Bird Stories

A Tangle of Yellowlegs

Species: Lesser Yellowlegs

Location: Middle Creek WMA, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Story: Courtship rituals unfold at a staging ground as migrating birds form pair bonds on their journey north

An Unexpected Treat

Species: American Kestrel

Location: Tampa, Florida

Story: A trip for parakeets becomes unforgettable when a kestrel hunts a Brown Anole

A Battle For Survival

Species: Great Blue Heron

Location: Orlando Wetlands, Orange County, Florida

Story: A heron's fierce struggle with a Greater Siren reveals the raw reality of survival in the marsh

The One That Got Away

Species: Pied-billed Grebe

Location: Orlando Wetlands, Orange County, Florida

Story: A dramatic struggle as a grebe wrestles with a frog that ultimately escapes its grasp

A Moment of Bonding

Species: Nanday Parakeets

Location: Fort De Soto Park, Florida

Story: An intimate allopreening sequence reveals the tender social bonds between paired parrots

The Hover and the Dive

Species: Forster's Tern

Location: Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey

Story: Years of patience rewarded with a complete plunge-dive sequence from hover to success

Driven Off!

Species: Osprey & Fish Crow

Location: Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey

Story: A bold Fish Crow mobs a perched Osprey in a dramatic display of aerial aggression

Great Horned Owl: On the Edge of Independence

Species: Great Horned Owl

Location: Montour Preserve, Pennsylvania

Story: A week of photographing owl fledglings exploring their surroundings with an adult nearby

Pileated Woodpecker: At the Nest Cavity

Species: Pileated Woodpecker

Location: Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Story: Witnessing adult woodpeckers feeding nestlings bill to bill at an active nest cavity

Northern Harrier: Guardian of the Winter Field

Species: Northern Harrier

Location: Susquehanna Riverlands, Pennsylvania

Story: A winter encounter with a protective harrier defending its meal in a snow-covered field

American Crow: Problem-Solving on Ice

Species: American Crow

Location: Peace Valley Park, Pennsylvania

Story: Intelligence and persistence on display as a crow flips a rock on ice to find food

Savannah Sparrow: An Unexpected Bath at the Beach

Species: Savannah Sparrow

Location: Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware

Story: A sparrow discovers the perfect tidal puddle for an energetic beach bath

Belted Kingfisher: Strike, Turn, Swallow

Species: Belted Kingfisher

Location: Peace Valley Park, Pennsylvania

Story: A kingfisher's precise ritual of subduing and swallowing its catch on a frozen winter morning

Red-breasted Merganser: Running on Water

Species: Red-breasted Merganser

Location: Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, New Jersey

Story: A thrilling takeoff sequence as a merganser sprints across the water before launching into flight

Cedar Waxwings: A Moment of Connection

Species: Cedar Waxwing

Location: Susquehanna Riverlands, Pennsylvania

Story: An intimate berry exchange between two waxwings reveals the tenderness of their bond

Lunch Delivery at the Cavity Door

Species: Tree Swallow

Location: Peace Valley Park, Pennsylvania

Story: A front-row seat to Tree Swallow feeding behavior just feet from the trail

A Moment on the Roofline

Species: Tree Swallow

Location: Leaser Lake, Pennsylvania

Story: An intimate courtship display atop a nest box in spring

Winter Standoff at the Treetop

Species: Red-tailed Hawk & American Crows

Location: Francis Slocum State Park, Pennsylvania

Story: Crows mob a Red-tailed Hawk in a dramatic winter encounter atop a pine tree

Winter Bounty

Species: White-throated Sparrow

Location: Susquehanna Wetlands, Pennsylvania

Story: Sparrows plucking bright red berries against snow and bare limbs after a January snowfall

Winter Seeds and Quiet Resolve

Species: Tufted Titmouse

Location: Plymouth Flats, Pennsylvania

Story: A persistent winter forager working seed heads on a cold December morning

Crab Apple Frenzy

Species: Cedar Waxwing

Location: Susquehanna Riverlands

Story: A frenzy of waxwings swooping in for crab apples on an October morning

Running on Water

Species: Common Gallinule

Location: Resaca de la Palma Preserve, Texas

Story: A dramatic water landing with wings outstretched and toes spread

A Quiet Morning, A Careful Meal

Species: Blue Jay

Location: Francis Slocum State Park

Story: A methodical sequence of cracking open and consuming a nut

A Quiet Moment on a Country Road

Species: Killdeer

Location: Montour Farm Field

Story: An intimate moment in the breeding cycle unfolds by a quiet stream

Sibling Rivalry

Species: American Oystercatcher

Location: Nickerson Beach, New York

Story: Newly hatched chicks find their sea legs in hilarious fashion

An Unexpected Encounter Along the Canal Trail

Species: Green Heron

Location: Wildwood Lake Park

Story: A shared discovery leads to an active nest with chicks close to the trail

A Quiet Drama on the Beaver Trail

Species: Green Heron

Location: Susquehanna Wetlands

Story: A patient hunt on a log shared with a Painted Turtle

Balancing Act

Species: American Tree Sparrow

Location: Beltzville State Park

Story: Graceful landings on bending grass stems in morning light

Autumn Hide-and-Seek

Species: Swamp Sparrow

Location: Leaser Lake

Story: A playful game in the golden cattails of October

Skimming the Inlet

Species: Black Scoter

Location: Indian River Inlet, Maryland

Story: Landing sequences in the morning light at a busy inlet

Testing the Ice

Species: Great Blue Heron

Location: Montour Preserve

Story: A patient hunt across thin ice on a cold winter morning