#2 - There is much more I could do to protect birds.  As a big coffee drinker, I will definitely try to find shade grown/bird friendly coffees.  I sometimes order from Gimme Coffee right in Ithaca and found out today that they carry a bird friendly variety.

Activity 4: I started taking more bird pics, while walking my dog. We are fortunate to have a large number of marshes, lakes and mountains. My dog is young and impatient. I decided today that i need to visit some hotspots on my own. It is so much fun to sit quietly in the woods or marshes and watch; rather than walking around. I am still working on finding birds by song, and i want to further my education. I have shared a lot of pictures with friends, and i am also discussing with them what we can do for birds. What's the next course? Cheers

Activity 2: I have always been environmentally conscious; recycling, reducing waste, natural cleaners, vegetarian, spreading the word. I am working on shopping more locally, to reduce environmental impacts. I contribute to nature groups. My new birdbath hasn't attracted any new friends; the new bird feeder is ready to go up. It's fun sneaking into the bushes to get a peak at the birds. It's a new game; who is that birdie? I am connecting with birders out and about. Children and adults ask what I am taking pictures of. Fun!

Activity 1: It is no surprise to me about the decline of bird populations. I knew about the increase in Bald Eagle populations. While a symbol for the U.S., Canada has alway had more Bald Eagles (to my knowledge). My love and interest of birds goes back at least 3 generations. My life slowing down has meant more time outdoors, where I have always felt peaceful. I restarted my interest in photography a little while back, and this has added to my awareness of birds. Learning to take pictures in flight is fun; the birds, not me. Lol. In British Columbia already this spring I have seen many migratory, returning, breeding and hybrid varieties that I knew existed. I am working on recognition of bird song and sound; hard work! I had always wondered about the different feeding habits and variety of birds. To my delight I have discovered I have many friends who are enthusiasts. During this time indoors for friends around the world, many friends have let me know how much my bird pictures cheer them up. Each time I post a picture I look up information on the bird in Merlin. I remember more birds when i was young. I was sad to see so many migrate last winter, and sadder still to see them in decline. This Mallard is looking at us sideways; wondering where things have gone wrong with his home.

Activity 1 - I've always loved birds and watching them outdoors. I knew they were important for most of the things listed in this lesson but during the self-isolation of the pandemic their importance has helped me be positive and able to enjoy the nature that goes on and on around me (I've been able to stop and smell the roses or watch the birds in this case). The humans may have pulled an all stop and might be going through a life changing event but the birds and all of nature keep on moving even when they go through similar things constantly and come out the other side sometimes a little worse for wear but still there and living their lives. Activity 2 - I try to keep my windows reflection free and have stuck pictures on some of them to prevent the birds from hitting them. My cat stays indoors (safer for her - no owl, raptor or other predator can scoop her up or having her be hit by a car and safer for all the birds that grace the yard although she can keep away all the mice she wants!) Activity 3 - When I was just a kid (mid 1970s) the Canada Goose population was seriously endangered. To see a flock migrating was quite an event! Now they are everywhere often considered a nuisance! This is also happened with the Wild Turkey - it is one of the most successful reintroduction of a species in our area! Activity 4 - I don't think I'll change my bird watching ways or have any life changing experiences, but I will watch more carefully and appreciate the sight of a bird more than before. Happy Bird Watching everyone!

I noticed this year our classroom bird feeders were visited predominantly by sparrows ( I think they were tree sparrows). Previous years we have had a lot more goldfinches, chickadees and juncos.

