The Bewick’s or Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) is a small Holarctic swan. As their common name implies, the Tundra Swan breeds in the Arctic and subarctic tundra, where they inhabit shallow pools, lakes and rivers. These birds, unlike Mute Swans (C. olor) but like the other Arctic swans, are migratory birds. The winter habitat of […]
Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are cavity nesters just like Bluebirds. If you are a Bluebird trail monitor, especially if your trail is near water, you are very likely to have Tree Swallows nesting in your nest boxes. Click on photos for full sized images. One of my Bluebird trails is at Lema Ranch, a facility […]
Following the attack on Sunday morning by mai mai rebels on the Institute in the Congo for Conservation of Nature (ICCN) headquarters and Okapi Conservation Project base of operations in Epulu it was 48 hours later on Tuesday morning when the Congolese Army (FARDC) and Monusco (UN) troops finally took control of the area around […]
I took a trip into town a few days ago, mostly for garden supplies. On the way home with the car loaded with all kinds of stuff, I realized that I had forgotten to stop at the local feed store. I was only about a mile past the store so I turned around in the […]
Rifleman Sometimes called a “Bush Wren” they are not apparently a member of the wren family Riflemanare New Zealands smallest bird, and for me the most difficult to find. Partially because they are so small….. 6 or 7 gram, and at most 80 mm long. Males are bright green on the back, females a duller […]
On the west coast of Florida there are around 500 black skimmers that return to the same place each year to nest. For us who live in Florida, it is a wonderful opportunity to watch and photograph their mating rituals, nesting behaviors and interactions with their chicks. Black skimmers are a smallfamily of tern-like birds […]
Bellbird, or Korimaku bellbird chorus Few visitors if any could visit New Zealand forest and leave without enjoying our vocal Bellbird, and the famed “Dawn Chorus” or for that matter the evening Choral Festival is a particularly delightful event, with bellbirds and Tui (see previous post)taking starring roles. Actually it all gets a bit confusing, […]
Overnight excursion to Algonquin Park 2-3 June 2012: A group of 13 enthusiastic people, met at the Coliseum Theatre Parking Lot bright and early Saturday morning. Although the weather forecast was gloomy, to our great surprise, all of Saturday came with perfect birding conditions – calm, comfy and reasonably dry. It started with a bang […]