Activity #1: We have two nests on our house at the moment, each full of baby American robins. We have a particularly good view of the one above our front porch light. The babies keep their mouths open all the time, often even when they're sleeping. The mother and father robins take turns bringing worms and removing the fecal sacs. The mother, who of course does the brooding, is used to me by now and doesn't move when I go in and out of my house. But the father is much more defensive, making a lot of noise and flapping around whenever I'm near. Activity #2: At our seed feeder, the little Black-capped Chickadees take out seed quite carefully. The Common Grackles, who are really too big to perch, have learned to swing the feeder so a little seed spills out, then they fly to the ground and eat it. What's left is cleaned up by the Mourning Doves, who walk around under the feeder.   Activity #3: I'm terrible at identifying bird vocalizations! I might be getting a tiny bit better now. I can recognize the Red-winged Blackbird by hearing it before seeing it. And I can tell the dawn chorus of the American Robin from the Northern Cardinal's sharp chirp. Still learning to identify the Black-capped Chickadee regular song (chick-a-dee-dee-dee) from its mating call (hey, sweetie!)

I sat outside in my back for about an hour and half, I observe a lot of small birds; which looked to  me to be house finches, and house sparrows. The behavior was that the finch stayed on the ground eating out of the ground feed tray and the sparrow would be eat from the feeder.   I have learned a lot so far, thank you   Tim

Activity 2:  I watched my feeders regularly when I lived in Oregon (don’t have as good a view in Idaho due to window placement). Chickadees and red-breasted nuthatches would grab a sunflower seed and fly off to a nearby branch or tree to either hammer it open and eat it or cache it, often in bark crevices.  House finches would park themselves on a perch and gorge.  During the breeding season, the house finches would “eat” several seeds and fly to their nearby fledgling and stuff seeds into their mouths.  Evening grosbeaks would stop by during spring migration and gorge as well, but usually were present for only 7 days or less.  I threw corn kernels on the ground and groups of wood ducks would come and hoover them up, sometimes with a couple of mallards in the group as well.  There was also “disputes” between individuals as to who could have access to the corn and sex of the two disputants would vary (e.g. males would chase females and vice versa, not just males chasing males or females chasing females).  The Steller’s jays appeared to weigh each peanut as they would pick up one and drop it, pick up another and drop it, and so on until a particular nut satisfied them.  They would then either fly to a nearby branch and open and eat the nut or cache it.  Occasionally I would discover peanut plants growing in my yard, I assume from a forgotten cached nut.  I also wound up with a couple of walnut saplings, that did not survive in severe summer droughts, and a couple of hazelnut trees that produced nuts after several years.

Activity 1 - I had a downy woodpecker nesting in a dead tree in my yard. I noticed that the male woodpecker would bring insects to the babies and then fly over to my red oak tree where I had bark butter, it would take some of the bark butter to the babies. That was the feeding cycle.

Activity 1: While watching the Cornell FeederWatch Cam, I observed a Common Grackle (I believe it was a male because of the blue head?) feeding two juvenile grackles from its beak. The adult would pick up some seeds from the feeder with its beak and allow the juvenile grackle to grab them from his beak. The adult took turns feeding each of the two grackles. I have observed this behaviour in my own backyard over the past couple weeks, as well. I often see juvenile grackles following the adult grackle around with their mouths wide open, while making harsh begging calls that almost sound like quacks. Activity 2: On the Cornell FeederWatch Cam, I observed a Red-winged Blackbird, some European Starlings, and a Downy Woodpecker. The Red-winged Blackbird spent considerably less time at the feeders than the starlings. It spent about 15-20 seconds eating seeds before flying away. The starlings spent a great deal of time at the feeders, often jumping and walking around the feeders. They would take a couple mouthfuls of seed and then walk a couple steps before eating some more. The woodpecker perched itself on one of the hanging feeders, pecking at the feeder with quick, swift movements of its head. Every few seconds, the woodpecker looks around, as if keeping watch for predators. Activity 3: On the Cornell FeederWatch Cam, I heard European Starlings, the harsh “check-check-check” of the Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbirds, and the characteristic call of the Mourning Dove as it flies away. I was able to identify these bird sounds as I could also see them with my eyes. I was unable to identify any of the background noises of the birds, which will come with more practice.

