Activity 2- I’m traveling and staying in Annapolis MD. I browsed Merlin’s most likely list for the area. On my morning walk by sight I identified many American Robins, a Northern Mockingbird, a few Northern Cardinals. Using the app sound ID, it identified a blue jay, common grackle, and some others that I didn’t have a chance to see. Hoping to actually spot a beautiful blue jay. I was so excited to use the bird sound feature. It’s awesome!!!

Activity 1 I watched the Cornell Feeder Watch Cam for some time today and saw the following birds:

• 2 blue jays
• 2 mourning doves
• 1 common grackle
• 2 redwing blackbirds
• 1 hairy woodpecker

Activity 2 While walking my dog in a park near my house, I saw three birds that are on my local "Most Likely" Merlin species list. Those birds were a turkey vulture, a blue jay, and a black-capped chickadee. While walking pasted a wooded area, I heard a lot of bird songs that I could not identify. I used Merlin Sound ID and identified the following birds:

• Song sparrow
• Northern cardinal
• Tufted titmouse
• Blue jay
• Carolina wren
• American goldfinch
• Northern cardinal
• Gray catbird

Activity 3 Five bird species that live in my area during at least part of the year are: 1) Belted Kingfisher 2) Eastern Wood-Pewee 3) Northern Flicker 4) Double-crested Cormorant 5) Eastern Phoebe

Activity 1 -  I went to a small Lake called Lodi Lake in Lodi California on July 3, the day before the 4th of July.   It was late afternoon and a local group was having a party and the birds hid.   I ,however, saw Canada Goose about 30, 1  Great Egret and a beautiful swallow, Barn Swallow.  The blue on the Swallow was so vivid.   The Canada Geese had bars on their necks which I had never seen before (Sooooo striking ). Activity 2  -There is a checklist for Lodi Lake, San Joaquin County, California, USA.  I attempted to record the birds I saw but I could not figure out the process.  How do I order a check list? Activity 3 - The Black Phoebe and the Coot are two I did not know used the Lodi Lake as a place of Habitat.   Ruth Bates

Yesterdy evening, I had 3 male rose-brested grosbeaks at my feeders. I’m lerning through watching the variety of birds. I can’t rave enough about Merlin, and am usually fortunate enough to attract over half the birds that Merlin identifies to my feeders. Merlin recorded 19 birds over a 10 minute period yesterday.

Activity #3: I did not know that there are brants, white-throated swifts, yellow rails, killdeer, and red-naped sapsuckers in my county!

Activity 1:  I am fortunate to have a beautiful mature yard that is alive with birds. Just this weekend I have seen; hummingbirds, orioles, goldfinches, cedar waxwings, robins, blue jays, house wrens, downy woodpeckers, red and white breasted nuthatches, flickers, and I know we have a red eyed vireo, I can hear him....but I can never find him!

Activity 3: After looking at the bar charts and range maps, I'm excited to explore more of my region. I did not know I could see: Wood Ducks, Wild Turkeys, Great Egrets, Red-Headed Woodpeckers, and Prothonotary Warblers.

I've noticed as spring turns to summer that a previously unseen bird, the Gambel's Quail, has decided to venture into my backyard. I've noticed usually two males and one female, feeding on the ground from seeds that fall from my feeder. More recently, I have noticed the quails traveling in larger family groups, with the chicks between mother and father. However, because my backyard is walled, I have yet to see the chicks in my yard, only the adults.

Activity 3: I explored the bar charts on eBird and not only did I learn about birds I didn't know passed through my area, I learned some birds I didn't even know existed! Some I would be excited to see are: the Barnacle Goose, Gadwalls, Canvasbacks, Red-necked grebes, and gallinules. I'm excited to keep exploring the lake by my home and see more of these birds!

Activity 3: The five birds I learned about this week that pass through my area that I didn’t know were near but  would love to see are:  Yellow-Cedar Waxwing (listed as rare but I’d love to see one), Yellow-billed cuckoo,  Eastern Phoebe and two I’d like to find in a wetland area a short drive away would be:     Great Blue Heron and a Common Loon (rare but may pass this way).  I will be on the lookout and hope I spot some of these this spring.

Activity 2: It was great to use Merlin’s “Most Likely” species feature. I was so pleased they have the birds picture as well as various bird songs and calls.  I was on my porch so was not close enough to make a recording of any but when I heard one I was able to listen to a couple possibilities and identify the correct bird to match what I heard.  This will really help with my goal to know what birds in my area I am hearing.    For example. I see Cardinals often but did not know for sure what their sound was. One learned . . . hundreds to go!   

Activity 1: I found the Merlin App to be very helpful as I watched and listened to birds in my back yard this morning.   I saw / heard the following: American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Tree Swallow, Carolina Chickadee (I think), sparrow, Pine Warbler, American crow, Purple Martin – Pretty good for 30 minutes!

Activity 1: Today, in my backyard in 15 minutes, I saw many Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Dark-eyed (Oregon) Juncos, American Goldfinches and House Finches as well as 1 or 2 of each; Anna's Hummingbirds, Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, Bushtits, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Northern Flickers, Downy Woodpeckers, Bewick's Wrens, and Steller's Jays. Pretty typical! I can identify 10-15 species in any similar timeframe with others jumping into the mix at different times. I heard but did not see a Merlin!

