Birding Ohio – Winter Robins and Lots of Snow
February 13, 2010
Article in: Birding
There used to be berries on the trees outside of our living room window. For weeks now a very large group of American Robins have been gathering in the tree line just past our yard and NOT eating those berries.
February sixth, the day after a six inch snowfall and apparently having been told we are to have six more weeks of winter, these robins decided to eat almost every last berry: all on the same day! About six Blue Jays hung around all day to help with the berry feast along with a Northern Mockingbird pair and a few European Starlings.
Why that day? My son Dakota who has decided to start up blogging again thinks he has the real scoop : American Robin Warfare. I don’t know about that, but it sure was interesting to watch.
Now we’ll see who shows up for the Great Backyard Bird Count! Good birding out there and stay warm!
No shortage of snow here!
13th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count
February 12, 2010
Article in: Bird Conservation
The 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is starting today! Are you taking part?
The GBBC is a four day event that captures a “snapshot” of where the birds are across North America. By counting for fifteen minutes (or more) and tallying species by highest number of individuals seen at one time, anyone can become a Citizen Scientist. Any level of birder can participate!
What’s in your backyard? (Red-tailed Hawk)
Last year, according to Audubon, “participants turned in more than 93,600 checklists online, creating the continent’s largest instantaneous snapshot of bird populations”.
The Birdfreaks are counting in three separate cities this year: Rockford, Illinois (parents, Susie and her girls), Genoa, Illinois (Eddie and Stacia), and Findlay, Ohio (Jennie and Dakota).
We’ll be posting our results next week. Good birding to you!
Snow or shine: it’s the easiest count of the year! (Pine Siskin)
Rockford Peregrine Falcon and Other Saturday Birds
February 11, 2010
Article in: Birding
This past Saturday I was itchy to get out and take some bird photos. Birding has been slow and timing a good weather day around my ever-busying schedule has been difficult.
I had gotten info that a Peregrine Falcon was hanging around downtown Rockford, Illinois so thought I’d take the <10 minute drive in and see if I could get some photos.
This is the building where near the top of the large tower the bird was perched in a window. I got out the digiscoping rig and while standing in a parking lot amongst the waking city traffic I snapped a few photos.
The falcon seemed content to stay perched so I decided to venture off to Rock Cut State Park and do some hiking. The sun was desperately trying to come out so it was a good choice! Birds were much more plentiful than previous outings: Cedar Waxwings, American Robins, and numerous woodpeckers were busy foraging.
Downy Woodpecker
Cedar Waxwing eating a berry
I was hoping to find one of the resident Pileated Woodpeckers but could only hear one calling and pecking and found what looks like a former nest hole.
It felt extremely great to get out, enjoy a bit of sun, and photograph some birds. But I still am anxious for spring!!
Take Kids Birding! – Section Two Preview
February 9, 2010
Article in: Take Kids Birding
In an effort to drastically improve and enhance the Birdfreak Guide to Taking Kids Birding (a handy PDF we created in January 2008) we decided to overhaul it completely. We have been working diligently on crafting what will hopefully become a small book. We have changed the name of this “guide” to Take Kids Birding! to provide a better emphasis on the overall goal: to encourage parents and their children to partake in birding and other nature-related activities.
We would appreciate any feedback including criticism on this section but keep in mind it is a work in progress and hasn’t been through the editor (our sister, Susie) yet. You can leave comments below or email us directly with ideas. Check out the preview to Section One here.
Section 2 — Where to Find Birds
Birds are practically everywhere. They can be found in big cities, on rural farms, and everywhere in between. There are many different types of habitats and each habitat will have different birds (with some overlapping). The better the habitat, the more diversity and the higher number of birds. But birds can practically show up anywhere at just about any time.
There are some places that are geographically located to have “better” birding. Plus, some lands that have been preserved because of their great habitats will naturally offer enhanced chances to find more birds. The great news is that no matter where you live, there’s bound to be a great place to find some really cool birds.
2.1 Your Own Backyard (Bird Feeders)
Backyards and bird feeders are an excellent way to start a kid birding. Many famous, world class birders began at a feeder. Even if your backyard is small or non-existant, if you can put up a feeder within view of a window you are bound to attract some birds.
There are often discussions about the environmental friendliness of feeding birds in an “artificial” setting, but for now the educational benefits of a well-kept feeding station outweigh any negatives.
Feeders provide all the essentials for a new birder: birds (of course!), a concentrated area to practice using bins, and the opportunity for long term study in comfort. Plus, as many great birders will tell you, it is important to get the “common” birds down before seeking anything elusive or rare.