Activity 1: Good question! I think birds matter to me in the same way that all nature matters to me. It is our world. Without it, we can't survive and thrive. We are just one species in this vast and diverse (though alarmingly less and less diverse) world. I find birds beautiful and awe-inspiring, but no more than when I see mammals or fish or trees that really speak to me. I guess birds offer a way to observe wildlife that is much more present in our world than mammals and easier to observe than fish. I'm not sure this course has changed my way of thinking about birds, but it has given me food for thought as I've been out on my walks and on the balcony watching for birds. I've really enjoyed the course! Activity 2: I've become a big user of ebird, so I'm contributing to citizen science. I also try to use as little plastic as possible, and reuse where I can. I'm not using pesticides in my garden and do buy some organic foods. What could I do better? For sure I could buy more organic food and eat less meat, which would likely mean less forestland turned into pasture. I could use even less plastic than I do today. I could turn my garden into a place more welcoming for birds. I could look for coffee that is shade grown. One thing not mentioned in the list of actions to help birds is getting involved in a local organization with an aim to protecting or even expanding wilderness areas for animals. Activity 3: I've always been interested in nature around me, but I have to say I've never paid close enough attention to observe changes in bird populations in my vicinity. I've also moved around over the course of my life, so I haven't had the opportunity to observe the same place for the whole of my life. Activity 4: I'm pretty much brand new to birding, so there are so many things that I want to do 'next'! The pandemic has made it impossible to travel, even to nearby regions. When that factor disappears, I'm looking forward to exploring new regions and habitats to find new birds and to spend more time in wilderness-heavy zones. I haven't yet had the chance to go birding with anyone aside from my immediate family, all of whom are even newer to this than me. So I'm looking forward to getting out with more experienced birders sometime soon to learn from them. And I'm looking forward to taking my kids on some organized activities with birds -- I've found one nighttime owl session near our place that I'm excited about! So many things to explore.

I moved to my current home, on a farm in Virginia, 24 years ago.  Every evening, Spring through Summer, Bobwhite Quail could be heard.  We would occasionally see flocks of Quail in the pasture and fields, or in the orchard.  Over time, the numbers of quail declined and I haven’t heard or seen one in the past 3 years.  In 2011, I was noticing the declining numbers of quail and attributed it to the rising number of coyotes in the county.  I ordered and released 2 dozen quail on our farm hoping to see the population recover.  We planted Lespedeza, blackberries,  and Purple Hairy Vetch along our hedgerows to encourage the quail to live on the farm. Sadly, the sightings of quail continued to decline and I have not seen or heard any for the past 3 years. On the other hand, 24 years ago it was rare to see a Wild Turkey on the farm and today we have a very large flock of turkeys that roam the farm.  I often see more than 2 dozen turkeys in the back pasture.  They are also often seen foraging in the hedgerows around our fields.

Activity 4 - I will explore different habitats, this course has motivated me to do so. Will also study migratory birds in Bharatpur bird sanctuary this year. This course will add a lot to my hobby. Actually this course will help me to take my interest beyond hobby.

Activity 3 - I think I have observed population of house sparrows go down drastically during my lifetime. Also , in my village when was 10 there were many vultures, now one rarely sees them. Though I am also noticing the House sparrows are bouncing back :) .

Activity 2- Seven simple actions : - More tress, increase wild lands, no kite flying, setting up clay water pots, less carbon footprints, avoid pesticides and fertilizers and promote bird friendly bird watching. Will do these more aggressively : -Setting up of clay water pots, less carbon footprints, plant trees. What else can I think of ?  - I think Indian schools must take children to bird sanctuaries.

Activity 1 - They matter to me because they are not things for me. They are like kids playing in the ground and I feel happy watching them. Yes, they are important for ecosystem but I love them unconditionally. As the name of the course goes they are actually a bundle of joy, they are nature at your doorstep even in the urban setup. Thank god the population of house sparrows is bouncing back was feeling so empty without them.

