Common Loon (Gavias immer)

Common Loon - New Baltimore, Greene Co., NY - Photo by Will Raup

Typically Common Loons are long gone from the Hudson-Mohawk area by the time Christmas Counts roll around.  This year however, with the mild conditions, water remained open on many of the lakes and reservoirs, keeping the Loons happy much later than normal.  In early January we had several cold days, with temperatures at  night in the City of Albany at or below 0 F, many of the outlying areas between -5 and -20 F, meant a rapid freeze up of water.  I stopped by Cornell Park in New Baltimore (Greene Co. NY) and was surprised to see a Common Loon on the Hudson River.  Loons typically don’t like moving water (like rivers), but given the rapid freeze up of the Lakes, this bird was no doubt forced to the River.  Making the situation even more interesting was the fact that huge ice sheets were moving down river.  There was a real danager of this Loon getting trapped by Ice, but it also pushed the bird very close to shore where I was standing, allowing me some of the most personal views and photographs of this species I normally only see at a distance through a scope.

I returned later in the day, to find that entire area choked with Ice, no open water at all.  But I didn’t see the Loon either, so hopefully he made it further south towards the coast.

Common Loon with Fish. New Baltimore, Greene Co., NY - Photo by Will Raup

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)

The Hermit Thrush is one of the hardiest Thrushes in its family, prefering to winter in the U.S. as far North as New England, eeking out a survival among the native and ornamental berries.  They are typcially found in larger flocks of other birds such as American Robin or White-throated Sparrows.  Recently at Vosburgh’s Marsh in Greene County, NY, I “spished” at a group of sparrows in the underbrush and the first bird to pop out was a Hermit Thrush.  Given how mild and snowless the winter has been thus far, I was not surprised to see one at this location (a spot nortorius for half-hardies).  I was more surprised however to see it sit still long enough for me to photograph him/her.  With the rest of the world a dead brown and gray color, the rufous on the tail looked like it was blazing when I saw the bird in real life.  Sometimes, no matter how good a photo is, nothing beats seeing a bird with your own eyes.

Hermit Thrush, Vosburgh's Marsh, Greene Co, New York - Photo by Will Raup

Something Fishy is Going On…

Its been a mild and snowless winter to say the least, thus far.  As a result of mother nature and the anti-American Crow roost efforts by the City of Albany, I don’t have the thousands upon thousands of American Crows in my back yard.  Sure hundreds, if not thousands still fly over the house at dusk, likely to a roost site along the Hudson River near Troy.  But the lack of these big bullies, have given their smaller cousin a chance to shine.

Each day about 8-12 Fish Crows take up residence in my backyard.  They visit my poor excuse of a feeder, torment my dog and keep me informed of any local Red-tailed Hawks.  The American Crows arrive shortly after dawn and set up camp a couple of yards down in my neighbors fen.  There they bathe, drink and frolic as only Crows can do.  Then there is this invisible line, a buffer zone, before my yard and my nasaled Fish friends.  But it is an uneasy peace.

At times the bigger, bolder American Crows will cross the border, sending the Fish Crows into noisily into full retreat, there they wait until whatever had forced the American Crows into the yard to go away and slowly the Fish Crows return.

Fish Crow was a relative new bird to Albany when I moved into the City, over 10 years ago.  Fish Crows have nested in my neighborhood (ironically away from water) nearly every year I have lived here, but only in the last few have they become part of the winter bird scene.  However, my yard is not the epicenter.  For that you must head over to Westgate Plaza in West Albany, where in the parking lots of the supermarkets you may find 20 or more Fish Crows, equally fighting for garbage among the Starlings, House Sparrows, Ring-billed Gulls and American Crows.

Watching the behaviors of any corvids is fascinating, but I find myself simply amazed by the actions of Fish Crows, as they have learned to co-exist with their cousins and as their population has grown, they have slowly, but steadily carved a niche for themselves amongst the city birds.

Perhaps I should write to the American Birding Association and suggest the Fish Crow as the bird of the Year?

As the Fish Crows would say…

“Ah-huh!”