Kids that have yet to master the use of binoculars will enjoy watching birds visit the feeders with the naked eye. This is also a good place to start an interest in photographing birds (discussed later).
The best way to set up a feeding station is to go to your local bird feed store or home improvement store and start small. Purchase a small to medium sized multi-purpose feeder that can hang from a tree limb and a thistle feeder or sock.
The multi-purpose feeder can be filled with sunflower seeds which are less expensive than safflower but higher quality than the “mix” seed bags which have low-quality filler seeds. The thistle feeder or sock (mesh bag) can be filled with thistle (sometimes called nyjer) seed which is a bit more expensive but attracts finches amazingly.
The goal in any feeding station is to have a variety of seed which can include suet bricks as well, at varying heights and feeders. Some birds naturally forage on the ground so spreading seed there will attract them. Of course, squirrels and other animals will also be attracted to a free offering of food so be on the lookout.
Most feeders can be equipped with commercial or home-made baffles that when installed well make it much harder for squirrels to pillage.
Once your feeding station is set up don’t get discouraged if no birds show up for several days. Have patience because once birds discover a good source of food they’re likely to return again and again.
Note: some small feeder birds like Black-capped Chickadees and White-breasted Nuthatches become highly accustomed to people especially around feeders. Some really patient birders have been able to stand with an offering of seed and have birds literally eating out of their hands.
2.2 Bird Banding
If you live in close proximity to a bird banding station take every opportunity you have to visit. We began our interest in birds because of banding.
Bird banding in a nutshell is this: a licensed master bander catches wild birds in mist nets, records data about the bird, bands it, and then releases it.
The information gathered from bird banding is some of the most precise and important for bird population study and conservation. The birds banded are just a sample of a given area’s birds but it provides study opportunities not always available in the field.
In our home county in northern Illinois we are lucky to have one of the world’s premiere banding facilities – Sand Bluff Bird Observatory. Here, the banders put on a “show” describing in great detail not just what the banders are doing but about all sorts of topics ranging from bird color to conservation. The overwhelming feeling quickly gives way to just plain awe-inspiring learning.
No matter how many hours you put in the field, your chances of being eye to eye with a Baltimore Oriole are low. Bird banding gives that first hand “feel” to just how cool birds are.
If you reside somewhere that does not offer good backyard birding, bird banding can be a great alternative to spark the interest in birds.
Section 2.3 Open areas/Wetlands
Once the feeders have been thoroughly scrutinized and your brain is full of bird banding information, it is time to go into the field—or prairies, wetlands, etc. Any open natural area that has nearly 360 degree views will do.
Try to go to a place where you know there will be birds. Even if the birds are common (or even the same ones as the feeders) this will give kids more practice using bins and also increase the excitement of finding new birds.
Wetlands and rookeries are great places to visit as many of the birds are large and more stationary. A lake with a variety of ducks in it can be a great place (although you may need a spotting scope) as ducks often provide easier targets and still enough diversity to make use of a field guide.
If the weather is cold or the little ones are tired from hiking, take a drive down a quiet road (gravel roads work well for this) to look in farm fields for open country birds. Roadways with powerlines running parallel to them will often have raptors perched on them. This is a great way to find American Kestrels and Red-tailed Hawks. Powerlines often hold flycatchers and other birds as well.
Section 2.4 Other Birding Spots
Where you bird largely depends on how close your access is to superb birding places. Thankfully, nearly anywhere in the United States you are within an hour from a great birding location. You may not live near one of the best of the best, but we guarantee you’re closer than you think to great birding.
Start with your county map and look for state parks, forest preserves, large city parks with water sources (like creeks, rivers, ponds and even recreational man-made lakes), national forests, etc. Anywhere with public access, trails, and a variety of habitat will mean a diversity of birds.
After scouring your immediate area, look for other, larger state parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Parks, state recreational areas, National trails, and more. Check out places like the National Audubon Society [www.audubon.org] and the Nature Conservancy [www.nature.org] for even more places. These last two are often some of the most unique and pristine areas in the country.
Many states now have official state or regional birding trails. These trails consist of a series of birding spots linked together by driving routes. They have maps and additional information to guide you in finding the location as well as what species you can expect to encounter.
You can view an updated list of birding trails here: http://www.aba.org/resources/birdingtrails.html
So after a two hour drive and a two-mile bird hike it is likely the kids are getting tired or even the dreaded “b” word: bored. The next section provides some ideas for keeping the interest going, short and long term.
