Birding And Wild Birds

Last night I dreamed I was in a swamp and almost put my hand on a Cottonmouth.  I should have known it was going to be one of those days. A good day, but a mucky one!  After finding a Semipalmated Plover (2012 County Bird #204) I got a text saying there was a singing Prothonotary Warbler at the other end of the reservoir.  Boots would be required to see the bird. How bad could the mud be?  How  

"Tourists can watch more than 3,000 birds of around 28 different species which fly to the state from other countries as well as various parts of India ... a daylong package tour from Patna to Nalanda, a major birdwatching spot, to promote ...  

Southern Arizona is a bird migration intersection. Paul Green, Tucson Audubon Society, "In Southern Arizona we have ea number of different sources of birds from different habitats coming together in one place. We have the Rocky Mountain birds coming down ...  

For more information, visit birdfest.rtpi.org or call 800-758-6841, ext. 228. The Peterson Institute also is featuring the works of bird artist Melissa Mance-Coniglio, the waterfowl carvings of James Mance, a display of fossils including a Columbian ...  

Learn the basics of bird identification (or review your skills), how to best attract birds to your yard, how to choose and use binoculars, and then have hands on birding practice with a walk to Big Springs (optional). The workshop will be held at 9 a.m ...  

I was recently interviewed by Timothy Martinez Jr. for the blog "Into the Air", a publication of Backyard Chirper, an online retailer of bird feeder and bird house products. The final piece is entitled "Birding in Cities: Why urban dwellers shouldn’t be discouraged". From the article:"Tucked away in the greenery of one of the busiest cities in the world, a small group of birders sets their sights on warblers, vireos, orioles, Monk parakeets...  

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Audubon New York is spreading the word about how birders help local economies. The group has launched a campaign that will distribute calling cards for bird-watchers to hand out at restaurants and other businesses. The idea is to show ...  

Members of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey's World Series of Birding team, the Highlands Hawks, comprising Team Captain and The Land Conservancy's Stewardship Manager Dennis Briede, Alan Boyd and Roger Johnson of Parsippany, identified 145 different ...  

Words can hardly do justice to the symphony of songs and splashes of color that greeted us at Headlands on Sunday morning. We had hardly left the parking lot when we encountered our first surprises: white-crowned sparrow, dark-eyed junco, and ...  

Pump up the tires and clean the lenses on your binoculars, the annual Bicycle Birding series with the Audubon Society of Corvallis gets cranking, literally, on Sunday. The monthly fourth-Sunday outings are slow-paced with frequent stop-and-spot ...  

When you start backyard birding, you will try a lot of ideas from the "experts" that won't work for you. Just quickly get rid of anything that doesn't work. Don't keep them around to aggravate you as I have done. I saw a "select-a-bird" feeder ...  

This past week I presented the monthly program for the Northern Arizona Audubon groups in both Sedona and Flagstaff. Being in northern Arizona provided me with an opportunity to get out and go birding, of which I took full advantage! If you are looking for ...  

After spending the past few weeks birding Middlesex County, partly in connection with the Middlesex County big day run I did with Patrick, Anthony, and Tom, partly my usual patch birding, and partly for NJ Audubon's Lower Raritan Bird Survey, I felt that I wanted to take a break and go someplace different. One place that looked inviting was Watchung Reservation in Union County. I had been there frequently as a kid but only once, several years...  

FAIRBANKS — Although the intensity of spring migration activity is winding down, the diversity of birds in the Tanana Valley is still impressive. It’s possible to see waterbirds, shorebirds and songbirds at several spots around town. If you take a ...  

so I resorted to exploring my immediate surroundings, studying every bird book I could get my hands on. Over time, I became a fully-fledged "urban birder". Even today, birders remain sceptical of the term, shunning the city in favour of deserted coastal ...  

Pelee islanders have stepped up to save the annual Springsong birdwatching event this weekend but it shouldn't have to be that way, the island's most famous part-time resident, Margaret Atwood, said Thursday. "People pitch in under these circumstances but  

        Welcome back to Winged Animal Week at Gothamist—yesterday we talked to City Birder Rob Jett about urban birdwatching, and today we're visiting Brooklyn's backyard chicken coops. [ more › ]  

"We had not just one, but we had three separate sightings of the rarest warbler and it's a critically endangered ... but having been here on the boardwalk at Magee Marsh in the early part of May, there were people of all ages, different ethnicities.  

LAKE ANDES — It’s another big year for Lynn Barber. Barber, of Rapid City, has dedicated 2012 to seeing as many bird species in South Dakota as she can. It’s an undertaking known in the birding community as a “big year.” For Barber ...  

A nature lover has created a helmet with a nectar feeder meaning he can attract hummingbirds for an amazing face-to-face experience. Beak a boo: A tiny visitor comes face to face with the feeding helmet (Picture: Oliver Hulland) Inventor Doyle Doss modified a professional face shield used by welders with feeding tubes and a colourful graphic of red rhododendrons to entice the delicate birds. Mr Doss, who sells the devices...  

FORT RANDALL — The second annual South Dakota Birding Festival will be held today (Saturday) and Sunday at Fort Randall. This festival is for both novice and expert bird watchers. Two National Wildlife Refuges and a South Dakota Wildlife ...  

WEST ALTON, Mo. - A new generation of young nature lovers learned about birds Saturday at the seventh annual Wings of Spring Birding Festival, and some of them even taught their elders a thing or two. Families with children dominated the crowd at and...  

Trail through swampy woods at Heathcote MeadowsYesterday morning I visited Heathcote Meadows Preserve near Kingston. I had never been there before and wanted to find out what the preserve looked like and what the birding was like. The preserve is actually part of a complex of five natural areas that form a greenbelt along tributaries of the Millstone River.Apparently it was the right day to go because the volume of birdsong was overwhelming...  

