Favourites: Great Blue Heron, Loon, Cardinal (couldn't find blue jay or harlequin duck), Harris' sparrow, wood duck. I prefer the artist's version of birds in bird books because they show the best view for identifying it in the wild. Also I would like to draw/paint birds, am enrolled in an online course in soft pastels at the moment (portrait) In a large park nearby, there are songbirds in a wooded area, they perch and will fly to seeds on an outstretched hand: chickadees, and only the most courageous red-winged blackbird. There was another, light grey, with buff underside, I did not know it's name, and was intrigued by this visitor. Woodpeckers and owls can be heard. Working on Activity 2, and 3.

Is he an American Robin? I used the Merlin ID app. Bird spotted 7:24 pm EDT April 19, 2023 in Baltimore City, Maryland 21211. Either way he is very one of my favorite birds simply because of his colors and attitude, my proximity to him didn't see to phase him. It seems he even turned to look at me.

Activity 3 - My favorite bird is the Northern Flicker. This species is my favorite because of his striking appearance and long bill. I also love the way he pecks at the ground as he hunts for insects. My mom and I have seen them returning to our home in southern Minnesota this spring and the previous spring as we participated in Project Feederwatch. They have very long bills to help them hunt for insects, a black stripe running under each eye, and a beautiful black bib. There are small black spots underneath the bib. When the flicker flies away, you can see a large white spot on his rump. In my field guide I can see two types of Northern Flickers, the yellow-shafted and red-shafted. When I have observed the flickers in my neighborhood fly away, I have seen yellow on the underside of the wings. This helped me identify them as the yellow-shafted type. The red-shafted type has dark pink on the underside of the wings.

Activity 2 – One of the birds migrating north right now where I live in southern Minnesota is the Canada Goose. Their loud, distinctive honks and the way they often fly in large groups in a “V” shape makes them very fun to watch and a reminder that spring is here! They are in the swimming birds/waterfowl group, family Anatidae. Sometimes when I am driving in the countryside I see Red-tailed Hawks. I love these big, beautiful birds! I have seen one or two of them flying around so far this spring. Red-tailed Hawks are raptors and are in the family Accipitridae. Just recently my mom and I were walking to the doctor when we saw a Killdeer in the unplowed field by our house. My mom was commenting on how pretty he was. He had a black-and-white striped head, a brown body, and short legs. He gave a pretty call as he flew a short distance away from us, staying close to the ground. Killdeer are shorebirds and are in the family Charadriidae.

Activity 1 - The Wall of Birds was so cool! There are so many neat birds from all over the world to learn about on the map. I especially enjoyed listening to their vocalizations. Here are three of my favorites: Great Gray Owl - I love their large, round faces, and I learned that they hunt during the day and are found across the north in both the eastern and western hemispheres (I always thought they were only in the western hemisphere). Sunbittern - I really like this bird's colorful markings that he shows when displaying for a mate. His call was also really cool! Common Loon - I was awed by the mysterious, ghostly call of the loon. I really appreciated being able to hear it because, although this is my state bird (I live in Minnesota), I have never heard the call before. In the painting of the loon on the Wall of Birds, it was also very interesting to see how far back on the body the bird's feet were placed.

Activity 3: A favorite bird of mine that visits my feeders in the winter is the cardinal.  When studying I learned that Cardinals are in the  song bird group and then in the Finches and Bunting sub group. I love  seeing the bright red color of the males especially on a wintry day against some white snow.     The inquisitive looks they seem to give when they tip their head makes me think they are listening to me as I listen to them. Here is one of my favorite pictures I ever took of a cardinal at my feeder.

Activity 2: Raptors – Eagle My friend works on a barge on the Ohio River and sent me this neat picture he took of an Eagle so I read up on it in the Raptor group. Songbirds - I love songbirds and look forward to seeing them around my feeders in the winter. The cardinal is my favorite. Hummingbirds - In the spring I can’t wait to put up my hummingbird feeder to welcome back these energetic birds. I enjoyed learning more about all 3 of these groups as well as other groups I studied. There is so much to learn and enjoy about birds.

Activity 1.  I could spend hours on the interactive map. What  a treasure. Three birds that caught my eye and that I enjoyed learning about today were: Hartlaub's Turaco from Kenya.  I like its showy feathers and monkey like sound. African Paradise-Flycatcher  I was drawn to the beautiful long tail on this smaller body and it’s pretty sound. Whiskered Treeswift  of the Philippines - I learned they use their saliva as glue in nest building They have a chattering call but it is not too shrill.