Activity 2:  Watch birds at a bird feeder—your own, at a nature center, or on feeder cams (the Cornell Lab Feeder Cam or the Panama Fruit Feeder Cam). Pay close attention to how different species use slightly different techniques for eating. How much time do they spend on the feeder? Do they take one seed at a time, or multiple seeds? Share what you see in the discussion. I watched our regulars at our bird feeder, as we have many Chestnut-backed Chickadees & Oregon Juncos living in the juniper trees around our lot.  Then just days ago the House Finch came to call. Here are the results I saw: Chestnut-backed Chickadees- # of seeds=1.  Amount of time=about 1 second.  Fly away to a nearby tree, while another Chickadee flies in & repeats the steps.  It’s like they are on a fast merry-go-round! Oregon Juncos- # of seeds=3-4.  Amount of time=as much time as it takes to find 3-4 of their favorite seeds.  Fly away to a nearby tree, while another Junco flies in & repeats the steps.  It’s like they are on a slow merry-go-round! House Finch-# of seeds=as many as they can cram in their bills (males first).  Amount of time=As much time as it takes to find their favorite seeds to fill their bill.  Fly away or eat the seeds there, scaring off the other birds until they are full.

Actividad 1 En mi jardín vi al Pichitanka (Zonotrichia Capensis), el comportamiento que note en mi observación fue la de búsqueda de comida la cual la realiza en el suelo, ya que se alimenta de semillas el mismo tiene movimientos rápidos de picoteo pero inmediatamente mira a su alrededor para ver si hay algún peligro, otro comportamiento que observe otras ocasiones fue la de vocalización cuando nota que otro animal o persona se acerca a sus pichones revolotea por todos lados y empieza a emitir un sonido ensordecedor que muestra nerviosismo y angustia por la seguridad de sus polluelos. Actividad 2 El pájaro carpintero se alimenta en un comedero, este llega tranquilamente al lugar, camina despacio al comedero vertical y empieza a sacar varias semillas a la vez, pasa en el alimentador como dos minutos sin moverse a diferencia de otras especies que comen alguna semilla y se van para regresar un momento después para continuar comiendo. Actividad 3 Al escuchar las canciones que emitan las aves en la mañana pude reconocer al menos cuatro especies el Pichitanka (Zonotrichia Capensis), Picaflor Verde (Colibri Curuscans), Carpintero Andino (Colaptes Rupicola), Y Canastero Rojizo (Asthenes Dorbignyi)

I was hiking yesterday in a forested area of Western Massachusetts near the New York border.  I didn't see any birds, but I heard quite a few.  I recognized four of them.  And I didn't know any birdsongs a few weeks ago!  I heard the Ovenbird quite a few times.  Teacher teacher teacher!  I haven't seen one yet, and I can't wait to see one because they look so exotic in the pictures!  As we hiked up a hill we started hearing the beautiful haunting song of the Wood Thrush.  I've heard it many times in the past but not yet this year.  I wasn't sure of my identification, so when we sat down to eat lunch I checked on my phone, and I played it a few times to make sure.  The Wood Thrush had been further off but when he heard my phone he came over to investigate!  He sang at the top of his lungs for a few minutes  right nearby.  Could we see him?  No way.   The other birds I identified were a Chipping Sparrow (there's one my yard too) and a Red Eyed Vireo, which I've heard quite often on my walks.

#1: The other day I was gardening in my yard when I saw three crows join together at the top of an electric pole. They appeared to be in some sort of discussion, facing and garbling to one another. Then a blue jay's scolding call comes from a nearby tree, and then the jay joins the crows on the other side of the electric pole (i.e. from a safe distance) and "yelled" at the crows, as if making its case. The crows continued to "discuss" the situation, and after a few more scolds the blue jay flew off. I wonder if the crows had encroached on the jay's territory or taken some food! #2: At our feeder we have had a bunch of different birds that eat different ways. The sparrows eat directly from the feeder, while the cardinals try to eat from the feeder but they are too big and so eat on the ground. The mourning doves eat from the ground as well. The other birds usually leave when a blue jay arrives. The red-bellied woodpeckers hang off the feeder and peck at the seeds. I did see a white-breasted nuthatch take the seed and bang it into the trunk of the tree to open it. #3: I often hear cardinals, robins, song sparrows, blue jays, Carolina wrens, catbirds, eastern peewees, and red-bellied woodpeckers, occasionally crows, and a far-off wood thrush in the evenings. I have been hearing a full melodious song all spring and had been trying to identify the singer for months. It always sounded like it was a few houses away, so our yard must not be in its usual territory. I went on All About Birds, listening to different song recordings of our usual guests - to no avail!! Then, just this morning, right out my window, I heard the song and a little house finch was singing in an arbor vitae. I actually recorded it, because there is nothing like it among the recordings I listened to. I think it must be a regional dialect for the house finch!

