Birds Around Nantucket

When birds look WRONG!
Okay - you’re looking at this bird under your feeder and it doesn’t look right. You know the normal cast of characters out there...

Back in the early 50’s, with Edith Folger’s book on the birds of Nantucket tucked under my arm, I would bicycle to Cisco Beach, Tom Never’s Head, or...

Recently, we discussed a bird that says its name – the Killdeer. Here is another that even shares the Latin species name – vociferous. It’s in a different...

When I was 12 years old in 1953 I received a book for my birthday. It was pretty new at the time, and it was called The Birds of Nantucket, by people whose...

This bird is named for its call –‘Killdeer.’ It’s scientific name, Charadrius vociferous, translates to ‘noisy plover,’ and fits it well. There are several...

This marvelous bird was named for its wonderful singing ability and so-named by a man who never got to hear it. This was back in the 1700s when the idea of...

Owls have ears, we are told. Some of them have horns. Just imagine!! But then, you’d have to, because true owl EARS are seldom seen, cloaked with feathers...

Many birdwatchers live from rare bird to rare bird. But some birds are beyond just rare – we call those ‘Vagrants,' or 'Accidentals.’ A truly rare bird...

The Snowflakes are Flying!
Snow Buntings thrive in the harshest conditions and are a thrill for new birdwatchers and old-timers alike. They spend the...

Do You have a Crest?
Imagine you could make all the hair on the back of your head stand up. Now, imagine your hair to be blue feathers! You could raise...

Whimbrel
In Malaysia this bird’s long drooping beak causes it to be known as the ‘elephant bird.’ There it is known to eat burrowing crabs and fish.
In ancient...

With apologies to Mr. Sinatra, the next line goes, “But then again, too few to mention.” I’ll mention a few anyway – Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Cattle...