Lesson 3 I don't have a favourite bird but I am very excited to see the Robin's return here in Eastern Ontario. It means that spring is arriving and it's my favourite time of the year.

I love birds! But my "spark" bird was definitely the crow. Here is our resident crow we call Couscous!

I love all birds but especially raptors. This is a Sharp Shinned Hawk that just arrived in my neighborhood a few weeks ago. Here it has taken down a Mourning Dove.   Here it is waiting and watching. I hope to see much more of it so I can continue to observe it's amazing character and habits. This is an Inca Dove. This bird drove me crazy at first with it's incessant "Who hoo, Who hoo," and then I figured out what it was and I fell in love with it. They are a tiny ground dove with the most lovely wings.

Activity 1: The barn owl I love them. Barn owls are my favorite bird, and I hope to one day see one in the wild. Activity 2: I see many red tailed hawks around my house and my friends and I found a nest at George mason near the sports fields. When we go on hikes sometimes we see a couple of great blue herons here and there. Finally, I have a bird feeder set up in my backyard and we see two mourning doves under it or near it, every day. So that's Raptors, Wading birds, and Doves

Activity 3: My favorite bird from around my neighborhood is yellow, black, and white. You can find it eating seeds from the feeder or from flowers, The American Goldfinch! I love them because they are so brightly colored and they just pop out on the feeder. My next favorite is the eastern bluebird. They always perch on the wire next to our house.

1.  From the wall of birds I chose the Northern Cardinal - because it was my mom's favorite bird.  I hadn't heard their sounds before.  2.  3 groups of birds I see often in my yard are sparrows, blackbirds, and doves.  The Redwing Blackbirds are here now and their flashes of color as they fly are fun to watch.  3.  My "spark" bird is the Green Jay.  They are so colorful and are year round residents here in Southeast Texas.

Activity 1: There were so many on the wall of birds. I don't know if I could name a favorite. My daughter has a love of flamingos so that always draws my attention, but I loved looking at all the different birds from different countries that I can't even imagine wandering around where I live. One that caught my attention was the supberb fruit-dove. It's colors kind of looked like a fruit and I love that the male and female work together to raise their young! So fun! All the interesting shapes sounds and colors of the birds on the wall are so intriguing.

Activity 2 Spending time at the beach (Gulf of Mexico) I have been working on sorting out the birds I see all the time at the beach. Learning from this lesson on what would be shorebirds and using a pocket guide, I am now able to sort a laughing gull from a bonaparte’s gull from a ring-billed gull. Bev

Activity 1 - There are so many interesting birds, but I am choosing the Resplendent Quetzal (Trogons Family).  Besides being a beautiful bird with a very interesting call it is a very important bird in Guatemala.  It is on their flag and their currency is named for the bird as well (Quetzales).  I have been to Guatemala several times but have only seen the Quetzal in a zoo.  I would love to see it in its’ natural habitat.

Activity 1: After exploring the wall of birds it was difficult to decide which is a favorite since there are so many amazing and different birds. I will say the albatross is quite striking with its size and amazing ability to stay away from land for so long.   Activity 2: There are many birds I regularly see in my neighborhood--house sparrows, mourning doves, blue jays, cardinals, goldfinches, red bellied/downy/hairy/red headed woodpeckers, white breasted nuthatches, black capped chickadees, tufted titmouse, mallards, Canada geese, and various hawks.   Activity 3: It is hard to choose a favorite but I will say the red bellied woodpecker because I love their cheerful sounds and lovely feathers, plus I can guarantee almost anytime I go for a walk I will see one.

Activity 2: Who says different species don't get along? These Great Cormorants (Sea Birds) seem fine to share their space with the Snowy Egret (Wading Birds). Also, I've been enjoying watching a pair of Red-Shouldered Hawks apparently carrying sticks to build their nest in a Live Oak somewhere nearby. Activity 3: I don't know that I have a favorite bird; I enjoy so many of them, but I do love to watch a White-breasted Nuthatch as it scampers down the tree near the feeder and makes that quick foray onto the feeder.

Activity 1: I'd have to say one of the most interesting birds to me is the Secretary Bird. Their massive size and beautiful feathers make them look absolutely gorgeous! Activity 2: Three main groups of birds I see in my yard are various doves, songbirds, and woodpeckers. Starlings singing on the rooftops, beautiful Inca Doves hooting as they wander around the yard, and the Gila Woodpeckers that visit my feeders to grab food every now and then. Activity 3: One of my favorite birds that visits my yard would have to be the Mourning Doves! I love hearing them first thing in the morning when I go outside and it's always fun to watch them wander around the yard. When spring comes there is always a pair nesting and raising babies.

