Hannah

Activity 1: Birds matter to me because they are a part of Creation. They make me happy. They teach me about the world. This course has taught me that birds are also great indicators of environmental health. An abundance of birds points toward a thriving environment. Activity 2: I always keep my two cats indoors. It has been for their own safety, but I now realize it is also important for the safety of the birds that frequent my yard. I try to recycle and cut down on waste. I have started engaging in citizen science recently as I log my sightings via eBird. I keep my distance from nests that are in use. I limit the frequency and volume at which I play bird sounds on my phone so as not to stress the birds out or trick them. I could certainly stand to be more eco-friendly in how I live. I have never tried shade-grown coffee, but I might. I would like to hang some zen blinds on my bay windows to keep birds from colliding with them. I would like to plant some native plants in my yard, as well. Activity 3: I am only 19 years old, so I haven’t really noticed changes in bird population over my lifetime (although I am certain there have been changes). As well, I only recently started birding. I also moved across the country when I was younger, so the bird species that are common where I live now are different than the ones present where I grew up. Activity 4: I would like to become an active member of a birding club at some point when the COVID-19 pandemic no longer prevents people from getting together. I would also like to witness bird migration in the fall, as I did not become interested in birding until just after the spring migrations took place this year, so I missed them. This course has really taught me a lot of the foundations of birding. I used this course to teach me how to log bird sightings, which pair of binoculars to purchase, and the major bird identification clues. I have practiced many of the skills I learned in this course.

Activity 1: I visited the Hamilton Waterfront Trail which is an aquatic habitat. The trail runs between the shoreline of Lake Ontario on one side and some marshland on the other. It is abundant in Red-winged Blackbirds who love to perch on the cattails in the marsh. I also saw some gulls (unsure which species) flying overhead, some terns (unsure which species), and Canada Geese. I also visited Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, which is a more wooded habitat. The trail I walked is right at the top of the Niagara Escarpment and it is punctuated by breathtaking views of the city below (Grimsby). The birds were more difficult to spot in this area, as they were well-hidden in the trees. I could certainly hear them, though. I heard mostly songbirds, but struggled to confidently identify the birds I heard. I saw, and heard, a Bluejay and some sort of raptor. I suspect it was a hawk of some kind. I also saw a couple of robins. At one point, I thought I heard a woodpecker, but it may have been just the trees creaking in the wind. Activity 2: I used the two spots in Arizona. Some of the species that can be found at Roger Road are Red-naped Sapsuckers, Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, Wood Ducks, Hooded Orioles, a few sparrow species, a few swallow species, and Cooper’s Hawks. This leads me to conclude that this hotspot may be a mix of a forested and an aquatic habitat. Some species found at Mt. Lemmon are Swainson’s Thrushes, Williamson’s Sapsucker, many species of hawks, Cassin’s Vireos, and Painted Redstarts. I think this hotspot is a forested habitat, maybe of a higher altitude.

Activity 1: The Northern Cardinal’s range remains relatively similar year-long, whereas the Blackburnian Warbler’s range changes drastically throughout the year. The cardinal’s range spans from southeastern Canada to southern Mexico, with a heavy concentration in the eastern U.S., year-round. The warbler is abundant in Central America and the northwestern tip of South America during the winter months. It migrates to southern Canada and the northeastern U.S. for the summer months. The Scarlet Tanager migrates from southern Canada and the northeastern U.S. to Central America and northern South America. The Western Tanager migrates from British Columbia, parts of the Canadian territories, and all across the western side of the U.S. to western Mexico, southern Mexico, and Central America. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird migrates from southern Canada and the northeastern U.S. to southern Mexico and Central America. The Rufous Hummingbird migrates from western Canada and the western U.S. to central and southern Mexico. The Sandhill Crane can be found across parts of central Canada, the Canadian Arctic, the northern U.S., and Florida during the summer months. During the winter, it can be found in central California and parts of the southern and midwestern U.S. The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher can be found in southern Mexico and Central America during the winter, and across central and eastern Canada, northern Alberta, and parts of Yukon and Alaska during the summer. Activity 2: Three species that are year-round residents in my area are the American Robin, the American Goldfinch, and the Northern Cardinal (all of which I have seen many times before). Three species that only live in my area for part of the year are the Tree Swallow, the Yellow Warbler, and the Baltimore Oriole. I have seen the oriole, and I suspect I have seen the swallow. Activity 3: Male goldfinches in the summer are bright yellow with stark black wings and white wing-bars. In the winter, their yellow plumage shifts to a dim, dusty yellow with a white/buff-coloured chest and belly. In summer, Common Loons sport a deep green necklace, an all-black head, and a black black speckled with white. In winter, these same loons lose their green necklace and white speckles. They don a white face, neck, and chest, and a black back. Activity 4: My favourite birding spot currently has Wood Ducks, Mallards, Double-crested Cormorants, Bluejays, Black-capped Chickadees, Trumpeter Swans, and many more. In six months, I can expect to see Dark-eyed Juncos, Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Mockingbirds, and Canvasbacks.

Activity 1: On the Cornell FeederWatch Cam, I identified a Red-winged Blackbird and a Mourning Dove, which are easily distinguishable because of their different shapes. The Red-winged Blackbird has a short neck, a slender body, short legs, and a medium beak that is straight. The Mourning Dove has a short neck, short legs, and a medium beak; however, it has a rather chunky body and it’s beak curves slightly downward. Activity 2: Three birds I have seen that have black as a part of their colour pattern are the Black-capped Chickadee, the Bluejay, and the Northern Cardinal (all males). The Black-capped Chickadee has a black crown, a black throat, a black beak, and some black in the primary feathers of the wings. The Bluejay has a black beak, a black necklace, a black eyeline, and black wing-bars. The Northern Cardinal has a black circle surrounding its beak and extending to the throat slightly. It also has a hint of black in its wing feathers. Activity 3: On the Cornell FeederWatch Cam, I observed three different birds eating from the feeders. The Common Grackle stood on the edge of the feeding trough, horizontally, and swiftly dipped its beak down to retrieve some seed, repeatedly. The Red-bellied Woodpecker also ate from the trough. It kept its beak close to the surface of the trough, pecking at the food with its beak several times before lifting its head. The Mourning Dove sat in the trough and rapidly swivelled its head up and down as it ate. Activity 4: My favourite bird lately is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. I am trying to attract one to my backyard with a hummingbird feeder I bought, but so far I have had no such luck. It is a very small bird; smaller than a finch. It has a long, thin beak that is about twice the width of its head. Its legs are so short that they can hardly be seen. It has a ruby red throat, a green cap, and a white chest. According to my Birds of Ontario field guide, it is present in my area as a breeder from May to August and as a migrant from mid-August to mid-September.