With bird migration and breeding season here, you might be looking for a place to combine a hike through spectacular scenery with the chance to see birds that you’ll rarely encounter in Connecticut’s wooded and suburban areas. Connecticut ...  

On Tuesday 24th April the Islay birdwatching club officially opened the brand new hide on RSPB’s Loch Gruinart reserve. It couldn’t have been a better evening; with beautiful weather, home baking, entertaining calves, active wildlife, and a whisky dram for all. Islay birdwatchers in front of the newly opened hide at Loch Gruinart Th ...  

The tractor splashed across the stubble of the paddy, its rear end a blur of flapping wings and pecking beaks. Behind it were grey herons, little egrets, lapwings and hundreds of gulls – yellow-legged, lesser black-backed and Audouin's, one of the most ...  

Several species of endangered bird call some of our federal lands in the United States their home either by design or accident ... already happened to be under the care of Parks Canada in Wood Buffalo National Park on the border of Alberta and the ...  

Southwest Idaho Mountain Bike Association is seeking volunteers to help with trail projects Sunday, May 6 at Avimor north of Boise. There are several trails that need brush trimming and…Click to Continue »  

MARDON RESORT - Bird watchers from all over the Northwest are calling to find out information about the Sandhill Cranes. The 2012 Sandhill Crane Festival has been great for our area and turning many citizens on to that birding potential in the ...  

Land Between the Lakes Golden Pond, KY – Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area invites all bird lovers to Woodlands Nature Station for a Birding Bonanza on Saturday, May 12th. Enjoy guided walks, learn to identify common birds, get tips on attracting birds to your backyard, build your own nest, go on a [...]  

The height of the migratory bird-viewing season kicked off during the International Migratory Bird Day celebration, where bird enthusiasts turned out for a series of guided walks along the Carpenter Ranch’s interpretive trail.  

Salina native to speak at birding fest Judd Patterson, a Salina native and top nature photographer, will take part in the Kansas Birding Festival in Wakefield on Saturday. Patterson, who now lives in Miami, grew up in Salina and attended Central ...  

Birders, grab your binoculars and your bikes because this Sunday is the ever-popular Birding by Bike citywide tour. Now in its twelfth year, this ride is a favorite among ornithologists, ornithologist wannabes and birding neophytes, like myself.Join veteran birding tour guide David Armstrong for a group pedal through Golden Gate Park, Lake Merced, and some of the city’s other lush areas. You may not know what a Red-throated Loon or a Pied...  

The Highland Lakes Birding and Wildflower Society will host Flo Oxley, adjunct professor of biology at Austin Community College and former director of plant conservation at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, who will present a program, “The Devious and Sometimes Deadly Ways Plants Attract Pollinators.”read more  

Spring has sprung at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, World Birding Center in Mission. The RGV nature park has announced a season full of outdoor programs. The "Bentsen Hawk Watch" will be held daily from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and it will continue...  

Longtime birder and experienced trip leader Starr Saphir has a new website. I've known Starr since I began birding over twenty years ago (she has been birding for over 60 years!) and she leads regular trips in Central Park. If you can't attend her trips you can enjoy them vicariously through her reports page here.  

If you were hoping to take a guided tour during the Biggest Week in Birding Festival, hopefully you signed up early. Most tours were sold out long ago. Among the many tours offered were guided bus trips and birding by boat to the Lake Erie Islands, including Pelee Island in Canada. This year, canoe trips were added.  

The World Series of Birding, sponsored yearly by the New Jersey Audubon Society, helps focus attention on New Jersey’s strategic importance to migrating birds and helps organizations like the Conservancy raise money to protect natural habitat.  

SUFFOLK Serious birders will be out to spot the elusive Swainson's warbler at this weekend's sixth annual Great Dismal Swamp Birding Festival. There may be 100 or more bird species nesting in the area, but this bird is an annual favorite.  

Over the past weekend Heydi, Paige and I scoured two of Brooklyn's birding hotspots for migrating birds. It was probably the best weekend for birding thus far this Spring.Saturday's weather forecasts must have been for a different Brooklyn. Reading "partly sunny" and "70 degrees" off of our phones for the current conditions while shivering and seeking shelter from the rain under a spruce tree was a little disheartening. Poor lighting and...  

If you are a birder and you are going on Spring Break (from the US), don't forget that there are birds where you are going. And, probably, there are bird books that cover your destination. One of the really cool things about North American birding is that when you do go down to tye Yucatan, Caribbean, or Central America you'll see birds that are migratory and familiar, but in their other home (but just on their way back). They'll be...  

The 2012 Biggest Week in American Birding Festival is quickly approaching.The third annual event, which was hosted by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory near Oak Harbor last year, has moved its headquarters to the Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center for this year’s May 4-13 event.  

AUGUSTA, Maine - Spring is here, and Maine's seasonal avian residents once again are returning. In recognition of this much-anticipated occurrence, Maine state parks, for the second year, are holding a unique bird-watching event to introduce families and visitors to the outdoor fun of birding in Maine."Feathers Over Freeport," a two-day birding event at Bradbury Mountain State Park, Pownal, and Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park, Freeport, will...  

On Wednesday, April 18th, I'll also be leading a birding tour of Green-Wood Cemetery. Come look for Spring songbirds, Monk Parakeets, nesting Red-tailed Hawks, Spring blooms and more. Meet at 8am at the cemetery's main entrance on 5th Ave. and 25th Street in Brooklyn. Take the "R" train to 25th Street station and walk up one block. By bus, take the B63 which stops at 25th St. $8. Pre-registration not necessary. If you have any questions...  

