Flashes of yellow zip across your binos as warblers flit through the leaves foraging for insects. They are quick and beautiful, but who does that yellow belong to? At this time of year, male warblers in their breeding plumage are striking but can look similar – especially when they are moving quickly. Here are some […]
In an ironic twist, fall migration coincides with hurricane season. While already aloft on a treacherous flight, if a hurricane crosses a migratory pathway some birds are picked up by these huge weather systems and moved to a location they never expected to be in. In the past few weeks, there have been reports of about 100 […]
Songbirds are making their way south, but many of them sure look different than they did in spring! Most male birds who needed to look special to get a mate in spring, now don’t want to run the risk of being easily seen during migration or spend the energy to replace those fancy feathers with […]
Fast-moving warblers in spring can often look similar. You see a flash of bright yellow underneath and a necklace…..which is it – Magnolia or Canada Warbler? Here are a few tips to help you decide. Necklace: the streaky necklace on Magnolia Warblers extends under the wings; Canada Warblers have a very short, thinner necklace Eye-ring: Canada […]
Some warblers can look so different from spring to fall, it’s hard to believe they are the same species! In spring, the songbirds we see coming through North America are stunning. Males are all bright and crisp – some with outrageously bright colors designed to attract females. But after a grueling spring migration and breeding season, a lot […]
Common Yellow-throat Illustration by David Sibley When cities are quiet, we can easily hear the birds around us. This illuminating article from the New York Times helps us learn about 13 birds we live in close proximity with but may never have seen. With stunning images by David Sibley and informational sonograms of bird calls from Donald Kroodsma, this article […]
Baltimore Oriole Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel What better way to be outside, productive, socially distanced and helping birds than gardening! Spring is here whether or not we are sheltering inside, and now is a great opportunity to make progress on your native plant garden. Being in nature benefits all of us, and when we are limited in what […]
Released just as spring migration is starting, this timely book bringsunderstanding and learning birdsong to a new level. Don Kroodsma is a world-renown authority on birdsong. And apart from understanding it he knows the positive effect of an immersive nature experience. Birdsong For the Curious Naturalist opens with the line “birdsong fills our lives with beauty and […]
Bananaquit Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel The choice we make for our morning coffee can have a good or adverse affect on birds. Many of the birds we see during nesting season – like warblers, tanagers and other songbirds – have now made their way south to overwinter in Latin America. There the availability of food and safe habitat in their overwintering […]
Yellow-rumped Warbler Photo Credit:Deborah Rivel What is THAT bird? This is the annual cry of frustration from many a birder during fall migration, when spring’s flashiest male birds are sporting more muted attire. These birds have had a very busy spring and summer finding a mate, defending their territory and raising chicks – all of which requires […]
BirdCast Live Migration Map/ Cornell Lab of Ornithology We can’t tear ourselves away from these amazing real time migration radar maps from Cornell’s BirdCast showing where birds are migrating at night, the intensities of the migration and what direction. If you want to track where most of the nocturnal migration is taking place, or want to have a reasonable chance […]
Canada Warbler Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel When warblers make their way north from Central America in spring, they follow time-honored migratory pathways. Their timing and location depends on a variety of factors including weather, geography and food supply. But arrive they will each spring. And if you want to set yourself up for the best views of […]
How Many Birds Are on Fall Migration? Do you ever wonder how many birds are on the move during fall Tree Swallows Migrating Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel migration? We did and found Cornell Lab of Ornithology answered this question in their first report on numbers of birds migrating over the US from data gleaned from radar […]
Make the ID: Magnolia vs Canada Warbler Magnolia Warbler Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Fast moving warblers in spring can often look similar. You see a flash of bright yellow underneath and a necklace…..which is it – Magnolia or Canada Warbler? Here are a few tips to help you decide. Magnolia Warblers can be stunning […]
Migration Explained Twice each year, more than 5000 species of birds migrate. Peregrine Falcon Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel This represents about half the world’s species of birds (not including subspecies). Migration is something billions of birds undertake worldwide, and their journey takes them through and over all types of habitats, altitudes and terrains including some inhospitable […]
Warbler ID Tips – Magnolia vs Yellow-Rumped It’s spring migration! As warblers are passing through where you are, or the overwintering species are now in their Magnolia Warbler breeding plumage, some of these birds can be a little challenging to ID. Iconic Yellow Warblers are easy to recognize with their overall yellow body and red […]
Tips to Make Those Warbler ID’s Sure, you know the birds at your feeders, but spring songbird migration is on and now’s the time to hone your warbler ID skills! There are over fifty species of warblers, so to make the identification process easier, we have a few suggestions to help you determine if […]
Spring Warbler migration is primarily April and May. These small, beautiful, often yellow, birds are insectivores – Orange-crowned warbler they eat insects — so don’t check your bird feeders for them. To see warblers you should bring along binoculars. You also need to go where the food is and be there when they are feeding. […]