You are browsing the archives of 2004 September.

In my description of Hook Mountain yesterday, I fear that I might have undersold the attractions of this locale as a hawkwatch site or hiking destination. This is THE place to observe raptor migration through the lower Hudson Valley. If you are a birder within fifty miles of New York City, you probably want to [...]

The Core Team finally got a little hawkwatch together this past weekend. We met Frank and his family in Nyack to view migrant raptors from the top of Hook Mountain. This Rockland County ridge is one of the preferred promontories for hawk watching for New York City birders. Although none of us had been there [...]

Whether you’re an enthusiast or not, you’re probably aware of the fact that birders can sometimes seem a bit extreme about their avian observation activities. Yes, we can be exuberant, passionate even. From what I understand, though, the British birder is a breed apart. The anoraks of Albion take avian obsession to a whole new [...]

…are very much on our minds these days now that the NFL and our fantasy football season are in full swing. Some of you may remember that our team, the Bling Bling, prevailed over all pretenders last season to claim the championship of the Big A League, where “A” stands for attitude.  We’re back and [...]

In yesterday’s post, I flippantly stated that feeders are cheaters, which some might have interpreted as a slur against backyard birding. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am a huge fan of the feeder watch. In fact, quite a few Core Team lifers — sparrows, chickadees, and finches — have been spotted at [...]

There are very few “sure things” when it comes to bird watching. Habitats attractive to waders and waterfowl like Jamaica Bay can usually be counted on year round for a decent array of species and fair odds at a rarity or two. Most inland ecosystems, on the other hand, offer few reliable species and fewer [...]

The world loves a warbler. This is only natural, as the recipe for attraction calls for equal parts beauty and elusiveness. Wood-warblers are certainly brilliant specimens of passerine pulchritude. The 53 North American species of the family Parulidae present a riot of colors and patterns: rich golds and subtle blues, eye stripes and wing bars, [...]

The Core Team was not idle during this Labor Day weekend. Sara’s dad, Will and Sally were visiting and these are two people who do not let the grass grow under their feet. Somehow, between entertaining them and entertaining ourselves, we realized that we’d birded four of New York City’s five boroughs. This is [...]