Activities 1 and 2 merged, with some other lesson-based observations. We have many House Sparrows near and in our yard, and they participate in a dawn chorus around 4:30 or 5 am (first light) in June. It is difficult to detect where in structures they are nesting.  They perch in nearby trees and dense bushes or brush. They are regulars at our feeders, eating mainly smaller seeds (not striped sunflower) and millet, many at the feeding area about the same time, though arrival is staggered and alternating. They also eat on the ground. One neighbor seems to throw out stale white bread, which the birds occasionally have in their beaks as they hop around on the ground. Sparrows also seem to be one of the local urban birds (along with starlings, blue jays and robins) that eat from our overgrown cherry tree. Multiple sparrows at our feeders seem fairly cooperative, with the sparrows either physically spacing themselves out around a flat feeder or perching in turn on the tube feeder rail. They stay longer at the flat feeder than on the tube. They are easily startled.   In colder months I’ve seen them pecking at the climbing roses branches, assuming they were taking in the moisture from morning moisture or other, but now I wonder if they were gleaning. On nearby wires when two are in proximity there is a fair amount of tail twitching.  They also seem to fluff their feathers a little bit; this is a whole-body movement not just a tail twitch. They preen.

Hi- I live in the foothills in Colorado. #1- I have noticed mobbing behavior of Bluejays defending their nesting territory from Robins? Its funny as I never considered Robins to be aggressive birds.  They both like the tall spruce in front of our house. We love watching the Broad tailed and Black chinned Hummingbirds come to the feeder in back when we are eating dinner. They seem to have no fear of us and like to come at sunset or dusk. They can become aggressive at defending their spot at the feeder. The females are always quieter and hardly hum. #2- House finch in pairs stay and feed leisurely at the feeder, Black capped chickadees flit in and take a few seeds then fly to a branch and crack seeds, Blue jays hang sideways take seeds then fly to branches to eat-then they rub their beaks on the branches, White breasted Nuthatches flit in- grab some feed upside down- then fly away. #3- I have learned to recognize the House Wren- a beautiful wide pitched complicated song, the Hermit Thrush when we hike in the mountains- which has a distinct flute echoey sound- I always wondered what that beautiful song belonged to! and at night the Eastern Screech Owl- which to me sounds like a squeaky Halloween gate. I am so enjoying this course and the Merlin app!

Activity 3:  I have spent more time listening to the birds in my area (central Florida).  I have identified the more common ones: Northern Mockingbird, cardinal, Sandhill Crane.  It is interesting to know that they have different songs and calls for different activities! I appreciate the audio clips provided so that I can listen and check.  

Hello!  Today in Roanoke, VA it has been 90+ degrees and very humid.  In the creek behind our house, we observed a great blue heron perched on a log lying across the water holding its wings out to the side and repeatedly blowing its cheeks  or skin under the beak in and out.  I have seen other birds holding their wings out to the side.  But I have never seen the mouth/beak movements.  Is this also a way for birds to cool themselves in the extreme heat?  We wondered why the heron did not seek out shade.  The heron was in the sunshine when behaving this way.  Thanks to anyone who can answer my questions.

Activity 1: I live on a 45 acre property that is mostly forested but has some open fields and a stream.   I have been thrilled to be able to observe some feeding behaviors up close that were discussed in this module.  For example,  I have seen a Great Horned Owl at dusk perched on a branch watching for prey and then swooping down to the ground,  pouncing up and down on the prey (mouse or vole),  grasping it in its’ talons and flying away. I have also seen a Red-shouldered Hawk catch  crawdad in our stream and sit on the railing of the footbridge that crosses the stream eating them. Another behavior I have found fascinating is mobbing.   I have observed and heard crows mobbing a Great Horned Owl on our property. Activity 3: Some of the birds I see and hear most frequently on our property are the Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Carolina Wren and American Goldfinch.  We also have a Northern Mockingbird that nests in a shrub near our house and it is fascinating to listen to the different bird songs the mockingbird imitates.  I have been recording other bird songs that I do not recognize and using the Merlin app to look at birds I would expect to see in my area to try to identify what birds I am hearing.

I spend quite a bit of time listening to the birds when working in my back yard or sitting on the back porch.  We  face a "green space" with a lot of trees.  I have cardinals, bluejays, doves (two kinds), house finch, Carolina wren, chickadees, cow birds (both male and female), red wing (both male and female) blackbirds, and a black chinned hummingbird (male and female).  The wren has a nest in my wood pallet planter.  The other day I saw the hummer doing a courting dance!!  The female just sat in my pink muhly grass and watched. they did this for several minutes!  It was amazing to watch!