Bird Photography Weekly #76
February 7, 2010
Article in: Bird Photography Weekly
Join in now on the 76th edition of Bird Photography Weekly!!
Help spread the word with these badges:
Copy this code to place this badge:
<a href="http://birdfreak.com/category/bird-photography-weekly/"><img src="http://birdfreak.com/images/bpw-sharing-logo-wide.jpg" width="225"/></a>
Copy this code to place this badge:
<a href="http://birdfreak.com/category/bird-photography-weekly/"><img src="http://birdfreak.com/images/bpw-sharing-logo-smaller.jpg" width="125"/></a>
C-Notes #13 – Shopping for Bird Conservation
February 6, 2010
Article in: Bird Conservation
Kroger Community Rewards Program – Kroger Stores are donating dollars to nonprofit organizations and one group has joined up to help bird conservation. The Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) in Oak Harbor, Ohio is part of the rewards programs and urges local shoppers to sign up via a simple online process. Each time a signed up member swipes their Kroger card, the BSBO automatically earns a rebate. Easy, breezy conservation dollars.
Less in the Landfill – A lot of direct mail advertising ends up in the landfill. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has a few tips on how to reduce your junk mail. On of those ways is through a free service called Direct Mail Marketing. This takes you off lists by category or all at once.
JUNK MAIL creates four million tons of preventable waste each year. The enormous waste generated by junk mail has a big negative impact. This junk…
* Costs taxpayers $320 million in disposal fees annually.
* Destroys 62 million trees a year.
* Creates 28 billion gallons of wastewater per year.
* Fills 3% of America’s landfills.
* 44% percent is unopened, unread and trashed.
—Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Birding Ohio – Litzenberg Memorial Woods
February 3, 2010
Article in: Birding
The dust (snow) is settling around the big move to Ohio and blustery weather has not encouraged birding. Dakota and I have realized a good window view is perfect for those days that don’t go much beyond single digit temperatures.
The welcoming committee from our living room window
The discovery of a Northern Mockingbird pair hanging out near our window has brightened the winter considerably. A rare occurrence in northern Illinois made the regular viewing in Missouri much more exciting and I was afraid we wouldn’t see many here in Ohio. The pair spends a lot of time chasing other birds on a regular basis since we’ve moved in. They are becoming one of my favorite birds.
The view
The birding excursions, though rather short, have included two small conservation areas in Hancock County, Ohio; Litzenberg Memorial Woods and Blue Rock Forest Preserve.
Litzenberg Memorial Woods
Litzenberg Memorial Woods is a 227 acre part of the Hancock County Park system and includes some trails and a farm. The area was donated for conservation and is relatively new to the public; 1995.
Dakota and I took a half mile trail in melting snow-turned-to-ice. Our total bird list did not even reach a dozen, but it was nice to be “hiking in Ohio” for the first time.
Litzenberg Memorial Woods – Hancock County, Ohio
Blue Rock Nature Preserve
A second place we checked out was Blue Rock Nature Preserve, a small 11-acre wooded area in Findlay. We had our first Ohio sighting of a White-breasted Nuthatch and watched some rowdy Northern Cardinals.
History: A gift from the Remington Arms and DuPont Companies, Blue Rock Nature Preserve receives its’ name from the heavy, bluish clay mined from the property in the early 1900’s. Remington Arms Company used the clay for their Blue Rock brand clay sportsmen’s targets. The strip-mined area has now been returned to a natural state. — Hancock Parks
Blue Rock Nature Preserve
Thanks to all the Ohio birders who have been in contact with us; our next goal is to join up with some birding and nature clubs in the area and go on some group field trips. Thanks everyone for all of your input and good birding to you!
Guide to Birding Field Guides
February 1, 2010
Article in: Book Reviews
With so many birding field guides to choose from it is difficult to choose one. This is probably why many birders own several! There really is no “perfect” guide out there but some of these come close. Whatever guide(s) you use it is important to familiarize yourself with the format and order prior to going out into the field. Also, while out in the field it is a good idea to only consult your guide after the mystery bird flies away. We hope you enjoy this “guide to birding field guides”.
Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America
The Kaufman Field Guide Series (which also includes Insects, Butterflies, and Mammals) uses high quality digitally edited photos to showcase birds in positions that show off identifying field marks. Call-out lines are used to further point out key markings on the photos which are mentioned in the text.
The birds are organized by family and/or similarity rather than taxonomically. This has some potential for confusing the scientific learning of birds and their biological relationships but for a budding birder makes it a lot easier to identify in the field.
