Us northern birders are out of our minds! I read that it was -21F in Buffalo yesterday and I felt it out there too. Meh. Bird tough or go home bored. So I have been seeing a Bufflehead hen or two hanging out in one of my local birding haunts (see pics from my last post) and I decided to keep checking back for the possibility of a Drake's arrival. My persistence payed off today and I braved the weather to get in with the smallest duck in North America. "One of these things is not like the other." If you know that song... good luck getting it out of your head!
This picture gives you a good idea of how tiny these adorable diving ducks really are. I had seen many Bufflehead form afar before today, but my close proximity in this instance allowed me to actually hear the Bufflehead's voice. Oh.My.Goodness! It was the cutest little growling-like noise I had ever heard. He called and called until his hen came paddling in next to him and I was even afforded an opportunity to hear her little laughing-like sounds as well. Awesome stuff! I couldn't believe the iridescence of the Bufflehead drake. It's a show stopper for sure!
I was also able to catch up with an adult Red-tailed Hawk tucked into a conifer tree trying to stay out of the wind and cold. This hawk has an amazingly colored belly band.
Closer inspection even allows you to see the frost around its eyes and blood around its beak.
I swung in real quick to check on the Great Horned Owl to finish off my night. Hope she and her eggs are warm enough up there.