Activity 2 In my area my year-round residents are; The Northern Cardinal, The Canada Goose, and the Black-capped Chickadee.  In the city I see Canada Geese and Cardinals daily, but If I want to see a Chickadee I need to go to the Bruce Trail or a Conservation area.  My occasional residents are; the Baltimore Oriole, The American Redstart, and the Eastern Kingbird.  Of those, I have only seen the Baltimore Oriole a few years back when my neighbour had a cherry tree in the backyard.

Activity 1 Northern Cardinal vs. Blackburnian Warbler The Cardinal tends to stay in North America whereas the Blackburnian Warblers spend their winters in South American and migrate North in mid spring, heading back south in the fall.   Scarlet Tanager vs.Western Tanager The Scarlet Tanager winters in South America.  In the Spring it makes its way across the Eastern half of the United States and up to Eastern Canada for the summer months until it again migrates South for the  winter.  The Western Tanager winters in Mexico and Central America.  In the spring they migrate to the Western half of the United States and Western Canada. Ruby-throated Hummingbird vs. Rufous Hummingbird The Ruby-throated Hummingbird winters in Mexico and Central America, with isolated pockets in Florida.  In the Spring they migrate across the Gulf and up to the Eastern half of the United States, up into Canada where they are found in the Eastern, Prairie, and Western Provinces. The Rufous Hummingbird Winters in Mexico and Central America.  In the spring it migrates North following the West Coast of the United States up into Canada.  On its migration South it covers a wider geographical area.  

Activity 1: some birds have very long migrations based on the seasons, while others, like the Northern Cardinal, seem to stay put more or less throughout the year. Some birds migrate from the same starting point along very different paths, with some opting for a route over the Gulf of Mexico and up the east coast, for example, while others moving up the west coast. Activity 2: I live in Montreal. I've become quite fascinated with the bar charts and range maps available in Merlin lately. Three birds that are found in my area throughout the year and that I've seen lately: Mallard; American Crow; and Northern Cardinal. Three birds that only live in my area for part of the year: Tree Swallow; Double-Crested Cormorant; and Great Egret. I've seen all three of these in the past month! I'm really fascinated by the Great Egret's range map. Usually range maps for migratory species have a migration zone that connects a breeding zone and a year-round or non-breeding zone. But for the Great Egret, the migration zone is actually further north than all other zones (year-round, non-breeding, and breeding). What the heck are they doing migrating well beyond their breeding areas? Activity 3: summer season is clearly the season for getting dressed up. It's like the prom! Both birds have the same base color schemes in summer and winter, but the summer plumage is sharper, brighter, more demarcated and decorated. I've only just started paying close attention to birds around me, despite having loved the outdoors and nature my whole life. I'm interested to see how hard it will be to identify birds once plumages for my regular sightings start changing. Already, it's hard to differentiate male and female when plumage varies considerably, not to mention immature birds; so when all of their plumages start changing in different directions later in the year -- that's going to be a challenge. But I look forward to it. Activity 4: My favorite birding spot is probably the birding spot that I haven't been to yet -- the far north, the coastal waters where I grew up but no longer live, deep boreal forest -- these places are ones I dream about being in to see what's there. But my most regular birding spots hold a different kind of special place in my heart. I love getting to know a place deeply by spending a lot of time there. I have a place I go to several times a day for walks and that I've gotten to know in much deeper ways since I've started paying attention to what birds show up, and doing some reading in Merlin and elsewhere on what is likely to appear at different times of the year. Right now, that spot is dominated by Red-Winged Blackbirds, Song Sparrows, Great Blue Herons, Double-Crested Cormorants, Mallards, Ring-Billed Gulls, Tree Swallows, and others. Interestingly, in six months, the mix of birds that people typically see at this site seems to be very similar. Birds that migrate away from here will be back on their southward migration in about six months (e.g., Buffleheads, Common Goldeneye). The Tree Swallow is one of the few examples of a bird that is here now but who probably won't be around in six months.

At my favorite spot, in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in the Spring I will see Robins, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Sparrows, Canada Geese, Mourning Doves, Downy Woodpeckers, Mallards, Green Herons and Great Blue Herons.  As it becomes Summer I will see Goldfinches and then when it turns to Winter the Robins, Goldfinches, Green Heron  and Great Blue Herons migrate South and are replaced with Tufted Titmice, Dark eyed Juncos and Carolina Chickadees.

Activity 2: 3 species that are present year round in my area are Northern cardinal, common grackle, and house finch, all of whom we see regularly. 3 species that are present for only part of the year (during breeding only) are the ruby-throated hummingbird (which we see at our feeders), tree swallow (which nests in our boxes), and chimney swift - which I don't recall ever seeing but now that I know to look for it I will! I'm enjoying all of these activities as they are making me much more aware of my surroundings!.

1. Compare Ruby-throated Hummingbird with Rufous Hummingbird:  Ruby migrates up the East Coast of the US while Rufous migrates up the West Coast of the US. 2. In my area, year-round residents include an array of finches, sparrows, Robins, California Towhee, Dark-eye Junco, wrens, and Oak Titmouse.  Spring visitors include an array of warblers. 3.  Male American Goldfinches:  Summer--bright yellow plumage.  Winter--duller brownish/yellow plumage. 4.  My favorite birding spot is Los Gatos Creek trail.  I expect to find warbles and orioles right now in the trees at the end of April.  Early in the morning I would see Snowy Egrets and Black-crowned Night Herons, California Gulls, and Mallard Ducks on the Vasona Lake.  On the Vasona Park lawns, there are usually Canada Geese.  This time of year, I would anticipate seeing ducklings and goslings, too.  Due to the pandemic, I've been avoiding the trail--and hence the Lake park--because it gets very crowded . . . with everyone home--there has been more foot, bike, and scooter traffic on this narrow path.  Egrets, Night Herons, California Gulls, Mallards, and Canada Geese are year-round residents in our mild climate.

