May, 2009
Hey, The Old Birding Thrills Still Resonate!
Check out my previous post for the preamble to today’s outing. *** I woke with the sun on Saturday morning. I TRIED to talk myself into enjoying a nice morning on the front porch watching the steam rise from my coffee cup, but all I could think about was that Indigo Bunting that nested in Mendon [...]
How My Nikon Ruined Me For Bird Watching
When my mother-in-law says “garage sales ruined me for retail!” I think I know what she meant. Birding has taken a strange twist since I bought my first dSLR with zoom (Nikon D90 with 70-300 mm lens) a few months ago. Before, I could be completely satisfied to tick off a wide variety of migratory [...]
Bird Banding @ Braddock Bay Bird Observatory
On Sunday, May 17, I journeyed back to the Ontario lakeshore to meet my friend, former colleague, and fellow blogger (Feather and Flower), Mike Powers at the Kaiser-Manitou Beach Banding Station owned by the Braddock Bay Bird Observatory. It was a chilly but sunny morning and warblers were plenty. Mike brought his little daughter along so we [...]
Bird Watching Takes Comedy (And the World) By Storm
Recently a bunch of old comedy sketches that poke fun at bird watching have resurfaced on TV and the Web. They are worth another look. First, Jon Stewart & Steve Carell poke fun at the 2000 World Series of Birding: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart M – Th 11p / 10c The World Series [...]
I and the Bird #100: My Hybrid Post Wins Exclusive Multitudinous Award!
Began by the noble cavaliers over at 10000birds.com, I and the Bird is the longest running nature blog carnival and celebrates the “interaction of human and avian, an ongoing exploration of the endless fascination with birdlife all around the world. It is also a biweekly showcase of the best bird writing on the web published on [...]
7 Ways to Identify Birds by Song
Spring migration can be both thrilling and frustrating. We like to focus on the thrilling parts, but the truth is, many birders can be overwhelmed by the chorus of birdsong during a morning walk. When both residents and migrants are mixing in the woods, overlapping trills, chips, warbles and whistles can make it hard to [...]
June is Birding Month in The Adirondacks
The Adirondack Park is a haven for boreal birds that migrate to the region every spring. Migrants arrive in full force by late May, and by June, roughly 176 different bird species will be on breeding territory, including 76 neotropical migrants (such as Cape May and Bay-breasted warblers). In a mere two weeks, I will be making a solo [...]
A Birder’s Tale: Spotting A Tricky Rare Hybrid, The “Lawrence’s” Warbler
PROLOGUE Why a prologue? Because birding backstories are almost as fun as the birding itself! The birding network is so broad and keenly in tune that sighting reports move lightening fast, at least when they travel through the usual channels (e.g, birding listserv). But sometimes reports creep up where you least expect them. On [...]
“Lawrence’s” Warbler at Rush Oak Openings, NY
The full text of this outing can now be found here (please click link below:) “A Birder’s Tale: Spotting A Tricky Rare Hybrid, “Lawrence’s” Warbler
