Last weekend when I checked visited the Westbrook shoreline early in the morning. Right from the start I knew it was the right tide and right time for seeing shorebirds. As I started to walk up the beach a yellowlegs seemed to be leading the way. This may not look like the ideal place […]
Tag: Rook
Rook at this mess: French park trains crows to pick up litter
Six crows trained to pick up cigarette ends and rubbish will be put to work next week at a French historical theme park, according to its president. “The goal is not just to clear up, because the visitors are generally careful to keep things clean” but also to show that “nature itself can teach us […]
6 Fascinating Facts About the Misunderstood Magpie
Magpies are often maligned as pests, but they’re actually quite interesting birds that are usually overlooked for both their beauty and their intelligence. Here are six interesting facts about magpies. 1. Magpies Don’t Like Shiny Things — They’re Scared of Them Magpies have a reputation as thieves out to steal your shiny jewelry or take […]
Fall Comes And Goes In The Blink Of An Eye
It was just a couple of weeks ago that summer was coming to an end. I was walking through the fields and you could feel the cooler air pushing in the morning fog. It’s usually around the end of September that Great Egrets start showing up at the rookery where the Great Blue Herons left […]
Quiet Mockingbirds
When I picture a mockingbird, it often looks like the one below – sitting on a conspicuous perch with beak open and singing loudly. But mockingbirds don’t sing in winter. I have written about winter mockingbirds before – but every year I notice their seasonal personality change. For the last few weeks, as the weather […]
Spring Birds in Winter
Remember the polar vortex winter we had last year? This robin came to my window every cold morning of it with his feathers so puffed up he looked downright chubby. I fed him raisins for breakfast straight through until spring. He’s back! He (or so…
Southwest Florida Birding Hot Spots
I just finished my 2013 Southwest Florida birding and photography trip. February is nesting and mating season so the birds are active and decked out in breeding plumage making for great photo ops. Some chicks, such as great blue herons and anhingas, have already hatched. It’s a great time of year. I’vebeen shooting in Florida […]