The sixth annual Chequamegon Bay Birding & Nature Festival runs through Saturday. The sixth annual Chequamegon Bay Birding & Nature Festival runs through Saturday. It’s expected to draw casual and avid birders as well as nature lovers to the ...  

This year’s birding festival at the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge appeared to be a success. Birders from all over the eastern United States descended upon the swamp, much of which lies in Suffolk, hoping to get a glimpse of hard ...  

I'iwi / USGS PhotoHere is an interesting Washington Post article on birding in Hawaii.Even before we’d spotted a single bird, we knew that we were in the right place, thanks to the ear of Jack Jeffrey, a former biologist with the State of Hawaii who now guides birding and photography tours. Just a few minutes from the parking lot of the Puu O’o Trail, he began identifying call after call. There were twittery trills, raspy kazoo blasts and what...  

The following programs have been announced for the Sinnemahoning State Park. Saturday, May 5 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Birding Hike Join the park naturalist for a birding hike along the Lowlands Trail. Meet at the Wildlife Center along Park Road near the Cameron/Potter county line. A limited number of binoculars and field guides [...]  

The Highland Lakes Birding and Wildflower Society will host guest speaker Dr. Wayne H. McAlister who will present the April 5 program at 9:30 a.m., “Paddling the Guadalupe River.” The public is invited to the program at Marble Falls Library, 101 S. Main St.read more  

The 2012 Biggest Week in American Birding Festival is almost here. The third annual event, which was hosted by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) near Oak Harbor last year, has moved its headquarters to the Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center for this year’s May 4-13 event.  

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology produced this great, short video on birding warblers. With warbler migration quickly approaching, I think it is a really good way to get us all in the mood. The video includes some fine close-up footage of Blue-winged Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Pine Warbler, Prairie...  

Judy added a discussion to the group Burque BirdingFirst hummer spotted today - Mar 31!!Woo Hoo!  Spotted my first hummer today at one of my feeders (which, of course, I've had up for a week because I can't wait for them to arrive).Couldn't i.d. it, backlit by the sun. I was hoping they'd show up, following all the glorious blooming trees.  I'm near Montgomery & Tramway. See More  

When God was designing a warbler, He tried a lot of different color schemes, and apparently had trouble choosing one. So Him being God, he used them all! Consider the Wilson’s Warbler: bright yellow face and belly, greenish top, black cap and eye.  

— I had three target birds for my trip to Cuba – the bee hummingbird, the Cuban tody and the Cuban trogon. I saw them all, up close and in good light. The bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world at just over two inches in length and weighing ...  

Looking at ancient bird fossils is an opportunity to see what birding might have been like millions of years ago. Back then, many birds had enormous teeth, long snouts and long, bony tails. We've compiled a quick guide to birding in China's primitive forest-filled aviary, which thrived about 125 to 120 million years ago.  

A lovely day but hazy in the mountains yesterday. BLOGS:New Cold War in Asia in the South China Sea. Yes, the building calm before the storm.Winter is birding time in Taiwan......and Birding Taiwan: SmangusTaiwan's tourist farms. Everywhere I go now I see signs for the new ones constantly coming online.Keep on Running -- pics and discussion from local photoshoot by Craig FergusonThe Curmudgeon is off to Lugang with pics.Danshui map from...  

The 29th annual World Series of Birding began this morning after just at midnight. It is a 24-hour birding marathon where the top birders in the world compete against each other to see which team spots the most birds within the boundaries of NJ from ...  

HARLINGEN — Last year, a collaborative effort between birding groups and the city aimed to make Harlingen a birding sanctuary city. The Harlingen City Commission started the program by voting to make it illegal to capture and sell red-crowned...  

What an inspiration these neophyte birders were, finding excitement in species long-time birders often take for granted, such as common yellowthroat, gray catbird, red-bellied and hairy woodpeckers, American ... provided some new birds, though ...  

Birding festival scheduleCortez JournalThomas Dunlap, author of “In the Field, Among the Feathered—A History of Birders & their Guides”. FREE. Friday, May 11, 6:45 pm — “Beginning Nature Photography” by Lauren Buchholz, Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Learn tips and techniques to improve ...  

The following is our bi-weekly column from the Cornwall and Area Birding Club. The column is written by club members for those who watch birds or would like to learn about watching birds. Topics include where to see birds, how you can help birds at your ...  

THE SPRING bird migration is nearly completed. Redwinged blackbirds, robins, bluebirds, song sparrows, cowbirds and grackles arrived a few weeks ago. Many others, including the wood thrush, hermit thrush, veery, towhee, yellow-shafted flicker ...  

Get out and enjoy spring, enjoy an early morning hike and enjoy learning about birds. All hikes will be lead by an experienced birder. Extra binoculars and field guides will be available. Hikes will take place every Thursday and Saturday morning ...  

Nature Watch: Buy the Right Birding BinocularsThe Daily NorwalkTo catch the show, you'll need the right binoculars and – if you're a novice – the right birdwalks, with experienced guides. I'll tell you about the May walks further down. First, I want to answer a question that I'm often asked: “Which birding ...and more »  

Presented by Moody Gardens and Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council, Birding 101 is a series of free classes designed to educate and excite people about the tremendous variety of bird life routinely seen around Galveston Island.  

Presented by Moody Gardens and Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council, Birding 101 is a series of free classes designed to educate and excite people about the tremendous variety of bird life routinely seen around Galveston Island.  

Have you ever had an interest in birding? Ohio Valley University will offer an introductory course on the world of birding and specific species sighted in the Mid-Ohio Valley May 29 through June 30. Classroom sessions will take place every Tuesdays from 6 ...  

CARROLL TOWNSHIP -- Participants who register for The Biggest Week in American Birding this year will do so at Maumee Bay State Park in Lucas County instead of at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.  

