Activity #1: The wall is a good way to explore various birds...you can do it in the Merlin app as well, but having it on a map and with random access to any bird that seems intriguing makes it easier to just explore. For Activity #2, I did some id'ing only in my front yard, found 4 birds from the Songbirds group, a flycatcher (Black Phoebe), two sparrows (California Towhee and Dark-eyed Junco) and a blackbird (Brown-headed Cowbird).

I love the Wall of Birds. The ones that don't occur where I live or have lived are especially intriguing for their novelty. Of the ones that occur near me, my favourites are the Common Loon and the Great Blue Heron. I see the Great Blue Heron more frequently, but the Common Loon is especially exciting to find, other than on our Canadian dollar coin, which we call a "loonie" because it has a loon engraved on its surface. I love the sound of a loon! In marshy areas near me I can easily identify the red-winged blackbirds by sound, often alerting me to the exact location. A couple of the marshes also have yellow-headed blackbirds. The bright yellow head and call that only a mother could love helps identify them.

I believe this is a Great Heron that we spotted when we lived in California on the Central Coast. So powerful and graceful at the same time.

Activity 3: White Breasted Nuthatch - I often see these visiting our bird feeder or suit feeder. It is kind of thrill to see them visit. They really stick out amongst our more common visitors - the sparrows and doves. For this activity, I downloaded the Merlin Bird ID app and listened to their calls. I'll be listening for these outside this week!

This year I've learned about the Great Crested Flycatcher.  I first so one at a local park and then was lucky enough to fine one in my back yard!  He had an unmistakable "wheep" like call.

Went for a walk this morning and saw or heard Catbirds, Robins, Titmice, Song Sparrows, Crows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Great Blue Heron, Canada Geese, Mallards, Ruby throated Hummingbird, and Hairy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers.  Too hard to pick a favorite!  When the hummingbirds are here it is probably those and in the dead of winter it is probably the Cardinal but all birds are wonderful and interesting. Enjoyed the Wall of Birds interactive feature.

Activity #2.  Today I saw killdeer, Herrmann's gull, sandpipers, oyster catchers, a great blue heron and an osprey.  Needless to say, I live 1/2 mile from the Pacific Ocean!  Thank you for the course and for everyone sharing their bird pictures.

Very good intro so far. #1 Started exploring the Wall during this course. #2 When out earlier today, saw House Sparrows, Yellow Warblers, American Robins, Great Crested Flycatchers; Wood Ducks, Mallards, Canada Geese, Double-crested Cormorant; Ring-billed Gulls; Downy Woodpecker; Mourning Dove. #3 Happy to see that Great Crested Flycatchers have finally returned to town in good numbers. Also enjoying seeing American Redstarts this year. Both can be found near my home.

I really enjoy the Mourning Doves. By using the Merlin app I have been able to identify a few birds. The Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, and a Brown-Headed Cowbird. I love the app, it’s great.

Activity 2: I saw a song sparrow, sparrow, greet blue heron, wading bird, and an osprey, raptor. Activity 3: A cardinal is at our bird feeder. It loves perching on the pole next to the feeder itself. It is bright red and so beautiful. Whenever I put new bird seed in the feeder, the cardinal is the first one to come to the bird feeder and watches over it.

One of my favorite birds is the White-Rumped Shama Their song is so beautiful I will never get tired of it. This is a male below

My favorite bird is the Northern Flicker. It looks incredible when flying and has a unique polka dot look. I get to see them a lot near my home.

After nearly 2 years of looking, I finally saw a Barred Owl last week! They are elusive!

Hmmm.  What group are wrens in?  I often recognize a wren because of its bill shape.

Great intro.  Didn't know birds could fly in their sleep!  Too crazy.  There is a barn swallow nest right out my hotel window.  4  hungry babies and parent(s) non-stop feeding them.  Is it just the mom or is dad helping out as well?

Activity 2: Today I saw a Bahama Mockingbird, a lifer for me. There was a Northern Mockingbird also in the area so I could compare and contrast them. I also used apps on my phone to help me verify my identification of the Bahama Mockingbird. I found the Bahama Mockingbird thanks to eBird's Rare Bird Alerts. I highly recommend subscribing to them in your area.

Activity #1: I first learned about the Wall of Birds after attending a Monarch Joint Venture webinar entitled: The Monarch Migrating Mural Project: Public Art as a Catalyst for Conservation. In this webinar, Jane Kim discussed her ongoing Monarch Migrating Campaign. She included the work she had done with the Wall of Birds and the same website we visited with this lesson. One of my favorites on the Wall is the Montezuma Quail. I just think they are super cute. I love the small head on the nice plump body.

Activity 3: This is one of my favorite birds which is active in my area right now, it is a Chinese Hwamei. I enjoy their song, which is very loud and long. I also like the white markings around the eye, it looks like a they are wearing a mask.

Activity 2: Today I found Barn Swallows flying low over the grass as it rained, they are listed in the lesson as song birds who are great flyers, I also saw many Eurasian Tree Sparrows bouncing around foraging in the wet grass, they were listed as Sparrows in the lesson. The third type I saw for this activity was a pair of Blue Rock-Thrush, one male and one female. They were listed in the others category of song birds.

Activity 2: went for a walk after this lesson and saw a woodpecker (Northern Flicker; red-shafted), I think a fly catcher (not sure what kind, but maybe a western wood pewee), songbird: American Robin, Eurasian Dove, Raptor (red-tailed hawk). Activity 3: I love all my neighborhood birds but am partial to American Robins and Black-Capped Chickadees. I like how the Robin runs along grass in the yard, as well as it’s song. I like the size and shape of the chickadees.

Today, on a walk around my neighborhood, I saw many cardinals (finches), a northern flicker (woodpecker), and some juvenile starlings, which I had to look up in Merlin since they were starling-shaped and sounded like starlings but were a plain grey rather than iridescent and speckled like adults!

Took this image a few weeks ago. I believe this is a juvenile; hummingbird; not sure if it is an Anna's Hummingbird or Allen's. In any case this is in my backyard, he seems to like the succulents and the flowers of a peach tree we have.

One of my favorites is the White Rumped Shama, and we have one that lives in our backyard.  His songs are absolutely fantastic, especially the amazing, intricate, rapid runs.

From Activity #3:   I got a new camera this spring, with a zoom lens that's actually capable of taking bird pix that are good enough to help with identification. Here's an Eastern Towhee, taken in April at a nature preserve near here. And here's a Wood Duck, taken at a metropark near my house. And here's a Northern Flicker. (ID's assisted by more knowledgeable friends.)