Birds
It’s been a slow few months on the bird front—summer is like that. The migrants are off making babies, and those that stick around tend towards languidity. I’ve also experienced a certain amount of listlessness when it comes to bird watching. It’s an odd feeling to
Birds
Birds, as I’ve learned time and again, don’t care about my schedule. I’ve planned trips, obsessively checked eBird lists, bumped a rental car down paths that are roads in name only, waded through mud, and been over my head in prairie grass—and the birds just aren’
Birds
It’s a moment of pure power, focus, and grace. A moment when all of the bird works together for a singular purpose. The head is set, the eyes locked on their prey, even though the body is in motion. In the dive, their wings remain outstretched, and tail feathers
Birds
We’re in the midst of summer, the time when the rattle of cicadas drowns out all but the most persistent bird song. I did spend some time at the Outer Banks in North Carolina and was able to snag a couple of new birds for the year. New Birds
Birds
The Chipping Sparrow has a melodic rattle, almost metallic but with enough recognizable naturalness to know its a creature rather than machine. The Carolina Chickadee sings volumes above its size. A small, slight bird that can still compete not only with birds three times its size, but with lawn equipment
Birds
One recent evening I was witness to a hunting class. We have a pair of Barred Owls living close to our house and they recently had a couple of babies. As dusk settled into night, the two owlets and an adult began their class. The little owlets acted almost the
Birds
Spring is IT. Spring is when the migrants blanket the country in their colorful glory—just a wash of vibrant yellows, oranges, reds, blues, and a myriad of other attention-seeking plumage. The air is full of song, and the trees are alive with tiny warblers hopping from branch to branch
Birds
You know them when you see them. They are the ones on the ground, hopping here and there, kicking up leaves in search of the next tasty morsel. They are the Scrumpers, just scrumping around. The Scrumpers delight me for the simple reason they do a thing so antithetical to
Birds
Into April, and the bird numbers are slowing down a bit. I am also breaking one of my rules for bird watching. Normally, I like to see a bird in person before I add it to my lifer list. So, for example, if I just hear a Scarlet Tanager before
Birds
The Thrashers have nested in our front bush again. I believe I’ve mentioned this before. From late February to early May, the Ruby-crowned Kinglets make short order of the suet I put out. The woods near my house are full of migrating warblers as they stop to rest and
Birds
It’s been 15 minutes since I saw the flash of yellow out of the corner of my eye. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve slowly walked up and down the same 10 yards of trail. Off in the distance the laser shot of a Cardinal
Birds
I was around the top of Craggy Gardens along the Blueridge Parkway. It was a bit off the main trail in an open space that ended with some dense scrub. Just then, a small, brilliant-colored bird popped up, sang two cycles of its song, then vanished back into the dense