Spring is the busiest time of year at Point Pelee National Park and the mild temperatures will aid birders as they descend upon the park for the annual Festival of Birds. The festival began last Thursday and will run through May 21, featuring several self ...  

Friday, May 18, former U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist and expert birder Ron Joseph will lead a birding walk on Sears Island in Searsport. Friends of Sears Island, a nonprofit organization that has stewardship of the Island, is sponsoring the walk.  

As the state ornithologist with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Somershoe does a lot of bird-watching. "My primary job is research that will benefit nongame wildlife species in Tennessee, particularly birds, and their conservation ...  

Hagerstown Community College’s Continuing Education and Community Services Division will offer two birding courses for aspiring and experienced bird watchers. The first class, “Spring Birding — Migratory Song Birds Class and Field Trip ...  

Join NBS' expert birders, Jay Manning and Rachel Holbert as they head north to Plum Island, one of New England's best birding hot spots for spring migration. Plum Island is a natural barrier island stretching along the Massachusetts Atlantic coast between ...  

Several hundred people are expected to descend on the central Kenai Peninsula to try and catch a glimpse of some of the Peninsula’s 275 bird species, today through Sunday for the seventh annual Kenai Birding Festival. The four-day festival ...  

A nature lover has created a helmet with a nectar feeder meaning he can attract hummingbirds for an amazing face-to-face experience. Beak a boo: A tiny visitor comes face to face with the feeding helmet (Picture: Oliver Hulland) Inventor Doyle Doss ...  

I have been hearing the squeaky, uneven song of a gray catbird in my yard over the last couple of weeks. I like catbirds. Their plumage is not showy, being solid charcoal gray with a darker cap and russet undertail coverts, but is always kept in ...  

The Sinnissippi Audubon Society will sponsor Birding for Beginners at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 16 at Rock Cut State Park, 7318 Harlem Road. Hikers of all skill levels are welcome to look for a variety of birds, including warblers, vireos, thrushes, orioles ...  

The mallard's classic quack, the black-capped chickadee's chick-a-dee-dee-dee call, a wild turkey's gobble, and an American crow cawing are well known. The haunting yodel of Ontario's provincial bird, the common loon, is even a cliche. These basics ...  

Looking for an outdoor family activity that is entertaining, educational, and fun for all ages?  Check out the birding events sponsored by the Los Gatos Birdwatcher store.  The store is located in the Kings Court shopping center (by The Wooden Horse toy ...  

With bird migration and breeding season here, you might be looking for a place to combine a hike through spectacular scenery with the chance to see birds that you’ll rarely encounter in Connecticut’s wooded and suburban areas. Connecticut ...  

For most serious cyclists, riding 70 miles in a day is no problem. But imagine riding 70 miles with binoculars in hand with a goal of identifying 100 species of birds in a single day.  That’s what birder and cyclist Mark Bowman achieved in ...  

Watch a chickadee receive a tracking device, check out raptors, imagine long migrations and perhaps glimpse a wild woodcock at Bald Eagle State Park during a day devoted to birds. The Bald Eagle Birding Festival is set for 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday ...  

TROY - Join Geauga Park naturalist Dan Best 9 to 11 a.m. May 19 at Eldon Russell Park, 16315 Rapids Road in Troy Township. With a goal of achieving a list of 50 bird species on the Upper Cuyahoga River, the intense focus of this aquatic outing ...  

Fourth-graders at School 2 part of an Audubon Society program TROY — School 2 fourth-graders are discovering that there are a lot of birds in their urban North Central neighborhood. Not only are they plentiful. "They're beautiful," Lillybelle Safford, 10 ...  

The birding world turns its attention to southern West Virginia next week. The 10th annual New River Birding and Nature Festival kicks off May 5. Over the course of six days, 250 to 300 birders from as far away as Michigan, Washington, Arizona, California ...  

Mount Auburn Birding and Plum Island birding trips will be offered in May. Join us for a wonderful morning of birding at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge.  Migrants and blooms should be abundant as we walk this historic cemetery in search of interesting ...  

Birdwatching, or birding, is an activity the entire family can enjoy. And it can be done from the backyard with little expense. Birding is also a hands-on way to learn about birds, their environment, and the ecosystem. Birdwatching requires patience and ...  

NORTH JAVA — A beginning birding course will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 19 at the Beaver Meadow Audubon Center, 1610 Welch Rd., North Java.  This class is for anyone who has an interest in becoming a better birdwatcher. It will be taught by ...  

Blue weekend As part of a plan that in no way is intended to overwork the color-interpreting cones of the human eye, Blue Weekend 2012 is coming ... season and the outlook for the summer. Contact Blade outdoors editor Matt Markey at: mmarkey ...  

Teenager David Campbell started the @suttonareabirds Twitter feed in July 2010 for birders to report sightings around the Sutton and Croydon area. Birders use the site to alert other enthusiasts, who can then go to see the species for themselves.  

Get out those binocularsChicagoNow (blog)Several neighbors bought binoculars just to see the eagles fly. Today they can put those new toys to work finding other interesting birds. Today there are special and FREE birding events at the Sagawau Environmental Learning Center in Lemont, ...  

Matching the notes from the bird to her memory aid, Price knows she's listening to a yellow warbler. "In birding, you often hear it first before you see it," says Price, president of the Presque Isle Audubon Society. This weekend, more than 135 ...  

CAPE MAY – They are talented, energetic, and “totally pumped” for a 24-hour bout of non-stop birding. They are the Redheads – five students representing the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at the 29th annual World Series of Birding competition in Cape ...  

The birding world turns its attention to Southern West Virginia this week. The 10th annual New River Birding and Nature Festival kicks off on Monday. Over the course of six days, 250 to 300 birders from as far away as Michigan, Washington, Arizona, Cal...  

