Winged Runners

The fun began on Sunday, April 22nd when 2 Indigo Buntings were feeding on dandelion seeds directly in front of my doorstep. Indigo Buntings are an attractive looking bird. As the name suggests, Indigo Bunting males are bright blue. It's a color that one simply cannot recreate. Other than the visual feast that the indigos provided, it was exciting to log this species into the property list, at bird species # 147. I am actually surprised that it has taken 6 years to see an Indigo Bunting. You always wonder, what will be next? Indigo Buntings are a fairly widespread species holding a large range within North America. They breed throughout NY State but more sparsely throughout mountainous territory. Indigos like brushy open habitats with edges and trees nearby.  Indigo Bunting photo by Derek Rogers     The recent migration push, coupled with last weekends coastal low pressure system that moved up the coast, ended up delivering some displaced birds along t

My morning began with excitement when I watched a Louisiana Waterthrush belting out its song along the creek corridor at Franklin Pond in Cold Spring Harbor. I have been routinely checking this site for the past week and half on my way to and from work and my time has finally paid off. There's definitely a bit of luck involved when it comes to finding birds but knowing and reading your habitat is a big advantage when it comes to being a successful bird watcher. Franklin Pond is part of the Cold Spring Harbor watershed. It is situated above (south of) St. John's Pond where the two are connected by a small freshwater stream. Water exits Franklin Pond by means of a spillway, runs into the stream and eventually makes its way into St. John's Pond. The understory vegetation consists of skunk cabbage, canada mayflower, american beech tree and other hardwood saplings. Moss covered snags and rocks line the stream bank making this a perfect recipe for suitable Louisiana Waterthrush