Activity 1: n Cardinal has a short migration in the eastern US vs the black warbler which has a long migration from South America to Canada. Scarlet Tánger and the Western Tánger have a long migration in North America but one is East Coast  and the other west Coast hummingbirds have a long migration with a East/west coast difference sandhill crane has a large migration but mostly in US (all the way to Alaska)

In these activities I note that in the first birds compared the ranges are often very different. Either mostly east vs mostly west, or that one species migrates very little but the other has quite a wide range. In the second activity there are apparently a lot of birds that are in my area of the NE all year round. More than I thought.  On the other hand, there are also many seasonal birds some of which I have never seen nor even heard of so perhaps that's because I wasn't attentive to them 'seasonally'.  These would include the Ruby Crowned Kinglet, the Northern Parula  and the Yellow Rumped Warbler among others In the 3rd activity I see that the gold finches really change quite a bit from summer to winter. The first thing that struck me was that their bellies seem might lighter/whiter in color so the blend in better in the winter and they seem to loose the black cap on their heads.  Their beaks also change color becoming less bright.  It's amazing to me that their beaks can change color (but also seems to me to make identification that much more challenging). The loons also change color a lot. Their colors are intense black/white and blue or blue green in the summer but more gray and brown in the winter. They loose that distinctive black head in the winter as well as that blue collar and the prominent black and white patterning on their backs. I don't have a favorite spot yet, but there is a park near me that runs along an estuary and has marshes as well as trees and lawn so that might be a good place to look.  There are areas of woods and forest near me as well as marshes so I think I'll have to look up what should appear in each and then try and explore (when things open up again - right now all parks are closed by me).

Activity 2: This was a fun activity (modified slightly to focus on three instead of six birds)! The animated range maps add interesting dimensions to my bird watching: “when” and “where.” So, now, in addition to thinking about what I saw, I can also consider what I might -- or might not -- see next. Dark-eyed Junco in late March. This was one of the last times this year that I saw this inquisitive little fellow. According to the abundance animation (https://ebird.org/science/status-and-trends/daejun/abundance-map-weekly), they’ve largely migrated to the Northern United States and Canada by this time of year but should be returning in the fall. American Goldfinch in early April. While not a good photo, this was the first time since last year that I’d seen these birds. According to the animation (https://ebird.org/science/status-and-trends/amegfi/abundance-map-weekly), however, they could be present in my area throughout the year. Perhaps nonbreeding plumage or an overall lower density in winter help explain their apparent absence. Gray Catbird in late April. I remember seeing these dapper fellows last year and am pleased to have noted one’s arrival the other (rainy) day. According to the animation (https://ebird.org/science/status-and-trends/grycat/abundance-map-weekly), these birds spend the non-breeding season along the Gulf Coast, the Caribbean, and in parts of Central America before moving into the midwest and northeastern parts of the United States. Travel safe, bird friends!

I have recently seen an American Goldfinch here with still winter plummage and was surprised at how bright yellow he will become.  The other surprise I had...I did not know that loons look so different in winter.  If I have seen them I don't think I would recognize them.  Thanks!

Activity #1: I was interested to learn that the Northern Cardinal is a year-found bird in NE U.S. (the abundance didn't really change throughout the year); whereas the Blackburnian Warbler only summers in the NE U.S., while wintering in Northern South America. The tanagers were very different: the Scarlet Tanager is a migrant, living in the NE U.S. May-Sept, and wintering way down in northern and northwestern South America. The Western Tanager lives in western U.S. about May-Sept., and winters in Mexico and Central America (it doesn't go as far as the Scarlet Tanager). The ruby-throated hummer lives in the Eastern U.S. and southern Canada about May-Sept., and winters in southern Mexico and Central America...whereas the rufous hummer lives in western U.S. (NW mostly) May-Sept., and winters in southern Mexico. As for the sandhill cranes, they summer in northern Canada and Alaska (which surprised me), and winter in FL and TX; whereas the smaller yellow-bellied flycatchers summer way up in western Canada and NE U.S., and winter in Central America. Activity#2: I've seen the following three birds year round in NY: Northern Cardinal, Chickadee, and Rock Pigeon....although I didn't see many Chickadees this winter (someone said they were cyclical, so I hope we see more next winter.) Three birds I see onl part of the year are Scarlet Tanager (which winter in Central America); Wood Thrush, and Yellow Warbler, which winters in northern and Central America. Activity #3: In summer, NY Goldfinches have their black caps, and bright yellow breast and back. In winter, the black cap disappears, and their yellow is very pale. But, I noticed that the black wings with white wing bars stay year-round. As for the Common Loons: in summer, they have a dark black head, striped necklace, and checkered back; whereas in winter the black in the head and the checkered back are muted, and there's no necklace. The neck and breast are white. Activity#4: Now (April) in NYC's Inwood Hill Park, I'm seeing Northern Cardinals, Robins, Rock Pigeons, Starlings, Mockingbirds, Flickers, House Sparrows...the spring migration (which  I think peaks in May) hasn't really started yet. In six months, I'll probably see most of these same birds, many of which don't migrate. If I see migrating warblers in May, they won't be here in six months.

Being a beginning birder I don’t know species names so it is difficult to use ebirder quickly.Or maybe there is a trick to accessing common names to do a search.Thanks for any advice. Carol