When I first wrote about Blue Jays back in 2012, concentration was on their darker, meaner, rogue side as members of the Corvid family of birds which also includes Crows and Ravens; how they steal eggs and young of other birds to feed their own young and how they bully any other bird or animal in the playground!
Snowbirds come here for the winter
Snow buntings are the most northerly nesting songbird in the world. They are incredibly tough, arriving on their nesting grounds in April when temperatures often drop to minus 30 degrees. Learn more about this incredible bird in an article written by Ron Reid.
Bird Watching: Bald Eagles making a comeback
Bald eagles in Ontario were designated as Endangered until just a few years ago. Thanks in part to the banning of DDT, they have made a comeback. Learn more about this bird.
Bird watching: Social season for grouse
Ruffed Grouse live in mixed hardwood and conifer forests where they can find refuge in the trees and enjoy the seeds of trees such as aspen and birch, as well as the numerous fruits of shrubs and bushes.
Turkey Vultures: “The Clean-up Crew”
Turkey vultures have not been our summer visitors for many years. Learn about this unique bird, behaviour and more in this Bird Watching article.
Bird Watching: Ospreys, a large bird of prey
No matter where it is I travel, one bird I can usually count on seeing is the Osprey. Ospreys are one of the most widespread birds in the world and can be found on all continents except Anarctica. They are not difficult to identify as they are one of the largest birds of prey in North America with a wingspan of about five feet.
Into the minds of birds and birders
It is estimated there are over 50 million people in North America alone who consider themselves bird watchers! This group is made up of casual bird watchers–people who may know a few local species, to the professional birder who make serious study of birds and their behaviour.
Bird Watching: The stars of the birding world
Pileated Woodpeckers, named for the large crest on the top of the head, are the largest of our woodpeckers. They are almost prehistoric much like pterodactyls in appearance, with their deep undulating flight pattern and their weird calls. However they are strikingly beautiful with dark blue/black, white and crimson feathers.
A brush with the bluebird of happiness
The bluebird is doing well in Carden, thanks to two things: first, a local man named Herb Furniss has spent the last few decades building and distributing white bluebird boxes throughout the region, quietly making a huge difference for these little birds; second, Wylie Road rolls through an area where more than 6,000 acres of grassland, forest and wetland has been conserved as natural habitat.
Dark-eyed Junco: A member of the Sparrow family
A member of the sparrow family of birds, the Dark-eyed Junco is a familiar sight at our bird feeders every fall and spring. In some locations they may even spend the entire winter in our region.