You know how sometimes you just don’t want to go outside and fill the bird feeder? Maybe the snow is deep, it’s pouring down rain, or you have fifty other things to do and just can’t get to it? Well, ClickOn Bird Feeders has the answer for you, my friend: “Many homeowners with bird feeders [ Read More ]
Just a short update on the old bees. Yesterday, Mr. Neil, Lorraine and I checked on the beehives. The Olga hive is really expanding with comb honey and I’m very hopeful for what she will do for us next summer. She’s got three deep brood boxes (the large ones on the bottom) full of brood [ Read More ]
Hey blog readers, I just got asked to do a very last minute article on trends for water features in the backyard for Birding Business. If you use water to attract birds to your yard can you tell me: What did you put in? (i.e. just a bath, fountain/pump, a whole pond, heated bath) How [ Read More ]
“Did someone say there’s a dead tree? Yum! Count me in!” We’ve had some powerful storms in our neck of the woods for the last month. Non Birding Bill and I have been fortunate in not having any storm damage (heck of a light show, though), but Mr. Neil has lost some trees, one being [ Read More ]
Are you going to Cape May Autumn Weekend? If you’re already on the fence as to whether or not you should sign up for the action packed East Coast migration spectacular, don’t forget this is your chance to meet some of your favorite bird bloggers! So far, here are the bloggers I know will be [ Read More ]
Remember the banded semi-palmated sandpiper we found over the weekend along Duck Banding Road on Big Stone NWR? Well, Doug Buri found out where and when it was banded from Nate Thomas, the doctoral candidate working on tracking them: The first bird was banded about 2 miles south of Salt Lake on the Minnesota/South Dakota [ Read More ]
What happens if you pish at a golden eagle: This is Andi, one of the education birds at The Raptor Center. She’s an adult golden eagle and we know she is female because of her large size (in the raptor world, females are larger than males) and each spring she lays an egg (it’s unfertilized, [ Read More ]
I told Doug Buri that if he ever offers his shorebird identification workshop again, he should call it a Shorebird Immersion Course. Number one, you’re surrounded by shorebirds, up close and personal (like the short-billed dowitcher and pectoral sandpiper above). Number two, you are out in the mud flats and could sink. Here’s my buddy [ Read More ]
I’m too wiped out to do a proper entry, but I will leave you with some exciting bits from the day. First up, can you identify the bird in the above photo? Hint: It’s not a shorebird. When you’re ready to guess, the adult plumaged bird can be seen here. No prize, just glory in [ Read More ]
Today was hardcore! Yes sir, this was some mighty fine birdin’ in some sloshy areas. We drudged through wetland vegetation to get as close as possible to some shorebirds–and they didn’t care! Okay, some cared a little but for the most part they just probed away at the mud, oblivious to our presence. That’s our [ Read More ]
