• Erin
      Participant
      Chirps: 3
      Activity 2: I saw birds from the wading group (egrets and herons), the seabird group (pelican. cormorant), and the songbird group (Vermilion Flycatcher). I had help! I did a kayak intro to bird-watching tour this past weekend at Watson Lake in Prescott. They said it was unusual to see a pelican there, so that was cool! Activity 3: I like mourning doves because they are everywhere and easy to find and photograph, which makes them wonderful to practice photography on! (I recently got a camera.)IMGP8540IMGP8541
      • WLMII
        Participant
        Chirps: 17
        It is nice to have an consistent subject to photograph.  I have a lot of Robin photos for the same reasons, everywhere and easy to find and photograph.  I'm sure you've seen that even common sights like the Mourning Dove and American Robin can reveal a lot when observed for a while through a camera lens.  Thanks for sharing.
    • Mark
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      There are so many fascinating birds to choose from it's hard to narrow it down to one but my favorite would have to be the Arctic Tern for the insanely long distance it migrates annually. I sat on my patio for a while today and saw the usual visitors to my feeders, some House Finches and Sparrows, a California Towhee, and some Morning Doves. But then a tiny little yellow bird appeared and I couldn't get a good look at first because he was chasing bugs around inside the tree, then he took a break on an outer branch revealing the black stripe on his crown, a Wilson Warbler. So far there isn't a great variety of birds in the area where I live but the Doves are fun birds, they sound so sad at times but they are very friendly, they don't seem to mind if people are around the feeders or water, they fly right in and get a drink and a snack.
    • WLMII
      Participant
      Chirps: 17
      Activity 1: I picked the Northern Cardinal, Wood Duck, Great Blue Heron, and the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.  I've had some recent encounters with these birds so they stood out the most to me as ones I wanted to learn more about. Activity 2: 3 birds that I've seen recently are the Red-headed Woodpecker which is rare in my region, the Ruby-Crowned Kinglet which made an appearance outside my kitchen window this morning with that ruby crown exposed, and a male breeding plumage Yellow-Rumped Warbler. Activity 3: Unfortunately I don't have a photo of my favorite bird which I've seen in my neighborhood.  It is the Pied-billed Grebe https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pied-billed_Grebe/id . They are charming little aquatic birds frequently seen near ducks.  Their small size makes them look like a juvenile duck until one gets a closer look.  A sharp, thick bill with a black ring on it is the first distinguishing feature.  Unlike most ducks, they will completely submerge and stay down for quite a while.  They look wet when they return to the surface, unlike ducks with their waterproof plumage.  Their scruffy-looking feathers and childlike appearance remind me of my 4-year-old son which is one of the reasons these grebes are my favorite.  Another reason is these are a recent discovery for me; I had no idea they existed and if I have seen them before, they remained anonymous. In second place is the Black-bellied Whistling Duck.  I live in Missouri, so seeing a large group of these ducks (who mostly stay in Central America) at my neighborhood lake was quite a treat!  I have photos of these: 0N9A2150 0N9A2017 0N9A2298  
      • Erin
        Participant
        Chirps: 3
        Amazing photos!!
      • WLMII
        Participant
        Chirps: 17

        @Erin Thank you!  I got to enjoy these guys for about two weeks so I got a bit of practice.  I wish it was all skill but I was bound to get a few keepers with the spray and pray method.

      • Lauri
        Participant
        Chirps: 3
        Wow!  How beautiful they are.  Great photos!
    • suzanne
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      enjoyed finding out about the download bird app[ which is free. I will need practice learning how to use it. Also the bird calls is very informative and helpful. hank you
    • Naomi
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      • 210EA546-6FE3-44BC-9602-FA2D98D511FBAt Settle Falconry EnglandD121F97A-91B9-4710-8849-F44860DF683396F6C509-BF97-4CB0-B5EC-D7DD1CC2500DAt Falconry in Settle England
      • Lauri
        Participant
        Chirps: 3
        What an amazing experience with a beautiful bird!
