NEW BOOK: Beginner's Pocket Guide to Digital Nature Photography

Kevin's new book, Beginner's Guide to Digital Nature Photography, is now available on Amazon.com and through our Amazon eStore!

Beginning photographers are often overwhelmed with the technical terminology offered by books, magazines and tutorial videos. Small enough to carry with you as a reference, our pocket guide will help you, at home or in the field, to get the best nature and wildlife images.

With this book as a handy reference, beginners can quickly learn the basics of digital nature photography with many easy to understand tips, all written in plain language. Sample images offer additional help in understanding the process and techniques.

Click to order your copy now!

"AERIAL ASSASINS" on National Geographic Wild

TODAY Friday, January 20th - "AERIAL ASSASINS" premiers on NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WILD at 10PM EST. Nikon's Birding Adventure's TV host James Currie ventures into the Sonoran Desert to witness the remarkable hunting behaviour of Harris's Hawks. This is a must watch!!

RE-RUNS will air Saturday, January 21st at 1am EST and Friday, January 27th at 3.00 pm EST

PERU: Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

The ruins of Machu Picchu are spectacular. The landscape is incredible... steep and rugged. I always stand in awe of the structure and its majestic perch atop the mountain ridge.

The Condor Structure

If you look close you will not only see the head of the revered condor in the foreground, but look at the flow of the structure as it stratches to the sky in the upper right of the frame and you realize it is the wing of the condor in flight.

Viscacha

Related to the Chinchila, Viscachas are every bit as cuddly! The often poke their noses out of small windows and holes between the rocks, sometimes coming out on top to inspect the tourists.

Rufous-collared Sparrow

As elsewhere in the Andes, Rufous-collared Sparrows are everywhere... their sweet song fills the breeze.

American Kestrel

A pair of Kestrels hunted above the ruins for the whole time we were there.

Andean Motmot

In the cloud forest just below the ancient city, Andean Motmots were among many species we sought.

Thick-billed Euphonia

Thick-billed Euphonias and Blue-naped Clorophonias came to feeders at the lodge.

Blue-gray Tanager

As did many Blue-gray Tanagers. Here in the Andes the Blue-gray Tanager has a large white patch on its shoulder, a feature not seen on the Central American residents.

Streaked Xenops

A Streaked Xenops joined us briefly as we birding around the lodge in the rain.

The town of Aguas Calientes along the Urubamba River

A walk along the river always offers some good birding...

White-capped Dipper

White-capped Dippers are quite plentiful...

Torrent Duck chick

And we were happy to find this young Torrent Duck before we boarded our train to head back to Cusco!

Photos and Text © Kevin Loughlin

PA Young Birders: Winter Bird Count

On Saturday, December 17, I led a group of junior birders from Rushton on the first of two PA Young Birders Winter Bird Counts this season.  We enjoyed a busy morning with a variety of activities to engage the kids in the excitment of winter birding.

The morning began with a brief powerpoint presentation explaining the history of Christmas Bird Counts, which serve as the inspiration for the kids' Winter Bird Counts, identification of the birds likely to be seen, and how to count species and individuals.  Checklists in hand, we bundled up and headed outside to explore the grassland and creek habitat of Kirkwood South.

We stopped to count 63 Canada Geese congregated in a nearby field, and several American Crows flying over.  The kids promptly wrote down the numbers, and impressively kept their lists updated throughout the morning.  Two Great-Horned Owl pellets were closely examined, along with a large dead Green Darner dragonfly found intact.  The kids were thrilled to watch a gorgeous Red Fox hunting in a field and see Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures soaring in the sky.

The bird feeders hosted Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Chickadee and a nice Hairy Woodpecker attracted to the peanuts.

Back inside, we reviewed our checklist, tallying 22 species and over 225 individual birds - many more than the kids guessed!

Together we submitted the data on eBird, then enjoyed delicious pizza provided by Willistown Conservation Trust.

Our event had one final highlight as the kids were putting their finishing touches to a peanut butter and seed cone to hang outside for the birds. This was an Eastern Screech Owl that Lisa brought over from Great Valley Nature Center. The kids were delighted to get a chance to see the bird up close.

Thanks to Debbie, Blake, Lisa and Lou for helping make the first PA Young Birders Winter Bird Count for Kids a great success.  I'm already looking forward to next year!

all photos © adrian binns

PERU 2011: Cusco

Visiting Peru you can't ignore the wonderful culture. A visit to the Cusco Market offer many smiling faces... vendors selling everything from bread to whole pigs and many sundry items.

 Colors abound around every turn as we meander through the unending aisles filled floor to ceiling!

 Nearly anything you can think of... as well as many items you never would have imagined, can be found in the expanse!

The Church of Santo Doming was built on top of Qoricancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun, during the colonization of Cusco. In 1950 the buildings of this complex were damaged. The city's Inca architecture, however, withstood the earthquake and many of the old Inca walls were at first thought to have been lost, but the granite retaining walls of the Qoricancha were exposed and are now visible for the public to see the ancient Inca structures as well. Above is the colonial period structure.

Leaving Cusco we traveled up and up, winding through the mountains to the ruins of Saqsaywaman.

Saqsaywaman is located 2km from the city. Together with the city of Cusco, this monumental complex is considered the first of the new seven wonders of the world. The Incas called it the House of the Sun and the Spaniards called it a fortress because of its zig-zag shape.

