Nancy
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Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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During a global pandemic, birdwatching allows me to get outdoors and increase my knowledge of birds, their behaviours and activities to protect their habitats. I plan to research how to build nesting boxes for local bird species. In addition, I am going to expand my gardens in the spring to include native species which attract and nourish more birds. But finally birding helps my emotional and mental health, as I commit to this activity, share it with friends and challenge myself to learn more.
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On the lake where I live there are so many different species of birds. In the water, mallard ducks, tundra swans, buffleheads and mergansers are common waterfowl today. Along the shore bonaparte's gulls, herring gulls, ring-billed gulls and sandhill cranes forage for food. For the first time, I am noticing the different methods they use to obtain food and how they survive together in this habitat. In the nearby forest, I can see bluejays, many varieties of sparrows, nuthatches and chickadees. I was looking for pileated woodpecker to observe their foraging but was not able to locate one. On my bucket list.
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Bluejays have been busy at my feeder. They make loud calls in the trees before they approach the feeder. They grab peanuts, which they take away to eat. They don't remain long at the feeder, but do like to sort through the seed to find the sunflower seeds. I enjoy their calls and turn to the feeder to watch these fellows. The red-bellied woodpecker also comes every day, to enjoy bird seed. He hangs from the bottom of the feeder, eating for several minutes before leaving to cling to a near-by tree trunk. I have heard his persistent drum on the tree but I will pay closer attention to identify his call which I discovered on the Merlin bird ap
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I joined the Ontario birds group on Facebook. Every day there are amazing photographs of bird. Participants are always thrilled to spot a Northern Shrike, Snow Bunting or Ruby-throated hummingbird. Today I learned that these birds in fact only stay in my area for a certain portion of the year, so their sightings are unusual. On the other hand, Red-winged Blackbirds, Northern Flickers and Bald Eagles can be spotted easily any day of the year in my neighbourhood as they don't migrate.
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Much to my surprise, there are so many different varieties of sparrows in my neighbourhood. Some are common, some infrequent and some quite rare. Here are 3 examples. I will review their songs and compare them to determine different species. The tree sparrows are common , the chipping sparrow is common but the white crowned sparrow is apparently rare. Using Merlin, I will review their range, their song and the differentiating characteristics of these small sweeet birds
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I struggle to differentiate between downy woodpecker and hairy woodpecker, particularly because both species are very busy and move around quickly. The difference in their beaks, Hairy having a longer beak seems to make the identification easier. I double checked the range of each species, but again that is very similar.
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Beautiful, I enjoy the beak detail in this picture.
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Birds bring me so much joy and there are so many just outside my window. I would like to improve my bird identification. This raptor is an immature Bald Eagle I think. I use the Merlin app and my bird book. It is the "transitional" birds due to the changes with age and season that really challenge me
Birds bring me so much joy and there are so many just outside my window. I would like to improve my bird identification. This raptor is an immature Bald Eagle I think. I use the Merlin app and my bird book. It is the "transitional" birds due to the changes with age and season that really challenge me Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)