Hooded Merganser
Crimson-bellied Woodpecker and Carolina Wren
Track Sparrow
Hooded Merganser
Horned Lark
Canada Geese in area the place lark was
Spoiler Alert: these would be the suckiest Christmas Chicken Rely (now in its 122nd 12 months) images you will notice, so look no additional for those who’re used to viewing the beautiful eye-candy images from different photographers. However the objective of the Christmas Chicken Rely is to depend each chicken and have enjoyable, and enjoyable I had, even when the climate was wet, grey and chilly. I participated on Sunday within the Higher Harmony, MA Christmas Chicken Rely (which incorporates sections of quite a lot of cities) and had a territory with various habitat, together with wetlands and fields. I introduced my Nikon P950 point-and-shoot superzoom digicam which isn’t any DSLR, however the superzoom of 2000mm permits report photographs. What I beloved finest is that each chicken counts, whether or not uncommon or frequent, one thing to be celebrated when typically birding’s emphasis is on rarities (which I do love seeing!). Throughout 24 hours, by automobile and on foot, each species, with numbers seen, is recorded. Within the early, darkish morning I managed to get a photograph of the particular Horned Larks within the massive area with geese. It was raining, I used to be soaked, standing within the mud with my fingers numb, and beloved each second of it. Is not that what life is about, feeling alive and loving each second of it? Later, throughout mid-day, it stopped raining and I labored onerous in an space the place various habitats come collectively and I noticed essentially the most birds, scanning, attempting for images, recording, and simply feeling a way of exhilaration to be immersed with birds within the expertise. Nothing else mattered and I actually was “within the second.” I miraculously managed to get each Crimson-bellied Woodpecker and Carolina Wren in the identical picture. In a water space later, the gorgeous male Hooded Merganser swam away from me, his white flag erect like the pinnacle of an arrow piercing a sample within the nonetheless, deep, darkish water. On the finish of the day, individuals flip of their numbers to compilers. Final night time was the countdown zoom, the place you hear about all that was seen. I’m all the time so impressed by the ability and energy put in by so many individuals, plus a way of birding neighborhood on this big day. Over 31,000 particular person birds had been counted, of about 90 give or take species (some numbers are nonetheless being confirmed). Life is in regards to the reward of each second and birds are an enormous current.