Yes, I’ve noticed changes in bird populations over my lifetime of sixty years. I’ve been fortunate to live most of my life in southwestern Ontario, near Georgian Bay, part of the Great Lakes.  As a child, I remember asking my Dad how common bluebirds were when he was a boy. “ Oh, it was nothing to see bluebirds,” he replied. “They weren’t as common as robins, but you didn’t think anything about seeing a  bluebird.” I was at the end of my twenties when I saw my first bluebirds, and I recall it vividly. Building nesting boxes helped bring back bluebirds. Bald eagles and turkey vultures were unknown in this area decades ago, now they’re quite common. I remember the call of whip-poor-wills as a child, but seldom have I heard them since. We didn’t have cardinals around our place growing up, but they’re common in this area now, and I often seen them at our feeders. I suspect a pair have a nest near the front of our house. Meadow larks and bobolinks can certainly be found, but they’re not as common as they used to be. Farmers are keen to get their hay off in June instead of July, and many nests don’t get the time needed to fledge. And, there’s certainly less insect life than there was fifty years ago. I remember sniffing apple blossoms years ago- the tree would be alive with buzzing, flying insects. You had to be careful not to sniff a bee! Now, the wild apple tree behind the house will only have a few insects visiting on a sunny day. Great egrets nest around here now; they are a fairly recent summer resident. I miss the intense birdsong that used to happen on early spring mornings. Oh sure, it’s still there, and I realize my hearing isn’t as acute as it used to be, but I believe there are fewer birds now. So, all in all, I’ve noticed many changes in our local bird life over the years. Still, this time of year brings great joy as migrating birds return. I’ve noted 25 species of birds in my backyard this spring and I’m anticipating the pleasure of seeing rose-breasted grosbeaks, Baltimore orioles, indigo buntings and hummingbirds. It never grows old!

Since the pandemic started our bird watching has become front and center. We added a bird bath, got rid of some grass in our lawn and planted native wild flowers and hope to plant a birch tree in the fall. We have noticed more birds in our backyard and on one of our walks, we saw a bald eagle. Gold finches love to feed on our cone flowers in the fall, late summer. This course started us on a new journey. Thanks, Cornell lab of  Ornithology.

I have been birding in East and Central Texas for about 20 years. In that time, I have noticed the expansion of the range of two birds in particular: the White-winged Dove and the Caracara. We now see them much more often and much farther north than we used to.

Birds are beautiful and I love their colors and song. I was never specifically interested in bird watching as I've always focused more on flowers and plants, but a trip to Costa Rica with people where were birders opened my eyes to the fun of finding birds while out in nature and there were so many beautiful birds. Although it was almost 2 years ago now, it inspired me to take this class and I've learned a lot and enjoyed it. I do most of the things on list, except perhaps seeking out shade grown coffee. Will have to work on that. Bird populations have changed a lot near me.  Both in NYC and in NJ.  Falcons have come back to NYC, and two pairs of Red Tailed Hawks nest and live on the campus where I teach in Queens.  By me in NJ, I've seen an increase in hawks, wild turkeys (that now saunter down the street sometimes), but also the loss of many birds during the period they were trying to restore the NJ Meadowlands.  Before the restoration they will full of wading birds and red wing blackbirds, then the dug the place us and the catails and grasses vanished and for years there were almost no birds at all. Now more than a decade later red wing blackbirds are back and the other birds are returning as well. I hope to get better using binoculars, to go out for regular walks and look for birds and hopefully get better at spotting them, identifying them and photographing them. This has been great.

I have always enjoyed watching birds and would love to fly and see what a bird sees while flying. I have personally seen the increase in bald eagles up in my mountain area in the last ten years.  The bald eagle is such a magnificent bird and so glad that it is not on the endangered species list anymore.  Also see ospreys nesting in the Lake Granby, CO area more and more and competing for food along side with the bald eagle!  This course has increased my awareness of the importance of birds and their impact on our ecosystems and I will do my part in protecting our birds locally and globally. Since taking the free E-birding course,  I started birding and completing watch checklists when we watch birds from our feeder and along the Fraser River Trail.  This course has made me more aware of birds and their needs to survive and especially their habitat.  The habitat in Winter Park, CO is limited to mostly forest and ponds, but I can travel  30 min to lakes and open areas after to the Stay at Home order is lifted to do some birding and see more birds.  The websites suggested in this course have been extremely helpful in my birding education and exploration of other birding groups in my area. Since Winter Park, CO is a very small mountain community,  I have no birding groups to joi in my area, but can travel to Denver and Evergreen groups if I care to later this year.  I love nature and hiking trails locally, but now I can take my binoculars and bird watch while hiking my favorite trails!  I can also do birding wherever I travel hopefully later this summer!  Thanks so much for creating this course for all birding beginners.      