Alain Clavette is enjoying some perfect, windless birding weather. He's asking people to make sure that their Swallow boxes' entries are the right size so they don't attract Starlings. He also has news of a few birds who overshot their migration mark and ...  

BECKLEY — The birding world turns its attention to southern West Virginia next week. The 10th annual New River Birding and Nature Festival kicks off Monday. Over the course of six days, 250 to 300 birders from as far away as  Michigan, Washington ...  

Clem Klaphake loves his birds. Big or small, he loves them all. Ask him if he has a favorite and he stumbles over an answer. “It's like picking your favorite child,” Klaphake said. He has been a professor at Bellevue University for 39 years ...  

A South Padre Island Vacation Rental close to Birding Sanctuary listed on http://www.bobzio.com today for free. Visit Bobzio.com for more details and photos for this lovely retreat. Casa Mariposa, South Padre Island, located behind the Valley Land Fund's ...  

“We got most of the warblers,” said Robert Van Nest, who along with his wife, Mary, have organized the event for years and have been birding together for about 40 years. This year, a group of more than a dozen birders with binoculars met on ...  

Bird watchers from all over the Northwest are calling to find out information about the Sandhill Cranes. The 2012 Sandhill Crane Festival has been great for our area and turning many citizens on to that birding potential in the Potholes Recreation Area.  

This annual festival puts a new spin on bird songs. The April 13-15 ninth annual Pacific City Birding & Blues Festival has so much going on that some past attendees have squawked that there are too many eggs in one basket.  

Today I counted 124 WESTERN TANAGERS at Coxcomb Hill. We are in the thick of spring migration and Coxcomb Hill is one of the best spots along the coastal corridor to watch. I approach spring observations the way I would approach a seawatch. I pick a spot ...  

Outdoor birding enthusiasts will gather May 18-20 at Fort Randall to hopefully catch site of hundreds of migrating bird species returning to South Dakota or heading farther north. The communities of Wagner, Pickstown and Lake Andes stand ready ...  

It is wheelchair accessible." Another enjoyable activity that will get your feet moving and your heart pumping is bird watching. A long time Lafayette resident, Ben Pettersson, an experienced hiker and birdwatcher, will guide walkers on ...  

Something to keep in mind as we enjoy wildlife in its home, our "outdoors": Just by being there, we add stress to the environment. If there are a lot of us, it can affect animals' ability to survive, as they...  

My wife and I just returned from Belize, a slice of paradise in Central America, where we got our annual sneak preview of migratory birds that will soon head our way. From weensy warblers to great egrets, we can't wait for them to arrive in northern New ...  

Birding enthusiasts have three local opportunities for group bird walks this weekend in Meriden and Wallingford. The Quinnipiac Valley Audubon Society will sponsor a spring migration bird walk beginning at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at Red Bridge on ...  

Sedona, AZ: Tall, lofty, and shockingly pink, penstemons burst onto the nature scene during April in Sedona and the Verde Valley. Dazzling patches of them dancing in the sunlight and gentle breeze make it hard to keep your eyes on the road. Above: Brillian ...  

“Point Pelee is a world-class birding destination,” said Scott Currie, a naturalist with Parks Canada. More than 40,000 visitors are expected to come through the park gates during the Festival of Birds. “The birds draw them, but the visitor service o ...  

Three youth birding teams from Rockport competed in a local contest following the rules as set forth in the Great Texas Birding Classic. The 6th annual Great Texas Birding Classic sponsored by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the ...  

So here are some tips. Downy and hairy woodpeckers both have very even drums, but the downy is slower. You get the sense that you can almost count each individual tap of a downy woodpecker drumming. Hairy woodpeckers drum so fast that counting ...  

The boardwalk at Magee Marsh, the central location for birders' observations of dozens of migrating warbler species, and many other birds, is actually located in Lucas County. The county line runs east-west through Magee Marsh and the Ottawa ...  

Michael Hamilton, co-founder of Hamilton, Houston and Lownie architects, was a man of varied interests that included not only architecture, but biology, birding and painting, all of which he indulged with passion until his death Thursday at his ...  

Bird watching, bird banding, building bird houses and birding from canoes are among the activities scheduled for the 13th annual International Migratory Bird Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park. The event is organized by the ...  

"Monday Morning Birding" with Gretchen Moran is offered each week. Participants meet at the Green Briar Nature Center at 8:30am and travel by passenger van to birding hotspots on the Cape. Return by 11:30am. Novices and seasoned birders alike are welcome.  

International Migratory Bird Day: Bird watching, bird banding, building bird houses and birding from canoes are among the activities scheduled during the 13th annual International Migratory Bird Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Veterans Memorial Park.  

In her book Silent Spring, Rachel Carson warned of a time when the birds were silent due to industrial poisoning of our waters. Fortunately her vision never materialized. This past week the birds were loud and prominent at Magee Marsh.  

While official registration for the Ute Mountain/Mesa Verde Birding Festival is noon on Wednesday, May 9, organizers of the event are recommending that participants register beforehand to have better chances of getting their choice of tours.  

KETCHUM • Looking for a special way to celebrate Mother’s Day? Treat Mom to a morning of birding on the Camas Prairie. The Idaho Conservation League’s Ketchum office has organized a free birding tour from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, May 13. The early ...  

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission invites birders of all experience levels to attend any of its district birding events this spring. The annual District Birding Days give birders the opportunity to spend the day with Game and Parks ...  

The spring bird migration has begun and its time to choose a member inn of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild as your home base when exploring the Mt. Jefferson Loop of the Oregon Cascades Birding Trails. The largest town in central Oregon, Bend ...  

The huge majority of birders at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area recently were the greatest, as usual ("Birding enthusiasts flock to shores of Lake Erie; 10-day festival takes wing in Oak Harbor," May 1). You were a fun, smart, and friendly group.  

