Gadwall
Gadwall Duck Male photographed at Stuyvesant Cove which is on the East River in lower Manhattan. Gadwall’s mainly eat Aquatic vegetation. As a result, Gadwalls are often found feeding far from the shoreline, in deeper water than most other dabbling ducks.
The photograph of this adult non-breeding Long-tailed Duck was taken at the Coast Guard Station at Jones Beach in Nassau County, New York. I used the Canon 5D Mark III with the Canon 100-400mm lens to photograph this beautiful Long-tailed Duck. The Long-tailed Duck is one of the deepest diving ducks, and can dive as deep as 60 meters (200 feet) to forage.
Great Blue Heron
The picture of this Great Blue Heron was taken at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville, New Jersey. This photo was taken with the Canon 5D Mark III with the Canon 100-400mm lens during a recent winter visit to the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. This Great Blue Heron was in hunting mode standing statue-like, stalking fish and other prey in shallow water.
Savannah Sparrow
The picture of this lovely Savannah Sparrow was taken at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge during the winter months. I used the Canon 5D Mark III Camera with the Canon 100-400mm lens for this photograph. The Savannah Sparrow has a small head, and telltale yellow spot before the eye. Savannah Sparrows are one of the most numerous songbirds in North America.
Northern Pintail Duck
The picture of the beautiful Male Northern Pintail Duck was taken at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville, New Jersey.
Male and female Northern Pintail Duck
Slim and long-necked, the Northern Pintail has a distinctive silhouette. The male is easy to identify by his striking markings and long tail, but even the female can be recognized by her graceful, long-necked shape. The pintail gets its name from its pointed tail feathers.
Snow Goose
Adult white morph Snow Geese are completely white except for gray primary-coverts and black primaries. Snow Geese occasionally have rusty-orange staining on head and upper neck as a result of digging or grubbing in sediment or mud containing iron oxides. Snow Geese are probably the noisiest of all waterfowl. Vocalizations are considered calls, not songs.
Brant Eating Grass
Atlantic Brant leave breeding grounds in the eastern low arctic, in early Sep and assemble in large concentrations in James Bay, where they remain for several weeks building up fat reserves. They depart overland, most flying nonstop to Jamaica Bay and the other nearby estuaries of the greater New York City Area and New Jersey where they arrive late Oct/early Nov.
Great Black-backed Gull
The Great Black- backed Gull was actively hunted for eggs and feathers during nineteenth century; now protected from both forms of exploitation. Exploitation all but stopped in U.S. and Canada as result of growth of conservation movement and protection of birds. The Great Black-backed Gull is the one of the largest gulls in the world.
Fox Sparrow
Fox Sparrows are dark, splotchy sparrows of dense thickets. Named for the rich red hues that many Fox Sparrows wear, this species is nevertheless one of our most variable birds, with four main groups that can range from foxy red to gray to dark brown. The picture of this pretty Fox Sparrow was taken in the Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.
Double-crested Cormorant Immature
Double-crested Cormorants often stand in the sun with their wings spread out to dry. They have less preen oil than other birds, so their feathers can get soaked rather than shedding water like a duck’s. This picture of this immature Double-crested Cormorant was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on a somewhat foggy, misty day.
Cooper’s Hawk contemplating a bee
Once thought averse to towns and cities, Cooper’s Hawks are now fairly common urban and suburban birds. Some studies show their numbers are actually higher in towns than in their natural habitat, forests. Cities provide plenty of Rock Pigeon and Mourning Dove prey.
Dark-eyed Junco
Juncos are the “snowbirds” of the middle latitudes. Over most of the eastern United States, they appear as winter sets in and then retreat northward each spring. Dark-eyed Juncos are primarily seed-eaters.The photograph of this Dark-eyed Junco with a background of crab apples was taken at the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx, New York.
White-throated Sparrow Closeup
White-throated Sparrows stay near the ground, scratching through leaves in search of food, often in flocks. White-throated Sparrows sing their distinctive songs frequently, even in winter. The picture of this White-throated Sparrow Closeup with lots of feather detail was taken at the Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.
Juvenile Herring Gull in Flight
Herring Gulls are one of the most familiar gulls of the East Coast and many people just call them “seagulls.” In fact, some two dozen different species of gulls live in North America, and they present almost endless opportunities for identification.