    • Naomi
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      • 96F6C509-BF97-4CB0-B5EC-D7DD1CC2500DAt Falconry in Settle England
    • K L
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      Activity #1: There are so many interesting birds on the Wall of Birds. I'm highlighting the Common Loon since it represents the sound of a summer visit to a local lake.  I particularly remember listening to the haunting call of the loon at night from our tent at Fish Lake, Alberta - truly magical! Activity #2: This week I've noticed the abundance of House Sparrows chirping outside.  Although they are a very common Songbird, their songs are a welcome sound in our backyard.  I've also seen a Downy Woodpecker visit a dead branch of our Mountain Ash to look for a tasty treat.  Lastly, I know there are a number of owls in our neighbourhood but have not yet seen them, but I'll be on the lookout for them! Activity #3: This week, for the first time, I observed a few family groups of White-winged Crossbills. It was fascinating to watch them select a spruce cone from the ground and then fly up with it to a spruce branch to eat their lunch.IMG_8781 copy
      • WLMII
        Participant
        Chirps: 17
        What a great find!  I just observed a Northern Flicker for the first time a few days ago and I was thrilled.
    • Jean
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      Activity 1: I explored the Wall of Birds and was taken by the Red-legged Seriema from South America. Watching how the bird prepares its pray for consumption is amazing and the sounds this bird makes is very unique. Activity 2: We have quite a variety of birds in our yard but the ones that most impress me are the Norther Flicker, the Spotted Towhee and, and my favorite California Quail. We have built a substantial mound of brush and branches from our property for the Quail and many other birds to nest in. We are looking forward to the time when the parent birds will be parading around the yard with their little ones. Activity 3: As much as I love the California Quail, the Red Shoulder Hawk is by far my most favorite neighborhood bird. We have a nest in one of our Ponderosa Pine trees and this is the year for a new hawk family. The nest is not used every year. We have been watching the parent hawks feed each other and guard the nest as needed. One morning while sitting on my deck I could hear subtle chirping from the nestlings. It was so exciting. I am looking forward to the nestlings growing and venturing out of the nest to spread and try their wings. It is always a delight to observe this process.
    • Helen
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      Really enjoying learning about a whole new selection of songbirds, here in the US.  I am British and moved here from the UK in January 2022.  I am naturally inquisitive of comparison and look for like-for-like, chickadee to tit, [Eastern] bluebird to blackbird (Eurasian blackbird of the Thrush family). Blue Jay to Eurasian Jay etc.  I am also really enjoying the number of woodpeckers i have visiting my feeders, which were a very rare occurrence where i lived in the UK.  I am lucky to live in a very forested part of the US and my backyard is surrounded by wooded forest which attract an abundance of wildlife.  Apologies for the poor photograph - shot in fading light from the comfort of my armchair on my phone...on a whim!  But i love the little Downy! 20220330_185050[4900]
    • Sarah
      Participant
      Chirps: 18
      I love how birds wait their turn at the feeder, the chickadee after the titmouse. bird feeder.03.28.22
    • Terri
      Participant
      Chirps: 3
      Activity #3. I recently moved to a new part of the country. One bird I have seen regularly in my yard and at my feeder is the Pinyon Jay. They come in droves to my feeder. I have since discovered that their numbers are declining because of habitat destruction. They need Pinyon Pines as a food source. A conservation group is studying the Pinyon Jays and has recruited citizen scientists to participate in studying them. Now they are one of my favorites because I am always looking for them and reporting when and where I see them.  (Bird ID) Jay. Jayjay
      • WLMII
        Participant
        Chirps: 17
        Cool photo and cool opportunity!
    • Terri
      Participant
      Chirps: 3
      Activity#2 I recently moved to the Southwest from the east coast. I have learned so many new species. When I do see a new one, I am usually able to come close to identifying it the first time. I am pretty good on visual recognition, but I am trying to learn to identify common birds by their song.  Merlin has helped.
    • Sybille
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      I have a pair of cardinals that I've been watching in my backyard for years. I don't know how long cardinals live, so I don't know which generation I am seeing, but it is such a joy when they appear, often together to charm us with their very existence. Sybille
      • Erin
        Participant
        Chirps: 3
        this is beautiful :)
    • Laura
      Participant
      Chirps: 2
      IMG_0489 Western bluebirds feeding on mealworms at a friend's house. I've been trying to lure them to our backyard, putting up multiple mealworm cups and filling them daily (white-crowned sparrows gobble them up, too).
