Sea Ducks Catch the Tail Wind!

  The fall migration of sea ducks along the Atlantic coast is one of the great migration events in North America. In autumn, millions of seabirds take full advantage of the often 30-40 MPH tailwind, driving their ground speed to dizzying numbers. Flocks of hundreds of all species of Scoters, Gannets, with Red-throated loons and teal mixed […]

A Roving Steller’s Sea Eagle

  There’s been a lot of excitement about a Steller’s Sea Eagle that’s been roving around the US. This enormous eagle – which is larger than our Bald Eagle – is a native of the Russia Far East, Japan, and Korea. First seen in North America last year in Alaska and Saskatchewan, then Texas, now the bird is […]

City Birds You May Not Know Are Around You

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 […]

Film: A Melodic Journey Through Northern Colombia

Film: A Melodic Journey Through Northern Colombia Emerald Toucanet, Colombia Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Colombia is one of a handful of countries with an extraordinarily large and diverse group of bird species.  In the film The Birders: A Melodic Journey Through Northern Colombia, you can spend an hour chasing some of these birds with biologist and bird […]

Birdwatching During the Corona Virus

Birdwatching Solo Photo Credit: John Chao If you’re sheltering at home, or at the very least practicing social distancing – and especially if you live in an urban environment – getting outside to see spring migration may seem like a challenge at best. Migration is starting, and is it safe or even wise to go birding? It’s critical […]

Birding Ecuador and Jocotoco

Chestnut-breasted Coronet Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Top components of a winter birding getaway are often a warmer climate and seeing new and endemic birds. I have made a number of trips to Ecuador, but I have made a number of trips to Ecuador, but one of the most interesting was when I visited several of […]

Migration Maps in Real Time

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 […]

Best Spots To See Warbler Migration

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 […]

Birding Israel: Peak Migration

Pied Kingfisher, Eilat, Israel Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel If you find it difficult to tear yourself away from spring migrationwhere you live, you are not alone. But experiencing migration in another part of the world can be an amazing experience. If you are serious about birding, Israel is one of those places that should not be missed. […]

Where to Find Ducks Now

Waterfowl are mating in winter and they can be found in huge flocks — sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands! Seeing great rafts of ducks and geese can be a good antidote for the often extreme temperatures and conditions you need to endure to do it. But seeing hundreds or thousands of birds at one time is possible to […]

Make a Difference – Sign Up For the Christmas Bird Count!

Have a blast birdwatching and make a contribution to science by joining a Christmas Bird Count in your area.  Photo Credit: Camilla Cerea/Audubon This marks the 119th year since Audubon co-opted the annual bird shoot and make it into a much bird-friendlier bird count! This year you can join over 70,000 people in the US, Canada, Latin America, […]

Planning Your Birding Adventure

Birds are everywhere!  And that makes seeing them something you can do pretty much anywhere you are at the time. Purple Sunbird, Abu Dhabi Photo Credit: Deborah Rivel Every family vacation, business trip or outing can be an opportunity to see and learn more about birds.  Globally there are currently over 11,000 species of birds recognized and tracked […]

The Year of the Bird in July – Take A Kid Into Nature

Photo Credit:Meghan Kearney, USFWS This month in the Year of the Bird, we encourage you to get your kids or kids you know out into nature.  If you love birds, teaching a child how to bird can create both an understanding of and interest in nature which can translate into a lifelong passion for him […]

Where to Watch Winter Waterfowl

Where to Watch Winter Waterfowl   Photo credit: Marvin deJong Winter is the best time to see waterfowl in their peak plumage and often in super large numbers. There are waterfowl hotspots around the country, and we have selected a few from various parts of the US so you can plan your own winter waterfowl outing. […]

Where To See Migration

migra Where to See Migration  Want to go to a birding hotspot to see spring  migrants? Looking for a place to see a lot of species during migration?  You might not need to go too far from home to see high volume migration. Take a look at a few of our recommendations: The Gulf of Mexico is […]