Shirley Reed Photography

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Shirley Reed Photography

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05/25/2026

Cheers to a great Memorial Day surrounded by your family friends and all you love . Honoring all those great men and women who served to protect our democracy here

American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla

Pro Note: New world warbler. Males as seen here are black with gorgeous orange plumage the females have such a beautiful yellow and gray coloration. They migrate from south and Central America and can be found here in New England in forests, woodlands or shrubby areas. Constant flitting and fluttering with diet rich in insects, as seen here they use the fanning of their tail to flush out insects. They don’t sit still long are difficult to see do to their small size and ability to hide in their habitat.
Listen during mating season for the males singing.. their series of quick high pitched notes often ended with accented phrase..often compared to a sneeze

05/23/2026

Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea

Always fun to spot one of these herons when I am out. This was one of a nesting couple starting to build a nest up in the trees, judging by the number of branches he kept dropping it’s gonna take a while.

Pro Note: coastal heron, Normally seen in south and North America normally in southeastern United States, their range has been expanding Northward and can now be found in southern New England, which is where I found 2 nesting couples. The yellow crown is hard to see unless good lighting . This one was tucked way up in the tree canopy .

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05/18/2026

A round of applause for this sweet female Bluebird who has raised yet another successful nest of baby bluebirds.

With all the challenges from predators trying to get to her young I am always in awe that any young survive

Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis

Pro Note: These colorful songbirds normally applaud the oh so dramatic and colorful male of the species, the females are more muted but still oh so gorgeous . Its Latin name Silvia is derived from the Latin word Blue or heaven. Quite accurate description wouldn’t you say. These friends are year round residents here in Portsmouth NH, adding much joy to backyards every season.

05/16/2026

Our tiny friends have arrived in New England again. So amazing and powerful for such a tiny frail bird.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris

Pro Note: these small birds travel thousands of miles during migration. The males arrive a week or so ahead of the females. You will see them wearing insects along with the nectar of tubular flowers. The females will use spider webs when crafting their nests. Always a joy to watch in back yard gardens

05/14/2026

Now there’s a Striking fellow

Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula

Pro Note: These song birds have arrived from as far away as South America. The males do not get adorned with their rich orange plumage until their second year , the females have a gorgeous olive yellow plumage, look for them weaving their hanging nests in the tree canopy .
Unlike most birds they will gladly eat tent caterpillars. Look for them high up in the tree canopy where they forage for insects and fruit. Always a joy this time of year

05/13/2026

Three part melody and flute like song that fills the woods with her beauty.. and here you were thinking she was just another little brown bird.

Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina

Pro Note- meet the beautiful Wood Thrush, this migratory song bird spends her days in the forest filling it with her rich song. She can actually harmonize with herself as she can sing two notes at once. You’ll have the best chance of hearing her on your morning hikes through the woods.
Her forest habitat is threatened both summer and wintering grounds and hence her future is of concern for conservationists. The wood Thrush has sadly had significant declines in recent decades
I am reminded of a favorite children’s book, which I think we could all benefit from:
“ I am the Lorax and speak for the trees, which you seem to be cutting as fast as you please” - Dr. Seuss

05/12/2026

The sky and landscape are just bursting with color.
What bird do you most look forward to seeing this time of year?

Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata

Pro Note: Spring mating season dresses these normally drab warblers in their finest brightly colored plumage . If you are lucky you will observe their thrilling pallets of cheerful yellow, charcoal, blacks and whites. They migrate from Central America and although you will see them flitting out to capture insects as a staple in their diet, they are also unique in their ability to digest the waxes of some berries such as bay berries, allowing them to overwinter further north than other warblers. They have been spotted overwintering as far north as Newfoundland. Look for them in wooded areas in the canopy of trees. Bring your binoculars if you want to get a good look, they are small.

05/11/2026

Eastern Kingbird

I cant get enough of sunrise strolls by the coast and through the woods to experience the joy of new feathered friends that have traveled many hundreds and thousands of miles miles to nest among us here on the coast of New Hampshire

Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus

Pro Note- medium song bird slightly smaller than a robin. Fierce defender of its nest and can be seen attacking Hawks and Eagles that don’t respect its boundaries. It has an amazing orange/Red crown normally concealed that becomes prominent when defending against a predator.

Shirley Reed Photography
Birds & Blooms

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day !! Wishing all you amazing mothers a day surrounded by love and beauty !

Orchard Oriole
Icterus spurius

Pro Note: The smallest of North America Orioles, this is the female, the males look like a beautiful burnished orange, they enjoy sipping on the nectar of blossoming fruit trees . They don’t stick around for long and are often gone back to Central America by mid July. Look for them in the blossoms of apple and cherry trees this time of year.

05/05/2026

Lots of migration happening here in New Hampshire last night, Over 8 Million birds crossed into our state.
Cheers to a little more color and music in your day , we can all use it these days!

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Pro note- this tiny little birds move rapidly through the brush. You can distinguish the males by the thin black unibrow like this one has. Good luck getting them to slow down long enough to observe

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Portsmouth, NH
03801–03804

Website

http://www.ShirleyReedPhotography.com/

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