How to find the Right Binoculars for Bird Watching Next to gardening there is not many hobbies that are as popular as bird watching . After all, who isn't interested in our fine, feathery airborne friends that come in all shapes, sizes and colors? And the best part is all you really need to enjoy this hobby is a book that shows the different species of birds and a great pair of bird watching binoculars. That's it. So are you ready to explore this fun hobby? The biggest challenge that you... Read Full Story
The canary is named after the Canary Islands where they formerly lived undomesticated. Today, domesticated canaries live in all parts of the world. The canary species is S canarius and is a tiny fowl from the finch family Fringillidae. The popular canary is genus Serinus. Wild canaries can sing, but their songs are not as harmonious as those of the domesticated birds which have been bred for the high standard of their song. The canary is approx. 5-8 inches long with a wingspan of approx.7... Read Full Story
Its not full moon and note the birds behaviour. I always enjoyed watching House Sparrows especially things they do or how they move, even it is just twisting head in a certain way. Well, I let you choose the House Sparrows, or the Moon over them, or both that makes this shot interesting. I am afraid that I may not be able to take Moon shot today, weather man calling for rain, the rain we supposed to have couple of days ago - it is really dry here. Read Full Story
An afternoon bobbing and weaving between heavy rain showers found me at a vacant lot in an upscale subdivision in NW Gainesville, FL. A pair of Mississippi Kites winged overhead, calling loudly, and clearly taking insects out of the air above my head. I am not usually so close to these birds. It was very pleasing to watch these birds doing their work with such a will. I was at that location to look at trees on the lot of a soon-t0-be-built home. Honest opinion: The lot was the one of... Read Full Story
John James Audubon was an ornithologist and painter best known for cataloging the birds of North America. Each of his paintings depicts the bird set true-to-life in its natural habitat. He published several books of his works, including Birds of North America , which is often regarded as the greatest picture book ever published. Christie's sold a copy in 2000 for $8.8 million and set a world record for most expensive printed book. The National Audubon society was incorporated in 1905, and... Read Full Story
Since my mentioning yesterday about the African Hoopoe in our garden, we saw three together this morning pecking with their long beaks. So managed to capture all three of them with my camera, can you spot them? They seem to like the insects in the newly cut lawn. We have been working on the garden the last couple of days as good weather has finally arrived again so perhaps this has encouraged them to stay. This morning however, we both woke up with backaches, due to the long afternoon of... Read Full Story
....while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more." Read Full Story
I've lots of friends and colleages who are avid birdwatchers. By avid, I mean drop-what-you-are-doing and rush-off-to (insert far-flung state or country) in pursuit of a storm-blown or accidental sighting of a single rare bird that has yet to be checked off from their life list. I'm truly a more what's-around-in-my-daily-travels sort of birdwatcher. Not quite "backyard" watcher, since my daily travels take me, during a week or month, to just about every corner of the county I live in... Read Full Story
Yesterday afternoon found me in an oak woodland northwest of Gainesville, FL, looking at the existing trees and vegetation where a small residential phase of the Town of Tioga planned development will be built among the trees. Twenty to thirty years ago this land was clear of everything but the larger southern red oaks. In the years since, laurel oaks have invaded and closed the canopy. While observing understory favorites like dogwood, buckthorn, and sassafras, my colleague directed... Read Full Story
We woke this morning with the sun shining bright, although it’s still quite cold here. Spotted an unusual bird on the lawn so reached for my camera and through the window managed to get a photograph, its not a very good one, but shows some of the detail of this beautiful creature. Apparently its an African Hoopoe (Upupa Africana) which I presume most Europeans know, however, never ever have we seen one in England so feel sure they haven’t crossed the channel. I would be interested in hearing... Read Full Story
