Species Profiles
Yellow-rumped Warbler
This marks the first "Species Saturday.” “Species Sunday” would also have been alliterative, which was the goal of the name. Alliteration, though cheesy, can be good—but I prefer Saturday.
Hermit Thrush
There are birds with beloved songs or calls. Veery (Catharus fuscescens), Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia).
Bufflehead
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) deserve thousands of words, but Species Saturday is supposed to be short.
Red-breasted Merganser
I used to write “Species Saturdays.” Short posts about a single species, published on Saturdays. I want to start again.
Black-capped Chickadee: Hypothermia & Neuroplasticity
Originally published February 13, 2024. My most popular post. I have many times the number of subscribers now, so wanted to revisit, update, and reshare for new readers.
A Duck To Respect
A Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) is pretty much guaranteed on the New England coast in the colder months.
Year of the Blackburnian
2025 won’t be a Big Year. A Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) New Year’s morning made me contemplate doing another, but it’s hardly feasible to prioritize birding so much for one year—let alone two in a row.
Ending my Big Year with Harlequin Ducks
On December 28th I decided to end my year with Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus). Histrio means "stage player" in Latin. The male Harlequin Duck’s appearance is akin to a harlequin’s—the bird is named “in honor of the Italian clown.”
Sparrows
Warblers can be dazzlingly colorful; sparrows are mostly brown—but look at a Golden-crowned (Zonotrichia atricapilla) or a Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) and tell me they aren’t beautiful.
Downy vs. Hairy Woodpecker
Heidi Zawelevsky (Conversations with Critters) commented on Accipiters that an explanation of Downy vs. Hairy Woodpeckers would be helpful. If there’s something you’d like me to write, leave a comment or send a message. I write here because I love to, but Rock & Hawk exists for its readers. If there’s somethin…
Lava Gull
The Galapagos Islands have many birds. Flightless Cormorant, Phalacrocorax harrisi; Large Ground Finch, Geospiza magnirostris; Galapagos Hawk, Buteo galapagoensis. One species endemic to the Galapagos stands out. …