Melinda Marconi Photography

Melinda Marconi Photography I am a wildlife and pet photographer in rural Pennsylvania.

Time for more friends from the National Aviary in Pittsburgh!Meet the Andean condor! Andean condors are considered the l...
07/29/2026

Time for more friends from the National Aviary in Pittsburgh!

Meet the Andean condor! Andean condors are considered the largest raptors in the world, with a wingspan of around 10ft!

They are also unique amongst vultures in having sexual dimorphism, or differing appearances based on gender. The male stands out with his comb and wattle, which the female has very distinctive red eyes.

This pair and their offspring are part of a program to help save their species, now endangered in Ecuador where they reign as national bird.

To learn more about the individuals, visit https://www.aviary.org/birds-habitats/habitats/condors-court/

I love golden hour so much. When I stepped outside and saw the gorgeous backlighting on our balloon flowers I just had t...
07/14/2026

I love golden hour so much.

When I stepped outside and saw the gorgeous backlighting on our balloon flowers I just had to catch a few shots!

The sun was moving fast and I had less than a minute to catch what I could before the patch was left in darkness.

With the sun just upper right, the bloom facing inward like it was drinking the last warm rays, I love the feel this image embodies.

I think I found a new favorite bird at the National Aviary this week!!This cutie is an owl finch! Owl finches are native...
07/08/2026

I think I found a new favorite bird at the National Aviary this week!!

This cutie is an owl finch! Owl finches are native to the grassland of Australia and live in communal groups.

Watching them snuggle together, fluff themselves in the pool, and just hop around like the happiest creatures ever, brought me enormous joy

When I saw the National Aviary announcement that they recently added a harpy eagle to their facility, I was ecstatic! Ha...
07/07/2026

When I saw the National Aviary announcement that they recently added a harpy eagle to their facility, I was ecstatic!

Harpy eagles are native to South America and are the national bird of Panama. They are elite hunters, adept at snatching primates and other mammals in dense foliage with their massive talons.

Dariena is the only harpy in northeastern North America, making the aviary an extra special place to visit right! Isn't she gorgeous??

If you'd like to see this stunning raptor up close, I highly recommend a visit!

It's been rough battling the heat this week, but I believe especially so for this stunning willow ptarmigan! Willow ptar...
07/03/2026

It's been rough battling the heat this week, but I believe especially so for this stunning willow ptarmigan!

Willow ptarmigans range through Canada and Alaska, adapted to conserve heat in the colder regions.

When one was spotted at Presque Ise last week, it was the very first sighting ever in Pennsylvania!

With a bird like that so close, we had to go see for ourselves!

We spent 3 hours hiking in 85-90 degree heat, chatting with other birds along the way. Just as we were giving up, another birder sounded the alarm that the bird had been spotted, and wee ran down the beach, through the brambles, then slowed to join the small group watching from a distance.

This poor girl was resting in the shade, panting to cool herself down. She definitely pick the wrong week to come to the beach on vacation!

Recent report show that she is still on location and doing well though, despite the heat.

What a great bird to add to my life list!

Made a journey to Presque Isle yesterday for an incredibly rare bird. On our hike out to gull point, I stopped for a qui...
07/02/2026

Made a journey to Presque Isle yesterday for an incredibly rare bird.

On our hike out to gull point, I stopped for a quick snapshot of one the lighthouses. Some large birds were passing by as I clicked, but I didn't think too much of them.

Returning home and enlarging the photos, I realized I had incidentally caught an osprey with a fish! Bonus!

Took a trip to Benezette today looking for birds, but got a quick glimpse of this fritillary on the trail I was travelli...
06/24/2026

Took a trip to Benezette today looking for birds, but got a quick glimpse of this fritillary on the trail I was travelling as a bonus!

June is my favorite month for masked bandits-aka cedar waxwings!These absolute beauties flock along the river near me ev...
06/24/2026

June is my favorite month for masked bandits-aka cedar waxwings!

These absolute beauties flock along the river near me every summer, feasting on all it has to offer.

They are FANTASTIC aerial hunters, nabbing insects with incredible precision mid-air. They are also huge fans of berries!

If you're wandering the streamside, wondering if you've seen one, listen for a very high pitched whistle and a lot of movement. They rarely stay in in place!

I wish you all the best of bandits to view this year :)

It's just not a trip to Magee without a screech owl sighting or two!This little guy was napping right over the boardwalk...
06/19/2026

It's just not a trip to Magee without a screech owl sighting or two!

This little guy was napping right over the boardwalk at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge during our visit

One of the most unexpected visitors we saw on our Ohio trip last month was this ruddy turnstone!Turnstones are standardl...
06/16/2026

One of the most unexpected visitors we saw on our Ohio trip last month was this ruddy turnstone!

Turnstones are standardly coastal birds and get their name from their foraging technique, flipping stones to get at small invertebrates.

Look at this excellent camouflage!

If another birder hadn't pointed him out, I likely wouldn't have seen him!

The last place I saw one of these guys was in coastal NJ or DE, so this was a real treat!

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