CARROLL TOWNSHIP -- The third annual Biggest Week in American Birding is scheduled to kick off Thursday at Maumee Bay State Park, with a full nine days of workshops, walks, tours and other events. New this year is birding by canoe on Green Creek ...  

The following is our bi-weekly column from the Cornwall and Area Birding Club. The column is written by club members for those who watch birds or would like to learn about watching birds. Topics include where to see birds, how you can help birds at your ...  

FAYETTEVILLE - Conococheague Audubon Society will host a free birding workshop from 8 a.m. to noon June 2 at Caledonia State Park, 101 Pine Grove Road. Meet at 7:45 a.m. in the first parking lot beyond the visitors' center. Participants will learn how to ...  

The Northeast Montana Birding Trail provides experienced birders and amateur enthusiasts an opportunity to view large numbers of birds in a variety of habitats. Spring is the perfect time to visit since the returning bird’s plumage is brighter ...  

Today I begin a new birding adventure - courtesy of the McAllen Convention and Visitors Bureau, I will be spending the next week in southern Texas, not only birding, but gathering details and information to provide you with reviews to plan your own south Texas birding adventure. Never having birded in Texas before, I'm hoping to spot more than a few lifers - including the stunning green jay. I'll be visiting more than a dozen of the area's...  

But the weather front that canceled the boat caused many migrants to drop into the park that day. We suspected that the birding was going to be good as we drove through the access streets of Key West to the park and saw large numbers of palm warblers and ...  

Meet at Pike's Bridge Road parking area on Turkey Hill Road, West Newbury. The group will explore Pike's Bridge Road and other highly productive, birding locations in West Newbury. Some carpooling is involved. No facilities are available during this program.  

The most popular birding binoculars are 8x42s. The first number indicates the magnifying ability of the lenses. Eight power makes things appear eight times closer; 10 power lenses bring things 10 times closer. Higher magnification requires steadier hands.  

WAYNESBORO - Northbound migrating birds are arriving back home in Franklin County and a Waynesboro naturalist is offering anyone interested some Saturday opportunities to spot a variety of species in Renfrew Park.  

Bird lovers visiting South Padre Island were left with broken hearts after nets were destroyed by the people who are supposed to be taking care of them- the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center. Chuck Lorenz is a self described "birder," making ...  

I ordered two birdfeeders and a birdbath from an online cataloguer. These sat in my garage for about two weeks before my kids pushed me to unpack them and set them up in the yard. We filled the feeders with two different kinds of seed, hung them about a ...  

I had such an enjoyable time bird watching this past week at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood, Ariz. While I didn't even come close to achieving my goal of hitting the 200-species mark for the year, I was able to add several "firsts" to my state list.  

I ended the night driving to Galveston after seeing the American Golden Plovers on Friday evening, I had a 4 hour drive left to get to Galveston. There were some Pacific and Red-throated Loons reported to be mixed in with the Common Loons in ...  

I met up with John Goodall early this morning at 7.45am to join him in the shelter for another sea watch. The weather forecast today wasn’t good with a cold northerly blowing and rain on and off all day. This May is reported in going to be the ...  

— Before it fades into ancient history, let’s look back at this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count.  Held Feb. 17-20, the 2012 count recorded 17.4 million individual bird observations from the U.S. and Canada. It was carried out by volunteers who ...  

Wimberley — Spring is a wonderful time for the three “B’s” – birds, blossoms and butterflies. Today, let us celebrate butterflies, some of the most beautiful and beneficial insects in the world. There are some 14,500 species of butterflies, of ...  

Some of them just don't know it. They might not be aware that the late author and naturalist is the de facto patron saint of birding in this region. While bird watching and bird photography in Northwest Ohio is not a recent phenomenon ...  

People who enjoy bird watching know that good opportunities sometimes occur in unexpected places, and a battlefield in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas commemorating an oft-forgotten war might fit that description. Palo Alto Battlefield National ...  

Birders' Exchange (BEX), which began as a small optics "recycling"program at the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences in 1990 has become the major conservation initiative of the American Birding Association. The BEX program has grown ...  

Late April is the most exciting time for birding in Georgia, thanks to the combination of late-lingering winterers and peak passage of Neotropical migrants. The week started well when James Neves and I observed an Anhinga at the ACC landfill ...  

I had to take my shoes off to get there, but I believe last Saturday (April 28) was the 13th annual Birding for the Arts. BFA is part of the Haywood County Arts Council’s “Fund Party Series” – entertaining, fun events that help fund the Arts ...  

The 10th annual Birding and Crystal Festival will be held on April 27, 28, and 29, 2012. The festival is a cooperative effort between Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, Salt Plains State Park, Byron State Fish Hatchery, the Oklahoma Department of ...  

The 2012 Delmarva Birding Weekend is set to bring hundreds of nature enthusiasts to the Shore April 26-29 to enjoy a weekend of eagles, herons, warblers and egrets. Many trips are nearly full, but space remains on each. Guided by professional ...  

Twelve intrepid Montana birders traveled to The Gambia for two weeks of birding in October 2011. Ron and Cheryl Farmer will present commentary and slides from the trip at the Audubon program for Monday April 9. A small African country, The Gambia is a long ...  

If you’re looking for a different spring break activity, consider birding. Some still call it geeky, but birding has become a hot pursuit in the U.S. One in five Americans now spends time watching the graceful creatures, and the number who ...  

The second annual South Dakota Birding Festival will be May 18-20 at Fort Randall. Outdoor birding enthusiasts will gather in hopes of catching sight of hundreds of migrating bird species returning to South Dakota or heading farther north.  

