Mark

Activity 1: Birds are awe inspiring and inspirational. A testament to observation and exploration. Birds have always given me a sense of time and place and I value their presence in the world very much. Activity 2: I am guilty of owning a keurig coffee system. It does have a side compartment for making pots of coffee - so I should be keeping an eye open for bird friendly coffee. I also want to limit my use of single use plastics, however with growing demand for personal protective equipment in the form of masks and gloves - I fear 2020 may set us back years in reducing single use plastics. Activity 3: I haven't noticed a sharp decline in bird populations in my lifetime. When I was a kid I volunteered in a peregrine falcon recovery effort and it seems like peregrine falcons have made a come back as mentioned in the raptors section of this unit. Activity 4: This course has inspired me! I would like to start a birdwatching group called "The Thousand Islands Birdwatchers Association." Would love some guidance or next steps in order to properly register this association! I'd also like to invest in a nice set of binoculars and a good camera with a proper telephoto lens. I've already picked up a Stokes field guide and a Peterson field guide. :)  

Activity 1: At the local conservation area I spotted at least three distinct habitats. In the wooded area, I spotted a pileated woodpecker. In the pond, I spotted a mute swan. In the open area, I caught quick glimpses of small songbirds, but wasn’t able to distinguish them by their songs / calls. One day I’d love to be able to identify birds by their vocalizations. I woke up in a tent in Algonquin Park this summer and there was a choir outside of my tent. Would be great to identify them!   Activity 2: I noticed there were Turkey vultures at Mount Lemmon but not as Roger Road. I’m sure that’s just the tip of the iceberg though.

Activity 1: While each of these birds inhabit the same forests throughout some of the year, their migration route during other times of the year differ in often extreme ways. Activity 2: A.) Three birds that are in my region all year are Trumpeter Swans, Herring Gulls and Blue Jays. Trumpeter Swans are common near a pond at a local conservation area, so I've seen them lots. Herring Gulls I've always dismissed as a Seagulls and it wasn't until I downloaded Merlin Bird ID there are different species like the Ring-billed Gull. Blue Jays I encounter year round. B.) Three birds that are in my region sporadically are Black-Bellied Plovers, Killdeer and Solitary Sandpipers. Black-bellied Plovers and Killdeer are listed as uncommon but the Solitary Sandpiper is listed as rare. I've chosen all shorebirds because quite honestly even though I live on the shores of a river, I seldom seem to spot shorebirds in the field. I haven't seen any of these birds. Was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for where I should be searching for shorebirds? On the shores I'm assuming? lol.

A1: Canada Goose and Trumpeter Swan. The swans have much longer necks. Both waterfowl are found in a pond nearby my house. A2: Lazuli Bunting, Indigo Bunting and Varied Bunting. Each of these birds are blue. The Lazuli Bunting has a light brown - orange breast whereas the Indigo Bunting has brown wing patches. Varied Buntings have red and purple hues. A3: Canada Geese were eating grass, a Ring-Billed Gull was scavenging garbage and an American Robin bobbed for worms. A4: My favourite bird is smaller than an American Robin. They have bright green backs and wings, purple chests, bright yellow bellies and light blue tails. Their heads can be black, red or yellow. Their beaks are off-white. They are native to northern Australia. They are chatterers with a persistent chirp. My favourite bird is... Gouldian Finch.