Activity #1: Today on my birdwatch at my feeder in Eastern Ontario I saw the following birds: Canada Geese, Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jays, American Crows, Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatch, European Starlings, American Robins, House Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles and Northern Cardinals.

Activity 1: A pair of osprey are working on building a nest on a channel marker in the Currituck Sound. Several Canada geese in the area. A few Black Ducks and Double Crested Cormorants. Red-winged Blackbird on another platform. Lots of American Robins.

Activity 3 Using Merlin - Explore Birds I was delighted to see a quite a few birds that  I have never seen, showing up as in my area!   Wood Ducks, Tundra Swan, Pine Grosbeak, Snow Bunting, Bohemian Waxwing, and long tailed duck.  How exciting.  I wish Merlin would tell me where they are!

Activity 2 Just in my neighbourhood, Merlin suggested that the following birds were out and about: Starlings, nuthatch, crow, blue jay, Mourning dove, robin, chickadee and gold finch.  While I didn't see them all I did get to see some. Blue Jay, Starlings (lots), Mourning dove and chickadee. From my hood:  The European  Starling Mourning Dove   Blue Jay

Activity 1: This past weekend I partcipated in a waterfowl outing with our local naturalist group.  It was very informative and interesting as the only water fowl that I really see are Canada Geese and Mallards.  The day showed us that there is indeed many other type of ducks out there!  Oh and the birds that are starting to follow through. It was a great day for viewing. As I really am not all that familiar with the duck-clan, while editing my pictures I found myself turning to Merlin and my pocket field guide to confirm the type of bird that I was viewing. The American Black Duck - which was amongst the other Mallards and hard to decipher.  The look the same, are the same size, but colouring is slightly different and the bill is yellow. The Hooded Meganser - Wow what do you say about these guys!  Not quite as colourful as a Wood Duck, but oh so pretty.   Once again it is the size of a mallard and by the colours on these two, they are males.   I once again used my pocket guide and confirmed the ID by uploading the picture to Merlin. Trumpeter Swan Apparently we  host  different swans here in Ontario--tundra, (which I have never seen), Mute and Trumpter that I know of.  I always get confused between the Mute and Trumpeter swans and it was no difference here as I had to go online to remind me which was which.  I tend to refer to them as the good and bad swan. Mutes are regarded  to be more graceful and beautiful with their curved necks and black and orange bills, but their aggressive behavior and voracious appetites  can often damage local ecosystems--hence by bad swan reference.  The Trumpeter swan is now making a come back from  it's almost extinct status and can be identified by it's black beak and loud trumpeting.  Beautiful elegant birds. If you're lucky to see them taking off or landing, it is amazing to note the size of the wings when fully out stretched that the noise the wings make as they pick up air. We were so lucky as well to view as well, common golden eye, common mergansers, canada geese, a bald eagel, pileated woodpecker, robins, downy woodpecker, chickadee and mourning doves.  We even had the chance to see a mink up-close-and-personal as he ran across the ice in a partially open bay. It was a great day for birding.

Activity 3:  I used EBird to look at bar charts and range maps and found many birds that I didn’t know were in my area (central MA) during late winter/early spring, including Pine Grosbeak, Northern Pintail, Northern Shrike, Common Redpole and Fox Sparrow.

Activity 1:  I saw Northern Cardinals, House Finches, Mourning Doves, Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers and a White Throated Sparrow.  All of which are common to my area (central MA)

I saw Northern Cardinals, American Crows, Blue Jays (a lot of them!), Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Eastern Bluebirds, Yellow-Shafted Norther Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, Red-winged Blackbirds (a lot of them, they are really cleaning out my feeders these days), House Sparrows, House Wrens, Dark-eyed Juncos, Mourning Doves, Starlings, Canada Geese, Mallards, Common Grackles, and a Great Egret who flew over the street.

I successfully sleuthed out my first hard to identify bird!  Two female redwing blackbirds were at my suet feeder this morning.  Merlin did not come up with it as an option and sound ID didn't help.  They were feeding amongst the goldfinches and house finches; bigger than they house finch but looked more like a too big sparrow.   All about birds had an exact photo "Female (California Bicolored)" although I'm in SW Utah at 6000 ft.  Woohoo!

Activity 2:   After looking at the list of likely birds in my area on the Merlin App, I went out for a walk in my neighborhood.  Using the Sound ID feature I recorded a number of birds including a Pine Warbler.  While I didn't actually see him, the app allowed me to identify him by his song.  I have been using the App since last summer and had forgotten about the Most Likely feature.

Activity 1:  I looked out my window for 15 minutes and saw the following birds.  White-throated Sparrow, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Northern Cardinal, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Downy Woodpecker and heard an American Crow.

Activity 3 I looked at bar charts specifically for February in our area. I found 13 reported birds that I did not know were in our area. Of them, 8 do not have range maps that include this area, so I "assume" they are accidental. The remaining 5 are: Chestnut collared Longspur Gray Catbird Dusky Grouse Canada Jay Lillian/Chihuahuan Meadowlark