the maples starting to turn and the spikes of the pin oak against a deep blue sky. This time of the year I am also feasting my eyes on all the wild berries. Hobble bush has lush clusters of […]

This story is about migration, but please bear with me, it’s not about birds. Recently, the Mahoosuc Land Trust held its 30th Anniversary Celebration at Valentine Farm Conservation Center (VFCC). It was a fun afternoon of music, ice cream and a chance to meet lots of people committed to protecting Western Maine. A highlight for me […]

The first time I saw a sandhill crane, I was riding cross-country on a bus. I don’t know what state. It was flat, probably Kansas or Nebraska, and the big, gray bird was the tallest thing on the prairie. I was a budding birder and struggled to contain my excitement. The next time I saw […]

Here it is almost mid October and my hairy vetch blooms on with its glorious violet blue color. Bees, and cabbage butterflies are still seeking its sweet nectar. So far, these plants defy the frost. Mine is sprawling on top of all the other wild weeds providing a crown of deep blue around my little […]