Birds
There is something intensely personal about finding a bird’s nesting site. Birds work so hard to find a spot that provides protection from the elements and predators that I feel a strange mix of guilt and protection when discovering their nest. One or two birds will typically stick around
Birds
Whew, March was a birdful month! A trip to Harris Neck NWR and Piedmont NWR netting some great finds and I even got a couple of lifers around the Atlanta area. All told I got 27 new birds for the year and six lifers! I’m over halfway to my
Birds
Bachman’s Sparrows are elusive little things. They are a shy bird (as opposed to a Cardinal or Mockingbird) and live only in certain and diminishing habitats. Plus, they are sparrows, a group of birds I’ve struggled to differentiate since I started birding*. Fortunately for me, Piedmont National Wildlife
Birds
We’re getting to the time of year when birds of all shapes and sizes are building their nests to prepare for more birds. Most recently, I’ve seen two Phoebes located around an overhang of a neighbor’s house, some Carolina Wrens building a nest near our house, and
Birds
I’d come to the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge for one bird—the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker (more on them in a later post). I saw two or three as I was slowly driving down a forest service road. It’s going to be a birdful day, I thought to myself.
Birds
At some point in February of 2019, I noticed the Phobes were back at it. I checked the front porch, and sure enough, there were the startings of a nest. I sprung into action. Before the birds got down to the serious work of nest building, I set up a
Birds
Outside of calls and songs, there are certain traits that birds have that can help you quickly identify them. With some, it’s their coloration, like the bright white throat and yellow eyebrows of the White-throated Sparrow. Others, like the Eastern Towhee, scrump along the ground*, kicking up leaves. And
Birds
The Belted Kingfisher is one of my all-time favorite birds. The Belted Kingfisher is a goofy-ass-looking bird. Body too small, hair too crested, beak too big. But it holds a special place in my heart. I grew up in a small town in South Georiga—name a Nashville (in the
Birds
I took an Eastern Religions class my freshman year of college. The professor, a wonderfully woodsy adjunct, talked about his experience of nature experiencing him. That was needlessly complicated. Let’s try again. My wonderfully woodsy adjunct spoke of hiking and how, if you’re paying attention, you can sense
Birds
Despite not doing really any dedicated bird watching outings, I’ve still managed to grab some more birds for the year! What I’ve found about big years is that, for me, at least, the first couple of months are full of all the backyard birds that have stuck around
Birds
There is a particular thrill that comes with seeing, in person, a bird for the first time. That’s not what today’s post is about. Today is an appreciation of a common backyard bird. The bird that you’ll never see on the cover of a field guide. The
Birds
Bird watching is a hobby. Bird watching is an obsession. A list-takers dream. A never-ending quest. It’s trying not to always talk about birds Bird watching is seeing a bird in every shaking leaf, every swaying branch, every minute motion. It’s remembering geographic places not by landmarks but