Buffalo Ornithological Society
Birding Western New York and the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario

Marsh Wren (fledgling) - © Sue Barth

Sue Barth found this male Green-winged Teal on a Christmas Bird Count in East Aurora on the 2nd.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Another nice Christmas Bird Count find was this male Eastern Bluebird in East Aurora by Sue Barth on the 2nd.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Josh Ketry found this Saw-whet Owl at Wilson-Tuscarora SP on the 1st. John Etter captured this image on the 2nd.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Two Lapland Longspurs posed well for Joel Strong on the 1st along Lyndonville Road, Orleans County.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Andrea Heine caught up with this adult white morph Snow Goose at the Somerset-Barker WWTP (Niagara County) on the 2nd.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This group of Cackling Geese have been using the pond along Johnson Creek in downtown Lyndonville. This photo taken by Willie D’Anna on the 1st.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

R.Stineman has been practicing his skills photographing Short-eared Owls at the Jamestown Airport. This head-on is fantastic! January 2.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Another beauty by R. Stineman on the 2nd from the Jamestown Airport.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Ryan Griffiths took this fantastic photo of two Iceland Gulls (adult on left and 1st winter) along the Welland Canal at Thorold, Ontario on the 2nd.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This Ross’s Goose rounds out the goose ‘Full Monty’ in the BOS Study Area for January 2021. This adult white morph Ross’s was found by Jean Farnan on the 2nd in Port Colbourne, Ontario. Photo by Wally Parker on the 2nd.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Rough-legged Hawk hiding in plain sight in a cut cornfield in Forestville on the 8th (Chautauqua County).
Contributed by: Gale VerHague

On the 7th, Shelley Seidman took advantage of a rare WNY sunny winter day and snapped this magnificent photo of the wintering male Pine Warbler at Erie Basin Marina.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Rob Sielaff took this photo of a Redhead raft at Times Beach on the 10th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Yellow-rumped Warblers aren’t easy to come by in January locally. This individual posed for Nick Kachala along Bartel Road in Niagara County on the 8th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

One of the spectacles during the winter months is the massive raft of Canvasbacks that can be found around Grand Island. Andrea Heine took this photo from the Old Stone Chimney, Niagara Falls, NY on the 7th. Notice the gray-backed Redheads mixed in with the lighter-backed Canvasbacks.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Uncommon in winter, this Swamp Sparrow was a nice find for Gale VerHague near the town of Stockton, Chautauqua County on the 7th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

If you have trouble spotting Screech Owls during the day, or any time really, this would be the reason why. Andrew Gaerte took this photo on the 10th in Erie County.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This male Northern Pintail has been wintering around Dufferin Islands, Niagara Falls, Ontario. Roy Sorgenfrei captured this image on the 7th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Janice Strandburg-Strong stumbled upon this beauty, a Barred Owl, along Bone Run Road in Cattaraugus County on the 11th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Rob Mrowka has a flock of Evening Grosbeaks visiting his feeders in Machias, NY that is 70-strong! Photo by Alec Humann on the 12th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

These 6 Cackling Geese (can you spot them all) have been hit-or-miss at the reservoir along Johnson Creek in the town of Lyndonville, NY. Willie D’Anna caught up with this group on the 6th. The peach-breasted individual is the easiest to pick out!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

The sometimes cooperative Slaty-backed Gull that has been entertaining at Goat Island, Niagara Falls made for a superb photo by Tony Dvorak on the 7th. Also pulling a cameo is the 1st winter Iceland Gull to the right...great shot Tony!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Eared Grebe found by Gale VerHague in the Dunkirk Harbor on the 14th. This location might be the 2nd best for this species, after Batavia WWTP.
Contributed by: Gale VerHague

On the 10th, James Kroeker took this magnificent photo of a trio of Sandhill Cranes along Ridge Road near Welland, Ontario.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Ryan Griffiths found this blue-morph Snow Goose in the Welland Canal at St. Catharine’s, Ontario on the 9th. Nice that the sun made a rare appearance to make this photo pop!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Just because this is quite the spectacular bird! Marcie Jacklin captured this image at the Upper Falls, Niagara Falls, Ontario on the 10th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Wilson Harbor provided a skating rink for this ballet-inspired Greater White-fronted Goose on the 15th. Joel Farwell captured this image.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Continuing through the 16th, this Saw-whet Owl posed nicely for Rick Thomas on the 16th at Wilson-Tuscarora SP.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Nate Ukens took this in-flight shot of an adult Iceland Gull at Goat Island, Niagara Falls on the 17th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

A surprise find by Sue Barth was this Greater White-fronted Goose in the town of Hamburg on the 16th. Looks like there are at least three different individuals of this species around WNY this winter.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Gale VerHague found and photographed this Eared Grebe at Dunkirk Harbor on the 14th. This bird continued for several days after, delighting many observers.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Tom Kerr found this statuesque Greater White-fronted Goose along Tonawanda Creek in the Town of Tonawanda on the 25th. Photo by Andrew Gaerte.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This Townsend’s Solitaire was an exceptional find by Nancy Smith on the 16th in the Pelham Region of Niagara, Ontario. Photo by Joshua Vandermeulen.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

The Pelham Region Townsend’s Solitaire continued to entertain until at least the 22nd. Photo by James Kennerley on the 16th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Sue Barth photographed this Hermit Thrush at Sturgeon Point on the 28th. A handful of this species overwinter annually but are not easy to find.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Always a delight to lay eyes upon, this Lapland Longspur was photographed by Karen Lee Lewis at Chaffee Farms, Niagara County on the 28th. Joel Strong initially found several of these birds here associating with Horned Larks and Snow Buntings.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This sultry immature Glaucous Gull posed for Chris Sayers at Three Sisters Islands on the 18th. It’s the coffee-with-cream colored gull in the center with the bi-colored bill. A classic plumage.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This Horned Lark was one of hundreds that Joel Strong located near Chaffee Farms in Barker NY. Photo by Alec Humann on the 30th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

The Triple Crown by Joel Strong on the 27th along Lake Road at Chaffee Farms, Barker, NY...Snow Bunting, Horned Lark and Lapland Longspur.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Irregular in winter, this Savannah Sparrow was captured at the Dunkirk Airport on the 28th by Gale VerHague.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Christy Hibsch wows us with this portrait of a Short-eared Owl from Delavan, NY (Cattaraugus County) on the 24th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This pair of adult Bald Eagles seem to be inspecting this season’s nursery at Mohawk Pool, INWR on the 24th. Photo by Andrea Heine.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Another bird that is very unusual during the winter months, this American Pipit gave stellar views in Niagara Falls, Ontario on the 28th for James Kroeker.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Is it snowing? This incredible blizzard of Snow Buntings was dazzling on the 29th in Wainfleet, Ontario. Lisa Bacon was lucky to catch this photo!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Jordan Harbor is proving to be good hunting grounds for bivalves for this immature male King Eider. Photo by Josh Vandermeulen on the 25th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This sub-adult Golden Eagle was a phenomenal find along Wilson Road, Port Colbourne, Ontario on the 27th by David Woodhouse. Wintering individuals are very rare in the BOS study area.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

A flock of White-winged Crossbills delighted observers in Wainfleet, Ontario on the 30th. Photo by Joshua Vandermeulen.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

A quintessential winter image...Don Dixon captured this moment with a seemingly brooding Common Redpoll in Alden, NY on the 31st.
Contributed by: Alec Humann