Yesterday I observed some interactive behaviour between a crow and a squirrel.  I have just installed a new flowergarden in my front yard: new soil, compost, plants... the works, so perhaps a really good buffet table for birds and... squirrels, of course. So yesterday one crow and one squirrel met there. It gave me the opportunity to observe how really large a crow is: larger than the squirrel! And though the animal hissed, the crow cawed: much more loudly and aggressively, and... chased the squirrel off. I had seen this type of behaviour before--on the street, but never this closely or this long. Yesterday (what a day!) I also "saw" a hummingbird. As I live on the Island of Montreal, I assume it is the ruby-throated, which I think is the only one in this area. I put "saw" because it zoomed past my window, and I heard it more than I saw it. I do hope to really see one on my flowers, and not dazed on my deck after a collision with my large windows.... Catherine

I've been fascinated by the apparently aggressive behavior of the Mute Swans in our area.  I never knew such beautifuk birds could be so 'meanacing'.  I've notices the 8 cygnets have whittled down to only 4.  Also in this area the swans coms towards humans, and I am guessing that is looking for food as many visitors must bring food for the birds.

Activity 1: This is my first post and I'm so excited to share our recent experience with what we are pretty sure is a Say's Phoebe. We live in Central Washington on 20 areas of what is largely bunchgrass.   The couple built a nest in our wellhouse that has some open access and raised five little birds. We kept a camera on them and were glued to it from the time the eggs arrived until the little ones took flight.  The eggs arrived one a day but the babies all left within two days and now the nest is empty. I miss them and hope they come back next year! Now I assume they are on their way to Arizona or Mexico.

We have been observing Black-capped Chickadees at our feeder for the past 3 months. In the last 2 weeks or so we have noticed a change in their behaviors. They used to come to the feeder one at a time, take one seed, fly away to a tree to eat it before returning for another seed and then repeating this a few times. Lately, a group of 3-8 chickadees will congregate at the feeder, take many seeds before flying away, making lots of noise and ruffling their feathers frequently, even scaring away larger birds like finches.

I was watching a Northern Mockingbird in my neighbor's shrub ground area tonight.  The mockingbird flashed its white wing bands, hopped a bit farther, and repeated this action 4 or 5 times. Mockingbirds are very common in central Florida but I had not seen this behavior.  I read that some feel they may be trying to startle insects in order to flesh them out for eating.  Any other reasons for this behavior?  

Activity 2 I have been watching birds at my Feeders in the last month. The White Throated sparrow and White crowned are mainly ground feeders and are under the feeder getting what falls down.( unfortunately they have now left) The Juncos were ground feeders mainly. I had Clay Colored sparrows at my feeders.  The Flickers in the yard are not at my feeder but on the lawn looking for food. The House and Purple finchs are at the feeder and they seem to really like the one with sunflower seeds. They also have been at the Oriole Feeder. The American Goldfinch are at the feeders. The House Sparrows are mostly at the feeders but also on the ground. The Rose Breasted Grosbeak was mainly at feeder.The Chipping Sparrow is mainly at Feeder.  The Mourning Dove was mainly feeding on ground under feeder at things dropped down. I had Cedar Waxwings one day but they only in my apple tree eating blossoms. The Baltimore Oriole was mainly at the Oriole feeder, unfortunately he is not around much

The male Black hooded Oriole Visits the jelly dish multiple times a day, all day long.  Stays 3 seconds, gulps 3 bites and flies away?  Feeding young? Or mama n the nest? We recognize his call now.

I saw this mallard duck in a spot I’d only thought of as a man-made mess. He very kindly fed at the surface of the water and ducked his head into the water, including pulling up some greens. 

Bird Cam feeding observations: The Mourning Doves stay on the flat surface feeding, for the most part. Saw one feeding from one of the cylindrical feeders -- the one close enough to the rectangular platform on which the bird was standing. A Red-Bellied Woodpecker holds on and eats pecking at one of the cylindrical feeders. The same with the Downy Woodpecker. The Common Grackle is an equal opportunity and aggressive feeder. They feed from all feeders. Also, one flew into the rectangular platform holding an insect in its beak and pestered a Mourning Dove to move over so he could also grab some seed. The European Starlings, the Blue Jays and the Red-Winged Blackbirds try all the various feeding stations. Haven't seen a bird feeding from the oranges yet.  

I'd been enjoying my Baltimore Oriole feeder, multiple sightings everyday until we were sitting out on the patio, and the male came multiple times yelling at us and flying away.  Now they seem to have stopped coming, hoping its just a short time before they feel comfortable about feeding there again!