How To ID Owls By Sound

  Colder weather means Owls!  But while they may be around, its more Barn Owl Photo credit:Stan Tekeila likely you will hear rather than see them. So, get a jump on owling this year by learning the sounds of some of the more common species of owls which may be in your area.  The best […]

Join The Christmas Bird Count

Join the Christmas Bird Count     Make your holiday season extra-special this year and do something important for bird conservation by participating in the Christmas Bird Count. Every year from December 14 through January 5 people around the world get outside and count the birds in their area or even just their yard.  When […]

Keeping Hummingbirds Safe

Keeping Hummingbirds Safe     Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Everyone loves feeding hummingbirds!  It’s easy to do and they return the favor by returning repeatedly to your backyard.  There are some specific safety issues you should keep in mind when feeding hummingbirds. Our readers have asked us about two specifically which are common potentially fatal […]

Nestcams!

    Osprey and chicks, explore.org   It’s still nestcam season and chicks are growing. Some have already fledged and others are just hatching.  Keep up with the action right here!           NEW!! Ospreys, Maine – check in on a nest full of growing chicks! NEW!! Black Guillemot, Maine Atlantic Puffins, Maine – […]

Join Nestwatch and Help Nesting Birds

Join Nestwatch and Help Nesting Birds Nobody knows better than you what goes on in the nests in your backyard. If you are curious about the birds nesting in your yard and pay particular attention to Photo Credit: Stan Tekeila them, Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a great project called Nestwatch that can use your […]

Nestcams!

NESTCAMS! explore.org hummingbird nestcam New nests to watch! See updates on nests you saw last month and see some new nests we are watching now.  Have a favorite nest cam?  Let us know about it! Laysan Albatross, Hawaii – who can resist these beautiful birds and their chicks? Red-tailed Hawks, New York – watch them building […]

Family Fun: 3 Easy DIY Bird Feeders

Winter is a time when birds need a lot of help finding food – especially later in the season when the available Photo Credit: Heather Katsoulis native berries and seeds are long gone.  Keep your feeders up, but why not try some seriously simple new ways to feed birds in your yard? Take a look […]

A Day at the Beach

A Day at the Beach What could be more summer-like than a day at the beach? Who doesn’t love having fun in the water and on the sand? And the beach is a popular spot for wildlife as well. Terrapins cross busy streets to get from the marsh to Piping Plover chick the sandy shores […]

More Nestcams!

More Nestcams! ‘Tis the season! Birds are still nesting, and this month, there are a few new nestcams including Atlantic Puffins, Arctic Terns, Allen’s Hummingbird, Peregrine Falcons, Osprey and Double-crested Cormorants. NEW nests with lots of chicks and behavior to watch! Allen’s Hummingbird, California Atlantic Puffins, Maine Arctic Terns, Maine Peregrine Falcons, Idaho Osprey, Maine […]

Ospreys on the Move

Ospreys on the Move! We promise songbirds will start migrating through soon. Until then, there is still a lot of raptor activity to keep you busy! Eagles and many hawks are already nesting, but Osprey, who cannot tolerate cold weather, are on the move right now. Having overwintered in South America and Cuba, they are feeling the […]

More Nestcams

More Nestcams Can’t keep your eyes off the nestcams? You are not alone! Keep tabs on the birds you saw hatch and check out some new nesting birds. This month we have new Barred Owls, Red-tailed Hawks and more Bald Eagles. NEW!! Red-tailed Hawks, New York Bald Eagle, Iowa Barred Owl, Indiana CATCH UP ON YOUR […]

NESTCAMS!

NESTCAMS! It’s that time of year again! Get a front row seat and the best view of these early nesters from across the US and  Hawaii  — hummingbirds, albatross and some very cool raptors: Great Horned Owl, Georgia Allens Hummingbird, California Layasan Albatross, Hawaii Bald Eagle, Washington, DC Barn Owls, Texas

Birds Need Your Help to Get Through the Winter And, February is National Bird Feeding month — a time when winter food sources have been  seriously picked over and cold weather persists. Many birds like robins and mockingbirds are surviving off remaining berries.  And when its been a tough winter, those berries are now in […]

The Importance of Brush Piles

The Importance of Brush Piles During winter, many trees and bushes lose their leaves, leaving birds and animals with fewer places to hide. Wildlife can be attracted to your backyard by providing food, clean water, and cover. Creating a brush pile can provide a valuable safe spot for birds to use to escape predators and […]

Ducks on Ice

Ducks on Ice Ever wonder why ducks can stay in ice water or on the ice and their feet don’t freeze? There’s a simple scientific reason for this. Basically the feet, which are not covered in feathers, have a counter-current heat exchange system between the arteries and veins in their legs which supplies the naked […]

Family Fun: Owling Adventure

FAMILY FUN: Owling Adventure What kid (or adult for that matter), wouldn’t love to see an owl in the wild? Due to their nocturnal habits (most owls are only active at night), and well-camouflaged feathers, owls can be difficult to spot. During the day, owls roost in thick trees and shrubs, and often hold completely […]

Looking For Hawks on Migration Watching hawks migrate can be done anywhere along their migration route. There are well known hotspots where hawks can be seen in great numbers on migration. But you don’t need to travel far to see hawks on the move.  If you are on a flyway, you can look up to […]

Planting For Hummingbirds

Planting for Hummingbirds Who doesn’t love hummingbirds in their garden? You may already set up hummingbird feeders filled with sugar water, but feeders can require a lot of maintenance, as they must be kept cleaned and filled with fresh food.   A Bee Balm better option might be to plant native flowers to attract hummingbirds. As […]

Family Fun: Baby Ducklings Near You

FAMILY FUN: Baby Ducklings Near You Waterfowl chicks are hatching and they are adorable! Most ducks nest on the ground where they might build a Wood Duck Babies: Stan Tekila nest out of wet vegetation, or burrow into a clump of grass. Wood ducks are an exception — they nest in natural tree cavities, or in […]

Feeding Tips to Attract Birds To Your Backyard

Feeding Tips to Attract Birds to Your Backyard   If you want your backyard to attract as many birds as possible, you are going to need to provide a variety of  different food sources, fresh water and a safe spot to feed and live. It may sound like a tall order, but actually, it’s easier […]