Birds of December 2010

Images from around the North Shore of Massachusetts

"Click" on any image for a larger photo...

A hatch year Cooper's Hawk found it's way into the yard this afternoon, Dec. 31, for a late lunch of unlucky Titmouse.
It allowed close approach for the photos and brief video below.

Cooper's Hawk - Essex, MA - Dec. 31

Cooper's Hawk - Essex, MA - Dec. 31

Cooper's Hawk - Essex, MA - Dec. 31

Cooper's Hawk - Essex, MA - Dec. 31

A brief, 2 minute, video of the Cooper's Hawk watching both me and the birds in the yard.

A late afternoon drive around town turned up five Screech Owls. Three were close enough to the road for photos. You've gotta love Screech Owls winter roosting habits!

E. Screech Owl - Hamilton - Dec, 29

E. Screech Owl - Ipswich, MA - Dec. 29

E. Screech Owl - Essex, MA - Dec. 29

A. Kestrel  - Newburyport - Dec. 25

Common Loon - Gloucester - Dec. 25

Cooper's Hawk - Salisbury - Dec. 25

Cedar Waxwing - Newburyport - Dec. 25

Red-tailed Hawk - Newburyport - Dec. 25

Horned Lark - Hampton - Dec. 25

A  three Screech Owl day! Not to shabby...:)

E. Screech Owl - Salisbury, MA - Dec. 25

E. Screech Owl - Ipswich, MA - Dec. 25

E. Screech Owl - Essex, MA - Dec. 25

E. Screech Owl - Hamilton - Dec, 21

Roosting along the road, this is the 1st time this winter I've seen an owl using this location. I wonder if the recent snow pushed it into the hole?

A stop at the Eastern Point MA Audubon Sanctuary on the 20th found the Bufflehead on the right foraging quite close to the road at high tide. The Snow Goose, dark morph, was feeding with a small group of Canada Geese along Rte 127A at the O'Maley School.

Bufflehead - Eastern Point MAS

Snow Goose - O'Maley school - Gloucester

Snow Goose - O'Maley school - Gloucester

E. Screech Owl - Ipswich, MA - Dec. 16

E. Screech Owl - Ipswich, MA - Dec. 16

Bonaparte's Gull - Brace Cove

Razorbills - Jodrey Pier

We have a pair of Peregrine Falcons wintering on the City Hall... again! - neither is banded

Peregrine Falcon - male (on the right above)

Peregrine Falcon - female (on the left above)

The Dovekie head seen below was found in the parking lot of the Gloucester City Hall on the 5th. My assumption is one of the
Peregrine Falcons took this bird from the harbor the day before. I thought they fed on the local Pigeon population.

Dovekie - after a run in with a Peregrine

Dovekie - at home for a closer look

Common Eider - Jodrey Pier

Common Eider - Jodrey Pier

Common Eider - Jodrey Pier

Common Eider - Jodrey Pier

Common Eider - Jodrey Pier

Cooper's Hawk - Gloucester City Hall

Screech Owl - Essex, MA

Screech Owl - Essex, MA