FAMILY FUN: Watching Birds Up Close There are many ways to learn about birds. One of course, is going out and watching them in the wild with your binoculars. Another is watching them at your feeders. But there are long stretches of time when birds are nesting and because they are hidden for safety, we […]
Blog Category: Kids and Nature
World Osprey Week: Tracking Osprey Migration
One of our favorite birds of prey is about to start their migratory trek north and you can watch it happen! Breeding Osprey are found not just in the US but also in Europe. Scientists have put GPS trackers on some of these birds making it possible to follow their migration patterns, and what a […]
Don’t Miss The Cranes!
If you want to take part in an ancient avian ritual that takes place every March for about 6 weeks and involves hundreds of thousands of Sandhill cranes, then get over to the Platte River right now! For it is there that every March for millennia, Sandhill cranes which have left their over-wintering grounds in […]
Easy Ways To Make Your Backyard a Bird Hotspot
In winter birds need fresh open water and lots of calories. You can make your backyard a very popular spot in winter with the addition of a heated birdbath and food with high fat content. Nothing beats food with a lot of calories to keep a bird warm at night and there are plenty of […]
Cool Spots To Watch Winter Waterfowl
Hooded Merganser Waterfowl are in abundance across much of North America in winter. They are looking for mates so are in their prime plumage, making for great sightings. As long as the bodies of water in your area are not completely frozen over, you are likely to find ducks near you! But there are some […]
Family Fun: Join the Christmas Bird Count!
It’s that time of year again! Time to be part of the Christmas Bird Count which is a really fun thing to do with the entire family! In its 115th year this year, from December 14 through January 5, National Audubon Society organizes groups of people across the entire US who spend one specific day […]
Sharing the Beach With Nesting Shorebirds
Sharing the Beach With Nesting Shorebirds Who can resist the beach in the summer? It’s a fun place to enjoy the surf and sun and can also be a great Piping plover chick place to see birds. Many species of birds depend on beaches for survival, and lots of shorebirds have traveled many thousands of […]
Lucky Ducks in Winter
Lucky Ducks In Winter Ducks sure have it tough. On top of the biting cold winds, ducks spend their winter days floating around in icy water. Keeping warm is no small feat for wintering ducks. While most of us enjoy the warmth of a fire, a duck has little to do but seek shelter and wait […]
Where to See Migration Right Now!
Where To See Migration Right Now! Fall is here and that means songbirds are on the move. Heading south for their annual fall migration, millions of songbirds follow ancient routes called migratory flyways. There are four flyways across the United States: the Atlantic, Central, Mississippi and Pacific. No matter where you are in the country, […]
Baby Birds of Summer
Baby Birds of Summer Many species of birds have finished breeding and are starting south again. But some chicks are just hatching or are very young now. If you are talking a walk in the woods, now is a good time to be looking for baby turkeys, known as polts. Depending on where you are, wild […]
UPDATE On Piping Plovers and Moonbird
UPDATE On Piping Plovers and Moonbird It isn’t easy being a Piping plover. At a NJ beach where we follow the birds, there were 11 chicks hatched but just 2 that have fledged. Not a great success rate for an endangered species. A major factor is too much human disturbance, including dogs on the beach, […]
Sitting Quietly….Seeing More
FAMILY FUN: Sitting Quietly…Seeing More Want to see more birds and tune into nature? This summer, why not see the natural areas you usually visit a little differently? Go to a favorite field, forest, marsh, or beach. Rather than do what you might normally do there…this time , take some time to sit quietly and […]
Defending the Kids
Defending the Kids Piping plovers are endangered and they like the same beaches we humans do…and at the same time. This can cause some tense and dangerous moments for both the parents and young chicks. I was recently at the beach watching a Piping plover family. The parents had to constantly maneuver their nearly uncontrollable […]
FAMILY PROJECT: Help Long Distance Migrators
Birds that migrate long distances need your help! There are fun and easy things anyone can do and they can make a big difference to wildlife. If you like taking a stand for the right thing – animals like the Red knot and horseshoe crabs need you to stand up for them to keep them from […]
Rescuing a Baby Diamondback Turtle
I was walking on the beach looking for the first piping plovers of the season, when I looked down. There was a small dark shell with a tiny turtle inside. What to do? I knew it was some kind of land turtle, and I also know they dont live at the beach. The gulls were […]
Helping Injured Hawks – My Own Story
Hawks and eagles are top predators. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have challenges — most of which come from humans. From hitting power lines and being injured or killed in windfarms while hunting birds to being hit by cars, shot (often intentionally) and poisoned, raptors needs our help – even more than most other […]
Winter Hiking With Kids
Winter is one of the best times of year to really be able to see birds as well as signs of other wildlife. The leaves are off the trees, the ground may be covered with snow making footprints visible. It’s the perfect time to take kids outside for a wildlife walk or hike. Below are […]