Roaming the open bush and scrublands of sub-Saharan Africa, African savannah elephants communicate with each other through low-frequency rumbles, often occurring in overlapping choruses. This cacophony of sounds can be tricky to analyse – but a new study now reveals its intricacies and purpose. The research was led by scientists from ElephantVoices and Earth Species Project, with collaborators from […]
Tag: Acorn Woodpecker
My Favorite Bird Photos of 2014
At the end of each year I like to go back and look at the bird photographs I have taken and choose the ones I like the best for a “favorite bird photo” post. I try to pick at least one photograph from each month however some months were photographically prolific, others not so much. […]
Portrait of the Juvenile Acorn Woodpecker
Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus) nest on my property here in Northern California. They are conspicuous, gregarious and a joy to watch. Click on photos for full sized images. This woodpecker is a cooperative breeder and lives in family groups of up to a dozen or more individuals. This is an adult male sticking his head […]
Acapulco Birds
I spent last week in Acapulco, Mexico. I wasn’t there for birding. I was there with a small group of people that were working in an orphanage. I barely went anywhere outside the orphanage, but I did walk the streets nearby in the mornings, and once in the afternoon, just to see what I might […]
Anna’s Hummingbirds at the Waterfall: Birds Can’t Resist Moving Water
If you want to attract birds to your yard you need three main attributes, food, shelter and water. For most song birds, a water source is essential for both drinking and bathing, and if you have a choice, running water is your best bet. Birds can’t resist moving water, as demonstrated by the Anna’s Hummingbirds […]
Summer Scenes of Critters at the Pond
A couple of weeks ago I kept hearing a simple, three pitched call from the yard. I went out to investigate and it was the Black-headed Grosbeak fledgling calling to be fed. Click on photos for full sized images. It was a familiar song but I hadn’t heard it since last year and it is […]
OK, So I Started a 2013 Bird Year List
Yup, I’ve never really been into listing birds. Certainly I keep track of the birds I see on bird walks and outings and report sightings on eBird, but I never kept a yard list , county list, state list, or even a life list. To tell you the truth, I don’t know how many birds […]