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 […]
Blog Category: watching birds
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 […]
Fall For Your Own Native Plant Meadow
To ensure you attract birds, butterflies and other wildlife in Monarch Butterfly Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel abundance to your yard, there is no better choice than planting a meadow with native plants. Not only is a mature meadow a stunningly beautiful sight of waving flowers with butterflies and birds darting in and out, but it’s […]
Great Views of Shorebirds Now
Birds at the beach never cease to amaze. Not only are Marbled Godwit and American Oystercatchers Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel they capable of migrating extremely long distances non-stop (some manage several days at a time and thousands of miles over open water), there are different species on the move year round. Fall is a […]
Who’s Migrating Now?
Who’s Migrating in Summer? Piping Plovers, Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Spring and Fall migration get all the press. After all, songbirds like warblers or goldfinches traveling in spring look spectacular and move in large numbers. And they can often be seen in our own backyards. But migration continues throughout the year, with different species of […]
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 […]
Pesky Critters in Your Backyard?
Squirrels got your goat? Hawks or the neighbors cats using your feeder as a buffet table? Maybe that resident woodpecker is using your house for hammering practice? Whatever the issue is there are often simple and humane solutions! For example, getting the right feeder can help control unwanted birds, or eliminate bees and […]
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 – […]
Backyard Bird Reading
Nesting birds on the ground in your yard? What kind of bird does that? We love this humorous essay many of us can relate to. When it comes to finding out where the birds are nesting in your yard, sometimes info is gotten the hard way. Then It Struck Me and Not Very Gently, by Murr Brewster for […]
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 and a Manikam!
Cornell Lab of Ornithology Manakam This month we have nestcams and a cool manakin lek-cam! If you have never seen manakins displaying, check out this amazing live cam that, if you are lucky, will have Lance-tailed Manakins displaying at their lek. Unlike a nestcam, the action will be sporadic, but don’t miss seeing these amazing […]
Purple Martins Are Coming Your Way!
Purple Martins are Coming – Be Ready! Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Purple Martins are on their way north and looking for nesting sites. With their enchanting song and effective insect removal efforts – especially when there are chicks in the summer – these birds are a delight to have around. And if you want to […]
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 […]
Where to See Birds Now: CUBA
Where to See Birds Now: CUBA Blue-headed Quail-dove Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel As Cuba becomes easier to visit it is rapidly becoming a hot “bucket-list” destination for travelers. For birdwatchers it offers a variety of habitats and over 20 endemic birds – birds that can only be found in Cuba. If you are keeping a […]
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 […]
Duck Mating Behavior
Duck Mating Behavior When you are watching ducks and other waterfowl this winter, get ready for a lot of action, because it’s also mating season! Photo Credit: Stan Tekeila Waterfowl mating behaviors can be pretty weird – ranging from the slightly unusual to the outrageous. We found a few videos you might enjoy for a little […]
How Do Birds Keep From Crashing Into Each Other in a Flock?
Flock Behavior: Why Birds Don’t Crash Into Each Other Do you ever watch flocks of birds flying tightly together and wonder how they maintain their distance from one another? Flying in a tight flock helps birds in a number of ways. One of the most important is that a large tight flock makes it more […]
Travel: Easy Birding in Panama
TRAVEL: Easy Birding in Panama If you are looking for a birding adventure a little farther from home, winter is an exceptionally good time to visit the Caribbean, Central and South America. If you have been wanting to visit a tropical forest with loads of fabulous birds, one of the best and easiest countries to […]
Backyard Suet Feeders to Make or Buy
BACKYARD: Suet Feeders It’s time to break out the suet feeders! Suet provides lots of calories to keep some of your favorite birds like chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers warm. There are lots of different suet feeders you can buy or make, but the best ones are those which are ergonomically correct for Tail-prop suet feeder […]
Fall Backyard: Start Your Native Plant Meadow
Fall Backyard: Start Your Native Plant Meadow If you have even a little bit of a yard, don’t wait to plant a native plant meadow. I planted a small meadow in the fall as an experiment a few years ago, and if I hadn’t seen for myself the magnetic attraction it has for birds and […]