    • Deanna
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      Activity #1 I would really love to see a Shoebill someday. I have seen videos of them and they are so surreal looking. Activity #2 While walking around a local preserve I saw a Great Blue Heron catch and eat a fish. I also spotted a Red-Winged Black Bird hopping on the cat tails on the edge of the water. There was also a Pied-Billed Grebe that I was able to ID with it's call on the Merlin app. Activity #3 My favorite bird that I've seen in my neighborhood would have to be the Ring-necked Pheasant. They're so beautiful and it makes me happy seeing them because I know for a while they were endangered due to over hunting the males. image000000 (5)
    • Amy
      Participant
      Chirps: 3
      Activity 1:  They're not the flashiest, but I've always been fascinated by owls.  I'd love to see one someday! Activity 2:  In our neighborhood, I've seen birds from the crows/jay, titmice/chickadee, & woodpecker groups so far.  I just started birding a few months ago and am looking forward to hopefully seeing some spring robins soon! Activity 3:  My favorite birds are our resident crows/magpies.  They're fascinating to watch and listen to . . . and the crows loved our old dog and used to bring him bones!
      • Laura
        Participant
        Chirps: 2
        Oh, I do love owls! We're really fortunate to have several great horned owls nesting in the neighborhood, I get to see them swooping in over our backyard some nights, and their calls are really calming, I find.
    • Kathleen
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      This Northern Flicker has really enjoyed the suet cakes we put out this winter. We have an active bird feeder and a wide assortment of birds. This class is helping us to tell the difference between the large number of brown birds that visit. 5FA438E2-4A4D-47BB-BF8A-768DA9A99931
      • WLMII
        Participant
        Chirps: 17
        I just saw a Northern Flicker for the first time this week.  Awesome sight.  Thanks for sharing.
    • Maria
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      Have enjoyed introductions to great variety of birds reading all entries submitted below. Thank you.
    • Karl
      Participant
      Chirps: 3
      84901C17-BEDC-4F8A-9DFC-508B6E025086Goldfinch and Common Redpolls enjoying a Christmas gift
      • WLMII
        Participant
        Chirps: 17
        Imagine if this trained them to see owls as prey.
    • Russ
      Participant
      Chirps: 3
      500_0642 Tree Swallow
    • Eldor2
      Participant
      Chirps: 3
      I spent an afternoon photographing humming birds (ruby throated). This is my favorite of a female.10610878_757128894351167_7135414459620836592_n
    • Eldor2
      Participant
      Chirps: 3
      Blackbird I photographed when I took my grandson to the local Zoo.BlackBird
    • Eldor2
      Participant
      Chirps: 3
      Female Goldfinch
    • Activity #1 - It's so difficult to pick favorites from the Wall of Birds, even when you're allowed to pick more than one! I find parrots endearing, right down to the scratchy quality of some of their vocalizations (that might be more difficult for others to hear), so naturally the Blue-and-Yellow Macaw, Kakapo, and Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo make my "favorites" list. Of the non-parrots, I found myself drawn to the Atlantic Puffin and Superb Lyrebird, both of whom have an endearing appearance and vocalizations as well. Still, there are so many beautiful birds on this wall that I can go about but it would take awhile to get through them all! Activity #3 - Of my neighborhood birds, my favorite is the California Scrub Jay as the pair (with the male being a bit bolder personality-wise) won me over with their charisma and boisterousness. I still recall the first time I tossed in-shell unsalted peanuts to them while they were perched on a telephone wire. The male bobbed his body up and down a couple of times and made a dive for the peanuts which were just several feet away from me on the ground. Ever since then, as I've continued giving them peanuts, they'd make a soft "kuk kuk" vocalization around me. So cute. I also find their colors and markings beautiful.
    • Keanu
      Participant
      Chirps: 1
      Activity #1. I think my favorite bird would have to be the Albatross, the shear size and grace of these birds always astonishes me, and I'd love to see one in person one day. Activity #2. After going outside yesterday we were introduced to quite the variety of raptors, "other" songbirds, waterfowl and woodpeckers. Namely a massive group of bald eagles that decided to fly through the area, and a small kestrel chasing around a red tailed hawk. Other songbirds would have to belong to all the bohemian waxwings which another birder on the trail was kind enough to aid in ID'ing. The waterfowl seen were a bunch of common goldeneyes and a couple of mergansers which made their way into the flock. Finally a pileated woodpecker was seen hammering away at a branch before we were off again. Activity #3. My favorite neighborhood bird would have to belong to that kestrel. The speed and agility of the bird will always amaze me, along with it's persistant nature to chase down any other raptor in the area make it an easy favorite.