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Bird Watching: Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Posted on by Rita Shaw

There is a large maple tree in our front yard. If you look closely at the trunk, you will notice horizontal lines of little holes all along the trunk. This is a sure sign that there is a yellow-bellied sapsucker in the area.

The yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) reminds me at first glance of a little larger version of a downy or hairy woodpecker. [See my articles on the Downy Woodpecker and on the Hairy Woodpecker.] It is 8½ inches and mottled black and off-white. The male has a red chin and throat, while the female has a white chin and throat. Both have red crowns; although, you might notice some females with a black crown or a crown with just a few red feathers. Both have white shoulder patches that are easily noticed on their folded wings. …

Become a Birdwatcher, It's Easier than You Think

Posted on by Rita Shaw

Have you ever woken up really early in the morning and heard the birds just going crazy? That’s happened to me several times over the past few months and, while I am not a morning person, I cannot help but enjoy the beautiful chaos of all those birds calling out at once. It’s like a cafeteria or an auditorium with everyone talking at once. Or like the instruments tuning up before the concert begins, going through their practice runs when no one is really listening. I love it!

It’s amazing that most of us have so many wild birds living all around us that we don’t even notice. So maybe it’s time to take notice. One way to start doing that is to bring them to your backyard. And if they’re in your backyard already, bring them out of the …

Summer Birdwatching Advice

Posted on by Rita Shaw

Birdwatching is a fantastic hobby, easy to pick-up and fairly simple to start doing. Even for American’s living in the densest urban and concrete jungles, birds are usually still present. Thanks to the plethora of affordable digital cameras and spotting scopes, plus the wonders of bird identification made easy both online and in low-priced birdwatching guides, the hobby has never been more accessible. This summer is a great opportunity to start this hobby and here are a few pointers to get you outside and birdwatching like a pro!

Become familiar with the more common species of birds in your area. Most major cities have birdwatching groups and websites where you can learn about the local birds. Be sure to pick up a bird species guide, like the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America or the The …

Bird Watching: Sharp-Shinned Hawk

Posted on by Rita Shaw

A hawk recently grabbed a bird right at my front window. I knew that it was only a matter of time. It had been perching in the pine tree where we have most of our birdfeeders for quite awhile. This is not normal behavior. Hawks usually do not hang out close to our home. They will fly around occasionally looking for prey, but they do not perch in trees so close to the house. (Perhaps the snow and frigid temperatures are causing them to modify their behavior.) Also the blue jays are not around as much to sound the alarm. [See: Bird Watching: Blue Jays] Whatever the reason, this hawk finally got something to eat not more than 5 feet from the front of the house. As I watched it sit for a moment in my front yard before flying …

Birdwatching Tools 101

Posted on by Rita Shaw

So you’d like to go birdwatching, but don’t know what to bring? Here’s the tools a beginner might need out on the field. Keep your dog out of your way with some toys from DoggieToys.Deals

  1. Binoculars or a Camera.

You are unlikely to see a bird within a few feet of yourself for more than a few seconds, but with these birdwatching tools, you can still have that experience. Using a camera or binoculars also prevents the need to go closer and closer to the birds. Doing so can cause them stress. However, zooming in on birds is both stress-free for them, and guilt-free for you.

Cameras are especially useful because they can immortalize your birdwatching experience. If your camera is a digital camera, you can even transfer your photos onto your computer and see the birds in greater detail. …

Birdwatching for Beginners

Posted on by Rita Shaw

What is the most pleasant way to watch time fly? Birdwatching!

Birdwatching, or birding, is a popular pastime. Observing wild birds in their natural environment is relaxing and fascinating. What a peaceful way to spend a day!

This has been called the Number-One Spectator Sport in America. Can you believe it? More people watch birds than any professional sporting event!

Does that mean there are more oriole enthusiasts than Orioles fans? More redwing blackbird buffs than Redwings rooters? More cardinal-lovers that Cardinal boosters? Yes!

For fledgling birdwatchers, here are a few helpful instructions. These may help you to spy your favorite birds on the fly.

 

Select an appropriate habitat.

Find out where the birds live, and seek out the ones you want to see. In North America, if you are patient and you know where to look, you …

Adam: The First Gardener and Birdwatcher

Posted on by Rita Shaw

The first gardener must have also been a bird watcher, I am sure. Genesis chapter two tells the story about him. In Genesis 2:8, God created a garden. It was complete with plants, trees and a river. He put a man there to take care of it. The Bible calls the man Adam. In the garden, God brought all the animals and birds that he created to Adam to name. Birdwatchers have been trying to identify birds ever since, but Adam simply named them, giving each bird and each animal dignity and a place in the society of the garden of Eden.

In Geneses 2:22 Eve was created. Now Adam had company in the garden. He dressed the garden with tools he had to learn how to make and use. It must have been interesting to see how he fitted …

Quick Guide to Yellow Birds of Orange County CA: A Guide for Common Birds with Yellow Plumage in Southern California

Posted on by Rita Shaw

Many birds call the unique vegetation of Southern California home, but it is those with a flash of yellow that often catch the eye. Here’s a quick guide to help hikers and other casual observers identify one yellow bird from another.

Wilson’s Warbler

Look for this bird especially in the spring and fall. It has a yellow belly and breast and an olive-colored back and wings. The long tail, yellow face and black cap make this small (less than five inches) Southern California bird easy to identify.

Pacific-Slope Flycatcher

About the same size as the Wilson’s warbler, this bird is most commonly seen in the summer in Orange County. Its yellow belly and chest are not as bright at the Wilson’s warbler, and its back is more olive-brown in color. Look for the distinctive white eye ring, orange lower bill …

Best 5 Florida State Parks for Bird Watching

Posted on by Rita Shaw

Do you enjoy bird watching? I do. It is a habit that I picked up once I moved to the south. Part of the reason why I took up the habit was because there are so many interesting species of birds known to inhabit or pass throughout the region. I have found that some of the best places to go bird watching are found within Florida’s State Parks. Here’s a quick rundown on some of the best ones:

Fort Mose Historic State Park

The Fort Mose Historic State Park is located in St. Augustine. There are four things that make it a wonderful place to go bird watching. First, there is a well maintained boardwalk that overlooks the marsh. Second, it is part of Florida’s birding trail. Third, there is typically an abundance of birds present. Fourth, there are guided …

Myths and Legends of Bird Migration: Traditional Folklore Explanations of Where Birds Go in Winter

Posted on by Rita Shaw

If we didn’t have the knowledge acquired over centuries by ornithologists and naturalists, how would we explain where migratory birds go in the autumn? Here are some theories from antiquity accounting for bird migration.

Birds Fly to the Moon for the Winter

Many birds fly at high altitudes while they migrate—Bar-headed Geese cross the Himalayas at 9,000 metres (29,500 feet)—far out of sight of human observers on the ground. The ascent of migrating birds in the fall, apparently headed into space, probably inspired the belief in the Middle Ages that they went to the moon for the winter.

Birds Changing into Something Else

Atlantic Puffins have brightly coloured bills only in the breeding season; the Piping Plover loses the black on its head and chest in winter; in many species, the male, female and juveniles look quite different from each …

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