Activity 3, a favorite bird that I see (and photographed) that I see in my neighborhood - Cedar Waxwings. They are incredibly beautiful to me and are sneaky as they go about their foraging activities. I'm always excited to see them since they never come to feeders and you have to find them. Extraordinary-looking birds indeed.

For Activity 1, I'd have to say that the Albatross, of the Oceanic Birds, was the most impressive as I've observed them while at sea. I had no idea that they would or could go for 5 or more years without touching land. Their ability to drink seawater by using its salt glands to discharge salt really impressed me also. For Activity 2, very easy for me here as we have so many groups represented right here on my rural property. I've photographed more than I can recall. We also raised ratites. So, photos - First would be Anatidae In this case, the male wood duck that I photographed right here on our pond. The next group would be - Columbidae A mourning dove. Third would be... Trochilidae Male Ruby-throated hummingbird  

Activity 1 I looked at several birds on the wall of birds. The one that caught my attention is the Red-legged Seriema, Cariama cristata. I found it interesting and a little challenging to group. After reading several articles and looking at pictures, I believe it would be in the "chicken like birds" group. I don't have a favorite bird. I find them all interesting.

Activity 1: After exploring the Wall of Birds, something I'd like to see in-person, one of my favorites is the Blue-footed Booby. Call me immature, but the name alone still gives me a chuckle even at 30 years of age. I cannot imagine a more fitting bird for the Galapagos Islands than the Blue-footed Booby. For such unique beautiful birds, their calls are less than desirable. It was interesting to learn that since males and females look incredible similar, both with bright blue coloring whereas normally females are always drab, you can tell the female from the male by their star-shaped pupils. I did not see this bird on the Wall of Birds (unless I overlooked it), but another one of my favorites is by far the Paradise Bird. The shape they take on when dancing around to impress females is so unique - with their solid black coloring and bright bits of blue coloring coming through. Their dancing rituals puts even the most trained dancer to shame - I have never watched a Paradise Bird dance video that did not bring an instant smile and chuckle. Activity 2: There are three main bird groups I spot in my backyard: sparrows, woodpeckers, and tree creepers. It is not uncommon to talk outside and see a dozen or more Song Sparrows at any given time. I haven't seen any House Sparrows in my backyard, but I have spotted them outside more downtown on the sidewalks outside of businesses. As for the woodpeckers, my most frequent visitors are a male and female Downy. Often times they are both going to town on one particular pine tree, but they also seems to very much enjoy the suet cakes I put out. I have seen one Hairy male woodpecker as well as a Red-bellied woodpecker. Neither the Hairy nor the Red-bellied seem to stick around whenever I come outside. My favorite tree creeper I have is a Red-breasted Nuthatch. There is only one, whereas there are multiple White-breasted Nuthatches that visit. The little Red-breasted one is very friendly - like will sit on the feeder as I'm filling it up watching me and has even landed in my hand before to take unshelled peanuts. Activity 3: For me it is so hard to pick a true favorite. I feel each bird has it's own personality and it is such a joy to be able to watch them daily and see how they interact with each other. As mentioned, above I have a Red-breasted Nuthatch that visits daily and she is one of my favorites. She along with a Carolina Wren have such larger than life personalities and have absolutely no issue with making noise and messes until I fill up their feeders. I just recently spotted, for the first time, a Yellow-rumped Warbler. My Merlin app had been picking up his sound for a while, but I wasn't able to ever physically ID him until recently. He is my first Warbler so I am quite found of him. The Blue Jays, while incredibly loud, are a site to see - their coloring is just downright beautiful.

Activity 3 - Meet Edgar one of three crows that visits my yard. I find crows so inquisitve and interesting.  There are 3 that visit each day (Edgar, Allena and Poe) that have my routine down pat and show up as soon as let my dog out.   I usually put out peanuts or dry cat food for them and I watch them review their surroundings before taking turns to pick up the food.  The other day, the ruckus they were making along with the other birds led me to think there might be a predator in the yard.  Sure enough, when I went out to check, I found a cat lurking under my car. The other day when I was at my desk in my bedroom, I looked up to see them on the hydro wire in my backyard watching me through my window!!!  I got up, grabbed some food and headed out.  They had moved to the tree to await my arrival.  I was thinking I could maybe train them, but now I'm thinking that they got me tained. Peterborough, Ontario, Canada