Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

  • Nuthatch

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    Nuthatch
  • More Kestrel

    Oh, hello! That’s one of yesterday’s post’s Red-shouldered Hawks in the background.

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    More Kestrel
  • Raptor Wednesday

    I’ve had three sightings of juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk this fall. On Saturday, I saw a pair of adults, pictured above and below, circling overhead at the same time.

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    Raptor Wednesday
  • Skeins

    Lots of Canada Geese were moving southwesterly this past weekend.

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    Skeins
  • Continuing Red-headed

    Rob Jett, who has been blogging about Brooklyn nature even longer than I have, pointed out these two winter roosting holes our visiting Red-head Woodpecker has excavated in the same tree.

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    Continuing Red-headed
  • Red-headed WP

    Unusually for our parts, a juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker/Melanerpes erythrocephalus has taken up residence in Green-Wood. There’s a good bit of red already in this bird’s head, but a lot more is to come.

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    Red-headed WP
  • Kingfisher

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    Kingfisher
  • Raptor Wednesday

    After a sortie, this American Kestrel came back with an entangled leaf.

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    Raptor Wednesday
  • Close Encounters

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    Close Encounters