Karrin

Activity 1: Why do birds matter to you? Has this course changed your thoughts about why birds are important? Watching and learning more about birds has helped get me through the pandemic. Being able to look out my window and see the world with new eyes has really contributed to my mental health over the past 14 months. Activity 2: Think about the Seven Simple Actions to Protect Birds. Which are you already doing? Could you practice any of them more extensively, or start trying more of them? What other actions can you think of that could help birds? We have very large sliding deck doors, so I will be investigating ways to ensure that they are bird-friendly. Activity 3: Have you noticed bird populations changing over your lifetime? I don't think so... Activity 4: What next steps do you want to take in your birdwatching journey? Has this course inspired you to try anything new or make any changes in your life? This course (specifically the Panama Fruit Feeder cam) inspired my mother, my sister, and I to take a trip to Canopy Lodge - we're booked to be there for a week this December!

Activity 1: I love the idea of keeping a field journal, but I have no artistic ability whatsoever. That being said, I'll be signing up for the field journal course after I finish this one. :-) Activity 2: I joined the Birds of Virginia Facebook group. It has nearly 7,000 members, so I look forward to seeing what people post. PS I also want to participate in an upcoming bird count.

I completed Activity 2, Option 2 - Two spots outside London: Down House (home of Charles Darwin) and Sevenoaks (a nearby wildlife reserve).

• Can you see differences in the types of birds at those two locations? Yes! First, there are many more species sighted at Sevenoaks. Second, the birds at Down House are smaller, while the birds at Sevenoaks are larger.
• Can you use which species are present to conclude anything about the type of habitat at each location? Yes! I would conclude that Sevenoaks has a lake or pond since there are so many waterbirds (i.e., ducks). I would also guess that perhaps people feed the birds at Down House since the species are ones that tend to be seen where there is a lot of human activity (i.e., pigeons).

Activity 2 was perfect for me this week because I just got several bird feeders from my local Buy Nothing group. I have enjoyed watching how different birds approach the seeds. A pair of tufted titmouses (or is it tufted titmice?) take turns at the feeder and take one seed at a time. The downy woodpecker takes only the sunflower seeds, while the Carolina chickadee only takes the millet. The house sparrows will sit and eat and eat until another bird comes to their perch. Some are bothered by the nearby squirrels looking out for anything that drops to the ground, while others are unfazed. It really is fascinating! I also tried Activity 3 - sort of. As of now, I can confidently identify the blue jay and the cardinal. I am trying to learn other calls.

I chose to complete Activity 3 since I recently got a finch feeder. I had no idea that the color differences in the male American goldfinches were so different! I *think* I've actually been seeing them without realizing who they were!

I completed all 3 activities. Activity 1: I tuned in to the birdcams for the (a) barred owl, (b) Panama fruit feeders, and (c) Savannah osprey. With regard to (a), the owl was sleeping [I tuned in at 9am EST], which gave me the perfect opportunity to get a long look at the design / pattern of its feathers. With regard to (b), I didn't see any birds, but the location was so beautiful, and I was excited to learn that the location is open for visitors! With regard to (c), I saw a baby in the nest. What struck me was how non-plussed it was by the sound of a nearby leafblower. Activity 2: On my way into the office this morning, I heard so much birdsong, but couldn't identify the birds. Using Merlin's "Most Likely" feature, I was able to identify three birds I was hearing: (a) robin, (b) blue jay, and (c) house finch. Activity 3: First, I have to say I was surprised by how many birds are common in my area this time of year! I chose my 5 based on their names alone: (1) white-throated sparrow*, (2) cowbird, (3) Eastern towhee, (4) killdeer*, and (5) pine siskin. The * indicates that these are birds that I have heard quite often without realizing who they were. :-)

I threw out some birdseed on my deck, downloaded the Merlin ID, and waited / watched. I was able to identify  birds (in addition to the obvious cardinal): (1) Carolina Chickadee, (2) Eastern Bluebird, (3) Eastern Phoebe, (4) House Sparrow, and (5) Carolina Wren. (If you guess that I live on the East Coast, you're right - I am located in Virginia!) I am excited to add other birds to my list. As an aside, I really enjoyed the sounds portion of this lesson. I didn't realize that I have been hearing a cardinal every morning! (I wish the Merlin ID had a way to identify birds by their sound because they are hard to see.)

I completed all 3 activities.

• Activity 1: The Wall of Birds is really cool! I definitely want to go see it in person. It was interesting to see the size of some of the extinct birds - I can't imagine seeing something with a 20-foot wingspan overhead - but my favorite was the splendid fairywren for these reasons:
  • I love the whimsical name.
  • I love its color (bright blue).
  • My nickname is Wren, so I feel a personal connection. :-)
• Activity 2: Knowing that most birds you see are songbirds really helps narrow down the groups. I used the opportunity to learn more about a bird I've heard several people mention lately - the junco. I looked it up in the Merlin app and immediately realized that I have been seeing them in my own backyard without ever realizing what they were.
• Activity 3: I am not sure it's my  bird, but seeing a cardinal in the snow is a treat.

We have a lot of foxes in the woods near our home. In the summertime, you can hear them "talking" to one another, and the human-like sound is definitely creepy.

Wow! If you hadn't mentioned there was an owl in the photo (and provided a close-up), I wouldn't have seen it!