The construction, which is made up of three platforms one on top of the other, was one of the most important religious complexes of its time.

photos © Kevin Loughlin

PERU 2011: Huacarpay Lakes

Huacarpay Lakes Region

After a mid-morning flight to Cusco we meandered in our bus to the Huacarpay Lakes Region. This high-elevation wetland (9000-10000 ft) offers great waterfowl, passerines and even a few good raptors!

Andean Teal

Andean Teal and Cinnamon Teal are regular sights here, as are Andean (Ruddy) Ducks and Puna Ibis. After hearing the Plumbeous Rail call for awhile, we finally saw them, with good scope views!

Cinereous Harrier

While watching the rails, a Cinereous Harrier flew briefly overhead before diving out of site over the distant reeds.

Spot-billed Ground Tyrant

Spot-billed and Rufous-naped Ground Tyrants fed in the farmer's fields at the edge of the wetlands, where we also spotted Yellow-shouldered Blackbirds while listening to Wren-like Rushbirds.

Bare-faced Ground Doves

Walking along the rocky cliff edges above the lakes, we were able to get great views of Bare-faced Ground Doves before the waning sun sent us back to Cusco for dinner.

Photo and text © Kevin Loughlin

PERU 2011: The Coast

Crossing the dunes

Our September 2011 Peru trip started with a day of birding along the coast south of Lima. This was an excellent opportunity for shorebirds, seabirds, waterfowl and even coastal/marsh passerines. 

Courting Great Grebes

A pair of Great Grebes courted in one of the small ponds amid the dunes. Cinnamon Teal and Andean Coots were also found. The marshes were also home to Many-colored Rush-tyrants and Wren-like Rush-birds.

Coastal Miner

Coastal Miners were seen digging in the sand while the Surf Cinclodes preferred the rocky shorelines. From the rocky shorelines we also enjoyed Humboldt Penguins, Red-legged and Neotropic Cormorants, Inca Terns, Peruvian Pelicans and a wonderful surprise... a Southern Giant Petrel!

Snowy Plover

Whimbrel

Blackish Oystercatcher

Gray Gulls

Along the beach we walked among many shorebirds including Sanderlings, American and Blackish Oystercatchers, Whimbrel, beautiful Gray Gulls, Kelp Gulls and Belcher's (Band-tailed) Gulls.

Photos and Text © Kevin Loughlin

Upcoming Trip Reports!

Red-capped Cardinal in Peru

I have been traveling almost non-stop since August 1, 2011. The two August trip reports have already been posted -- Galapagos Islands and the Ecuador Hummingbird Photo Safari. However, in September we enjoyed another fun PERU: Manu to Machu Picchu adventure followed by a second Galapagos Islands trip in October!

Lava Gull watching the sunset in the Galapagos Islands

No matter how many times I visit the Galapagos, I always leave looking forward to the next trip. I see new things on every tour!

Waimea Canyon, Kauai, Hawaii

Our October/November Hawaii, trip gave me my 50th state visited, finally! 50 states took me just under 50 years, even though the first 48 I had visited by age 10!

Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo

Our Puerto Rico Endemic Dash is always a fun time! We had two in a row, though I only lead the first one while our local guide, Gabriel, lead the second.

I will begin the Peru trip report this weekend... so stay tuned!

photos and text © Kevin Loughlin

A Murmuration of Starlings

Enjoy this spectacle of starlings in flight. It is a extraordinary to watch.

Snowy Owl at Merrill Creek Reservoir, NJ

It appears that this winter is shaping up to be an irruption year for Snowy Owls along the East Coast with numerous owls beeing seen in the north east.

I went to visit the Snowy Owl sighted closest to Philadelphia, this being the one at Merrill Creek Reservoir, in Harmony Twp, Warren County, New Jersey first found on November 8. It has been regularily seen on the south slope of the main dam, best accessed from the end of Reservoir Road, off of Low's Landing Road.

Of note, is that the immature Merrill Creek bird is one of the few that is being seen away from large bodies of inland water, or along the coast, as shown in this eBird map

all photos © adrian binns

Northern Shrike at John Heinz NWR

Happy Thanksgiving! Indeed it was!!

This morning while walking around John Heinz NWR I found a Northern Shrike (above). This is a species that breeds in the northern reaches of our continent, and in winter is an uncommon visitor to the northern United States. Along the east coast, central Pennsylvania and New Jersey is about as far south as they may come, with fewer than 10 records statewide in most winters.

I believe that this is the second record of Northern Shrike for John Heinz NWR, which is in Philadelphia and Delaware counties, in southeastern Pennsylvania. The first being a bird that overwintered in 1954-55, 57 years ago!

As there are no breeding Loggerhead Shrikes in our area it is unlikely that we would encounter both North America's shrike species during the late fall and winter months. That said, one still needs to study the bird carefully as both species are relativley similar in appearance. Either one would be a good record for the Philadelphia region.

This Northern Shrike (above) is probably a 1st winter bird as it shows some brownish wash. Note, the strongly barred breast and belly; white eyering (seen best in the 2nd photo); narrow black mask behind the eye; lack of black from the mask going above the eye; very narrow black lore; no black across the bridge of the bill, and a pale base to the lower mandible. All these identification marks help to separate it from the similar looking Loggerhead Shrike (below).

I recently took this picture of a Loggerhead Shrike (above) in Texas, and though it is an adult bird, one can still pick out the differences discussed above. Note, unbarred chest (at this time of year an immature would have lost any of its juvenile limited barring); thicker black mask; black over the top of the eye; no eyering; black of the lore extending over the bridge of the bill, and all black bill.

photos © adrian binns