I hope spring has been treating you well this month - the prime birding season is really heating up as the weather warms and brings back flocks of migrants. We've had flocks of new content this month as well, and some highlights from our April additions include... Birding Festivals in June Directory American Crow or Common Raven? Suet Cage Nester Project Easy Orange Bird Feeder American Bird Conservancy Don't miss out on any new content...  

SANTEE — The fifth annual Santee Birding and Nature Festival will get under way this weekend. Santee National Wildlife Refuge, a subgroup of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will again serve as host for the event April 27-29. Dozens of day trips to ...  

CARROLL TOWNSHIP -- The third annual Biggest Week in American Birding is scheduled to kick off Thursday at Maumee Bay State Park, with a full nine days of workshops, walks, tours and other events. Kim Kauffman, executive director of the Black ...  

Kim Kaufman and her husband ... 13551 W. State Rt. 2. With the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant as a backdrop, the 2,200 acres of Lake Erie marshland sit next to the federally owned Ottawa Wildlife Refuge. Organizers say it is one of the best ...  

The Arrowsmith Naturalists are thrilled they raised over $700 at their Big Day Bird Count on April 7. The fun event that gives all experience levels a chance to test their abilities at finding birds has been part of the Brant Wildlife Festival for years.  

On Saturday, April 28, 9 a.m. until noon, the Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival and the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District will be hosting a special free educator's workshop at the Cottonwood Middle School. Teachers, scout leaders, home school ...  

ELLIS GROVE — A special birding event, “Birding the Bottomlands,” has been scheduled from 6 to 10 a.m. Saturday, April 21, along the Mississippi River and at Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site off Illinois 3 north of Chester. The Middle Mississippi ...  

Come to the May 5, 2012, Native Plant Sale at the San Pedro House to get tips and ideas for getting started and find some great deals on plants! (http://www.nwf.org/backyard/) Clean your bird feeders and baths regularly. Dirty feeders spread disease.  

Along with the other pleasures of birding, are walks organized by the Discovery Foundation at the Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir. The walks begin at 6:30 a.m., with the more ambitious groups trekking about 5 miles around the water entirely, with a ...  

Birders can take spring tours starting later this month at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area in Grantsburg, Wis. The tours will be from 8 to 10 a.m. April 28, May 5 and May 12. The cost is $5. The wildlife area, about 75 miles northeast of St. Paul, is ...  

That’s why I wrote a brief primer on binoculars about a year ago. I explained, for example, that every pair of binocular is described by two numbers, which are usually found on the center focus wheel. For example, 8×42 and 10×42 describe popular birding binoculars.  

Meet at Fox Forest Headquarters to join Diane DeLuca for this early breeding season guided walk at Fox Forest to search for early migrant birds. This hike will visit the west side of Fox Forest going through a number of habitat associations including ...  

Last week I wrote about the first two days of my "Road Scholar" birding trip. On day three, our group of 22 birders visited the Hassayampa River Preserve, which is owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy. It wasn't a really birdy day, but we still ...  

Citizen Science aims to train people as backyard biologists who gather data for full-time researchers, adding to the global knowledge of nature and the environment. Its first event is Nest Watch, a free training and birding activity from 11 a.m ...  

Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge is hosting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Birding and Heritage Celebration from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday. The family event focuses on the 1920s-40s area in the Tensas River Delta area. Guest speaker will be Phillip ...  

Saturday, April 28, from 9-11 a.m., join expert naturalist David Brown in search of signs of our migrants’ return. Expect to cover two miles of varied terrain. Wear warm clothes and sturdy footwear. Meet at: Christopher P. Dunne Visitor Center ...  

Spring has returned along with Maine’s seasonal avian residents. In recognition of this anticipated occurrence, Maine's state parks, for the second year, will hold a watching event to introduce families and visitors to the outdoor fun of birding in Maine.  

I recently went to Gujurat, India on a first-time ever bird watching expedition. As a first timer, I got a crash course in birding. This was both inspiring and eye-opening. I was completely out of my element and had to learn the basics quickly. I came to ...  

Whether it's mastering the art of capturing "tiny landscapes" or learning the difference between warblers and shorebirds, there's something for photographers and bird-watchers at the 2012 edition of Florida's Birding & Photo Fest this week in St. Augustine.  

The tours follow the Colorado Birding Trail along John Martin Reservoir's shores and across private-land habitats in cattle ranching and canyon country. Food, entertainment and history events also are planned in Las Animas.  

Although wildlife and bird watching is what this nature festival is all about, that's not all it has to offer. The Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival, April 26-29, has many opportunities to learn about other nature related topics such as geology ...  

After a 30 minutes fly to Coca an "Amazonian Cosmopolitan Boom Town"; Marion, Colin, Andres and I we set off to Shiripuno Lodge to bird watch in the Homeland of the Waorani People: the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve—located at the intersection of the Western ...  

That is just one of the ways urban birding can provide some exciting moments and should not be overlooked as an outdoors activity for urban residents, as well as rural folks. There is even a group that specializes in urban birding, or at least birding that ...  

Julian, our guide, who had seen the reserve before ... So it was for me, though my companions, Mike, Jane and Deirdre, seasoned birders all, managed to separate it from its surroundings. Through the screens to either side of the path, I had less trouble ...  

Taking photos enhances the birding experienceHouston ChronicleBy Gary Clark The camera's "drive" or "release mode" allows it to take several frames per second. Birds, such as this tricolored heron, move fast when capturing prey, and a rapid burst of shots is more likely to capture the action.and more »  

That's why I wrote a brief primer on binoculars about a year ago. I explained, for example, that every pair of binocular is described by two numbers, which are usually found on the center focus wheel. For example, 8x42 and 10x42 describe popular birding binoculars.  

Eventually, I became a birder, a higher level of bird watching that sent me on Audubon trips in Maine and to far away places including Texas and Costa Rica in search of birds. Linda and I just returned from our third Texas birding adventure where we added ...  

