Well, when I downloaded images today from the camera, I was anxious to see if there was anything more on the one legged common grackle and sure enough the bird showed up in a few photos. What was interersting this time was in the first few photos you can see an immature grackle waiting behind [ Read More ]
Here’s an unusual sight that showed up behind the store today, a one-legged common grackle (making it a tad uncommon). The bird is very plucky and kept all the red-winged blackbirds away from the food pile. Even one of the crows seemed a bird unnerved by this bird. We noticed it today by its mode [ Read More ]
This bird will be identified towards the end of this post. Any guesses as to what it might be? One of the really super fun things about my job is helping people with bird identification. Between me and my staff there isn’t a photo of a North American bird we can’t identify, we are truly [ Read More ]
I would apply for this job myself if I weren’t already swamped. Mark’s a pretty cool guy to work for and if he ever gave you any hassle as a boss you could just contact me for some dirt! Important Bird Areas Assistant Part-time/temporary – 20hrs/week July 1 – Dec. 31 The Important Bird Areas [ Read More ]
Some things we know like hummingbirds are attracted to the color red, orioles are attracted to red or orange and goldfinches are attracted by the color yellow. But apparently most birds have a type of attraction to the color white as this story about bird preference to poop on white cars seems to reveal.
Well, I’m pretty excited about this Saturday, Amber and I are going to do a panel at a sci-fi convention called CONvergence with the Raptor Center birds. Here is what we are being billed as: Eagles and Owls and Falcons, Oh MY! Birds in books: what’s possible/what’s not – this is based on things we’ve [ Read More ]
Not the most exciting bird species on the planet but I’m always surprised when this bird shows up on my window ledge. Something happened to its right foot and it’s missing all but one toe and has some kind of ball-like knob on the bottom of that foot. The incredible thing is that this particular [ Read More ]
Interpretive dance or picking up food? Who can say and what must that song sparrow in back be thinking? Well, as the mealworm bonanza continues behind the store, the red-winged blackbirds are having a gay old time taking advantage of this oh so stinky protien source. They do tend to pick out the livelier worms [ Read More ]
Sometimes, it’s unbelievable to me the amount of mealworms we go through at the bird store. Birds absolutely love those guys and they really do make a difference in how many orioles you will have visiting your feeders during nesting season. For me there are a couple of down sides, number one being that I [ Read More ]
I just got my first shipment of my calendars! I can now sell them! Woo HOOOOOOOOOOO! So, if you’re looking for a great gift idea for people who live in Minnesota, Wisconsin or Michigan I can recommend the following items for 2006:Birds of Minnesota CalendarBirds of Wisconsin CalendarBirds of Michigan Calendar Can I just say [ Read More ]
