American Kestrel at Blackwater NWR.

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Graeme and I journeyed to Blackwater this morning. And found lots of good birds.  We were surrounded by eagles at one point, and found a number smaller birds.

A quick trip to Oakley Street in Cambridge was well rewarded with close up ducks.

Lesser Scaup 167

Cornell:Two scaup species live in North America: the Greater Scaup prefers salt water and is found in America and Eurasia, while the Lesser Scaup prefers freshwater and is found only in North America. The Lesser Scaup is one of the most abundant and widespread of the diving ducks in North America

Canvasback 97

Canvasbacks will winter here, then migrate to the mid west.

Redhead 16

Cornell:An aptly named diving duck, the Redhead can be easily identified by its bright red head and gray back. Many female Redheads make no nests of their own, but instead lay their eggs in the nests of other ducks.

American Wigeon 6

American Wigeon 7

American Wigeon. Hen in front.

 

Brown Headed Nuthatch 15

Brown Headed Nuthatch 16

Brown Headed Nuthatch 14

Cornell:One of the few birds found almost exclusively in the United States, the Brown-headed Nuthatch is restricted to the pine forests of the southeastern states. A small but declining population is also found in the Bahamas.

Great Blue Heron 249 Great Blue Heron 248 Great Blue Heron 253 Great Blue Heron 252 Great Blue Heron 251

Great Blue Heron 250

Some Great Blue Herons will let you get very close.

Bald Eagle 364 Bald Eagle 363 Bald Eagle 362 Bald Eagle 361

 

Bald Eagle 376 Bald Eagle 375 Bald Eagle 374 Bald Eagle 373 Bald Eagle 372 Bald Eagle 371 Bald Eagle 370 Bald Eagle 369 Bald Eagle 368 Bald Eagle 367 Bald Eagle 366 Bald Eagle 365

Bald Eagle 360

Cornell:The Bald Eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782 and a spiritual symbol for native people for far longer than that. These regal birds aren’t really bald, but their white-feathered heads gleam in contrast to their chocolate-brown body and wings. Look for them soaring in solitude, chasing other birds for their food, or gathering by the hundreds in winter. Once endangered by hunting and pesticides, Bald Eagles have flourished under protection.

Northern Shoveler 33 Northern Shoveler 32 Northern Shoveler 35

Northern Shoveler 36 Northern Shoveler 37

Northern Shoveler 34

We found one small flock of Northern Shovelers

Song Sparrow 120

There were lots of Song Sparrows in the grass.

Red Bellied Woodpecker 167

Red Bellied Woodpeckers seem to like this tree.

Bluebird 196

We saw a lot of Bluebirds.

American Kestrel 13

American Kestrel 15

American Kestrel 14

Cornell:North America’s littlest falcon, the American Kestrel packs a predator’s fierce intensity into its small body. It’s one of the most colorful of all raptors: the male’s slate-blue head and wings contrast elegantly with his rusty-red back and tail; the female has the same warm reddish on her wings, back, and tail. Hunting for insects and other small prey in open territory, kestrels perch on wires or poles, or hover facing into the wind, flapping and adjusting their long tails to stay in place. Kestrels are declining in parts of their range; you can help them by putting up nest boxes.

 

 

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