Birding tours are being offered Saturday at Hackberry Flat near Frederick in southwest Oklahoma. A morning birding tour for intermediate and advanced birdwatchers begins at 8:30 a.m. Birding tours for beginners and families are offered four ...  

Southwest Idaho Mountain Bike Association is seeking volunteers to help with trail projects Sunday, May 6 at Avimor north of Boise. There are several trails that need brush trimming and some tread work. Meet at 9 a.m. and plan to work until ...  

May 12 also is one of the dates of the Junior Ranger Bird Watching programs. The free birding sessions are for children 7 and older from 9 to 11 a.m. A program April 14 will be at Kendall Lake Shelter and the May 12 program will be at Station Road Bridge Trailhead.  

I've spent a whirlwind week in Texas, gathering details to review a wide variety of birding hotspots in the Rio Grande Valley, courtesy of the McAllen Convention and Visitors' Bureau and many other generous sponsors. After seven days of heat, humidity, mosquitoes, great food and even greater birds, I can completely agree with the sentiment that "everything is bigger in Texas." Even without full days of birding (we broke in mid-afternoon to...  

4/18/2012 10:00:00 PM By The Daily Courier COTTONWOOD - The Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival April 26-29 will feature a huge variety of field trips and other activities. The festival is headquartered at the Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood.  

One of the teens that Harold mentored was a young man named Sandy Komito (formerly of Fair Lawn), who later became one of the world's top birders — and still holds the record for the number of bird species seen in North America in one year. Sandy tallied ...  

SUMMERTON, S.C. Nature field trips, bird watching and wildlife photography are among the highlights of this year's edition of the Santee Birding and Nature Festival. The annual three-day event opens with a Friday night banquet in Santee with ...  

OAK HARBOR -- A Beginner Birders Class is offered from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and April 11 at the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, 14000 W. Ohio 2, just west of the Magee Marsh entrance. The free class will cover basic bird identification and songs.  

Spring is an ideal season for bird watching, as many migrating birds visit areas along their journeys where they might not be seen at other times of year. Spring birds also sport bright breeding plumage, making them easier to identify, and it is a time of ...  

Usually a big part of being in the Ft. Myers Beach/Sanibel area is collecting shells on the beach and Monday certainly was the day for that but.... The winds that brought in all the shells on the beach also hijacked some migrating birds and blew them onto Florida's west coast for a "Fall Out" where ...  

An entire weekend devoted to birding and tours throughout the Land Between the Lakes region are all part of Warbler Weekend at Lake Barkley State Resort Park, April 20 – 22. The weekend, sponsored by the park and the Land Between the Lakes National ...  

I'll have an exact count when the trip organizer, former Minnesotan Mike Mulligan, sends his official trip list. Mike lives in Calgary. Five of his six guests are Canadians. Our guide was Kevin Easely of the travel company Costa Rica Gateway ...  

I can admit it now. I was a little nervous. Last Saturday, I led a Maine Audubon trip up to Golden Road, west of Baxter State Park, for what was publicized as a “Finch Fest.” On such a trip, things can go wrong. Besides inclement weather ...  

Good news: The month of May has been all planned out for you. The Penobscot Valley Chapter of Maine Audubon has scheduled 15 neighborhood bird walks during the month. Each 90-minute walk begins at 7 a.m. The walks will finish in time for most ...  

“The White Lake property contains thousands of acres of wildlife habitat and the new birding and nature trail offers easy access for anyone wishing to see a diverse sample of the species which inhabit that ecosystem,” said LDWF Secretary Robert Barham.  

After visiting the the lakes around Ostruzno, a small village about a hours drive Northeast of Prague, we headed for a site, where we were told we would see breeding Cinclus cinclus. This was a latin name that I wasn’t familiar with but with ...  

This is some of what regional newspapers are writing around travel and recreation around the Pacific Northwest. Take this bird ID quiz: Spring is here, the signs are everywhere, including a melody of bird song. With spring, birds are more active ...  

I am in Wickenburg this week leading a bird watching trip for a Northern Arizona University Road Scholar (formerly Elderhostel) program. The program started on Sunday and at first, I wasn't sure if I was even going to be able to get here. The weekend ...  

PEPPERELL -- A class on the basics of bird-watching is coming to the Pepperell Senior on Earth Day. On Saturday, April 28 Beginning Birding, hosted by Jack Lash, former chief ecologist for DCR, will provide an in-depth review of bird knowledge ...  

In his first book, “The Armchair Birder” (2009), Acworth resident John Yow explained his basic, no-nonsense approach to birding: He never had to leave the comforts of home. The former senior editor at Marietta’s Longstreet Press just wasn ...  

Claude was named to replace Mike Reiter who moved out of the county, while Jeremy replaced Jerry Thompson from Baldwin who served as a delegate for more than 25 years. A statewide question which asked about the use of one, two or three lines per ...  

The superlatives don't fly freely in the birding community, so when they roll one out for a short period in May, there must be a lot of wind beneath those wings. The Toledo region is to play host to the "Biggest Week in American Birding ...  

The Kansas Birding Festival, featuring trips to prairie chicken booming grounds, the Konza Prairie, Milford Wetlands near Junction City and Kansas Landscape Arboretum in Wakefield, is slated for April 27-29 in Wakefield, according to its website at www.  

It seems like weather conditions have caused many migrants to overfly us this spring, and I haven’t had a single day where I felt like warblers were dripping from the trees. Nonetheless, we’ve been getting ones and twos of all the expected ...  

VIENNA -Ohio Valley University will offer an introductory course on birding with a focus on species sighted in the Mid-Ohio Valley. The course will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. every Tuesday, beginning May 29 and running through June 30. Cost of the class ...