This course has reinforced the importance of birds to me not only are they beautiful and fun to watch they serve a purpose in helping preserve our natural resources.   I have begun planting bird friendly plants but they must be deer resistant plants.  I also recycle plastic, aluminum cans, paper/cardboard whatever I can.   I have noticed the resurgence in raptors in my lifetime and decline in small song birds and ravens and crows.   As a child I never saw Canada Geese and now they are all over the place.  Watching birds help me relax and destress I have a bird bath for them and what fun they are to watch!  I can't wait for a little warmer weather to head off to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and set up my new scope up to do some birdwatching.

Activity 1: I've always appreciated birds. Then I owned some parakeets for 10 years and when I decided to give up having birds in my apartment, I set up some feeders. Now I'm enjoying honing my bird skills.   Activity 2: I have been working on most of the 7 ways to help birds so that is encouraging and I will continue to do so. I also support some strong, certified environmental charities. I can't think of some better organizations than Earth Justice (https://earthjustice.org), Natural Resources Defense Council (https://www.nrdc.org) and the Sierra Club.   Activity 4: I want to continue to work on IDing bird song and IDing birds from sight. It truly is amazing to me how many colourful and beautiful birds live in the Midwest.

Activity 1: Birds matter to me, as my interest began when i was a little girl and would help my Grandfather feed the birds at his feeder. I am over 50, lived in Wisconsin my entire life, and until 3 summers ago never saw a Grosbeak in my life. I am using the same bird feeder, as "home made" as it looks, actually is. My Grandfather made it for my mom when i was little, and I've had it now several years. My interest is growing year by year, with more interest in migratory birds, the raptors, and my favorite Pileated Woodpecker Activity 2: We don't use pesticides, we try not to disturb any of the natural habitat around our home, we try to raise awareness when company comes to visit we point out some of the unique birds at the time, we keep mindful of recycling, we pick up trash people throw by the road, along with many other things. Activity 3: I've noticed a lower number of Sparrows. I remember in the 1970's seeing tons of them all over all the time, now i rarely see any. Activity 4: A project i am considering is putting together a book. I am disabled and spend a good part of my day in a chair watching the bird feeder out the window. As i see the seasons change, i see the birds change. First the Sand Cranes come back, then finches come back, then the humming birds, and the Grosbeaks. The variety at the feeder is astounding to me, as i write this there's a Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker, American Goldfinch, Purple Finch, Chickadee and a Brown headed Cow Bird at my feeder! Such an abundance! Thank you so much for your course, i really learned a lot!

We've just set up a bird feeder in Eastern Massachusetts, in the last two months. How long do we stock it? At some point is there enough local plant and insect food available? When to start back?

I’m in my early 50s and only live about 20 miles from where I grew up, but I never see the kinds of bird flocks that I used to see in the area. I don’t know what kind of birds they were back then, or whether they’ve just moved elsewhere because of the relentless suburban development in northern Virginia, but the few flocks I see nowadays (during migration, particularly in the fall) pale in comparison.

Good Morning!  I had a quick question.  I noticed that when I put food out for the wild birds in my backyard that the Blue Jays have mimicked the sound of a red tailed hawk.  It is a shorter sound than the hawks, but it seems to scare the smaller birds away.  This is the first year that I ever noticed Blue Jays making this type of sound.  Is this common?