FAMILY FUN: Owling Adventure What kid (or adult for that matter), wouldn’t love to see an owl in the wild? Due to their nocturnal habits (most owls are only active at night), and well-camouflaged feathers, owls can be difficult to spot. During the day, owls roost in thick trees and shrubs, and often hold completely […]
Planting for Hummingbirds Who doesn’t love hummingbirds in their garden? You may already set up hummingbird feeders filled with sugar water, but feeders can require a lot of maintenance, as they must be kept cleaned and filled with fresh food. A Bee Balm better option might be to plant native flowers to attract hummingbirds. As […]
FAMILY FUN: Baby Ducklings Near You Waterfowl chicks are hatching and they are adorable! Most ducks nest on the ground where they might build a Wood Duck Babies: Stan Tekila nest out of wet vegetation, or burrow into a clump of grass. Wood ducks are an exception — they nest in natural tree cavities, or in […]
FAMILY FUN: Watching Birds Up Close There are many ways to learn about birds. One of course, is going out and watching them in the wild with your binoculars. Another is watching them at your feeders. But there are long stretches of time when birds are nesting and because they are hidden for safety, we […]
One of our favorite birds of prey is about to start their migratory trek north and you can watch it happen! Breeding Osprey are found not just in the US but also in Europe. Scientists have put GPS trackers on some of these birds making it possible to follow their migration patterns, and what a […]
Where To See Bald Eagles Now What kind of birds are around in February? There are always beautiful ducks still pairing off for the season, but often the water is frozen over and they are offshore in the open ocean making it difficult to see them. But February can be an ideal time to see […]
In winter birds need fresh open water and lots of calories. You can make your backyard a very popular spot in winter with the addition of a heated birdbath and food with high fat content. Nothing beats food with a lot of calories to keep a bird warm at night and there are plenty of […]
Hooded Merganser Waterfowl are in abundance across much of North America in winter. They are looking for mates so are in their prime plumage, making for great sightings. As long as the bodies of water in your area are not completely frozen over, you are likely to find ducks near you! But there are some […]
It’s that time of year again! Time to be part of the Christmas Bird Count which is a really fun thing to do with the entire family! In its 115th year this year, from December 14 through January 5, National Audubon Society organizes groups of people across the entire US who spend one specific day […]
Cold weather is a reminder to make your backyard inviting for birds overwintering in your area.With some simple preparations you can have birds visiting throughout the winter and create a safe spot for them to eat, get water, and even bathe when its needed. In the summer there is plenty of natural food available for […]
Sharing the Beach With Nesting Shorebirds Who can resist the beach in the summer? It’s a fun place to enjoy the surf and sun and can also be a great Piping plover chick place to see birds. Many species of birds depend on beaches for survival, and lots of shorebirds have traveled many thousands of […]
The Timberdoodle Skydance Have you ever heard of a Timberdoodle? These days the official name for the Timberdoodle is American Woodcock (but if you still want to call them Timberdoodles that’s fine with us!). April is a great time to see Woodcocks displaying. They have a pretty amazing spring mating ritual — made all the […]
Where to Watch Spring Hawk Migration Spring migration is much different than fall. In the spring, birds have a mission — to get to their breeding grounds on time for the best nesting spot and be there when there is the most food. Breeding drives spring migration, which tends to be shorter than its fall […]
Where To See Migration Right Now! Fall is here and that means songbirds are on the move. Heading south for their annual fall migration, millions of songbirds follow ancient routes called migratory flyways. There are four flyways across the United States: the Atlantic, Central, Mississippi and Pacific. No matter where you are in the country, […]
Baby Birds of Summer Many species of birds have finished breeding and are starting south again. But some chicks are just hatching or are very young now. If you are talking a walk in the woods, now is a good time to be looking for baby turkeys, known as polts. Depending on where you are, wild […]
FAMILY FUN: Sitting Quietly…Seeing More Want to see more birds and tune into nature? This summer, why not see the natural areas you usually visit a little differently? Go to a favorite field, forest, marsh, or beach. Rather than do what you might normally do there…this time , take some time to sit quietly and […]
Defending the Kids Piping plovers are endangered and they like the same beaches we humans do…and at the same time. This can cause some tense and dangerous moments for both the parents and young chicks. I was recently at the beach watching a Piping plover family. The parents had to constantly maneuver their nearly uncontrollable […]
Birds that migrate long distances need your help! There are fun and easy things anyone can do and they can make a big difference to wildlife. If you like taking a stand for the right thing – animals like the Red knot and horseshoe crabs need you to stand up for them to keep them from […]
Winter is one of the best times of year to really be able to see birds as well as signs of other wildlife. The leaves are off the trees, the ground may be covered with snow making footprints visible. It’s the perfect time to take kids outside for a wildlife walk or hike. Below are […]