For example, there is a page on “Various Micro-Birds” which covers Ruby- and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Bushtit, and Verdin together since they behave and look similar.
To further help finding birds, the book has color-coded sections which matches the table of contents as well as a checklist style index (so you could mark off birds you’ve seen).
The plates (pictures of birds) reside on the right page and the accompanying text is on the left. The text includes scientific information as well as habitat and identification pointers. Some birds include a description of their voice and all but the rarest have color-coded range maps to show where and when to expect the bird.
Kaufman covers all the birds of North America and the guide is sized well for a large pocket to bring out in the field.
Note: There is also a Spanish version of the Kaufman Guide – Aves de Norteamerica – which is translated by Patricia Manzano Fischer.
National Audubon Society: The Sibley Guide to Birds
Referred to as simply the “Sibley”, The Sibley Guide to Birds comes in Eastern, Western, and all of North America editions. The Eastern and Western versions are “field-guide sized” and cover their respective regions. However, the full version is a must and what we discuss below. (We refer to this as the “Big Sibley” as do many birders.)
First published in 2000, I’ve used the Big Sibley ever since and have loved sharing it with all who bird with me. Instead of photography, all the birds are illustrated by David Allen Sibley. The illustrations provide for a “best-case scenario” when out birding as the birds are positioned in such ways to show off key field marks.
This approach has been criticized but provides a great way to learn birds ahead of time and improve field identification when the book is not readily available.
I learned the majority of my eastern wood warblers by paging through the warbler section about a hundred times. Each of the birds are positioned facing the same general way and also in flight so you can get a better understanding of the form and function of the bird along with the colors and markings.
The guide follows taxonomic organization (that was current of the book’s printing) and the species accounts feature no more than two birds on a page. Scientific information, habitat, and identification tips are all included as well as voice and color-coded range maps.
Some species with numerous variations are covered in more depth with even more illustrations and at the start of each family of birds there is a detailed overview of the family and all the species represented in the guide for that family.
The Sibley is definitely big and thus a little more cumbersome for quick field use but for a bird-learning guide it is perfect.
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition
The “Nat Geo” guide provides a compact, true field guide organized in more recently updated taxonomic order. The format includes illustrated plates on the right side and informational text on the left hand pages. The easy-to-use table of contents and tabbed pages make accessing a particular family simple and easy. Unfortunately, not all families are tabbed so you still need to refer to the table of contents or index to find certain families or species.
The text is some of the best found in traditional field guides and includes detailed descriptions of what to look for to identify a specific bird. The range maps are a bit smaller than other guides but still accurately show geographical and seasonal expectability of each species.
One of the best features of the Nat Geo is that it includes every species seen in North America, even some of the really rare ones. While it might seem like species overload, it provides an opportunity to study birds that may show up on that dream trip to the southern tip of Texas or even that wayward hummingbird in southern Wisconsin.
Note: A Green-breasted Mango showed up near the border of Wisconsin and Illinois and guides like the Nat Geo made it much easier to provide an identification of a bird that is normally several thousand miles south.
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America
Roger Tory Peterson’s first field guide to birds was published in 1934 and has since evolved pleasantly to be one of the most widely used guides on the market. Peterson passed away in 1996 but in 2008 a new edition to his guide was published to celebrate what would have been his 100th birthday.
This guide is a bit different from the earlier versions but still retains the “Peterson” feel and is still a top-notch guide. This edition is the first in the Peterson line to include all of North America (instead of eastern and western editions which are going to be published later) and thus is much larger than past printings.
The bigger size makes for big, bold artwork which includes callout lines to specific field marks. The format is similar to other guides with plates on the right pages and textual information on the left pages. The range maps are tiny but are also indexed in the back at a much larger size (the biggest of any guide).
The guide begins with a wonderful introduction on how to identify birds and includes silhouettes (outlines) of birds as you may see them on wires, fence posts, in-flight, etc.
Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America
The Smithsonian, at first glance, may seem a bit of information overload. The text and photos are packed together and fill up over 500 pages. But this wealth of information make this an awesome guide, perhaps for older young birders.
The birds are arranged in taxonomic order and every family of birds is introduced thoroughly. The text alone is worth having and reading this guide and with some 2,000 photographs, the visual appeal is there too.
Accompanying the Smithsonian Field Guide to Birds is a DVD loaded with 587 bird sounds covering 138 species. These can be loaded into an iPod or computer to help learn and associate the sounds with the birds. This is a first for a field guide and provides an added benefit to the cost of the field guide.
All the Birds of North America (American Bird Conservancy’s Field Guide)
ABC’s field guide is marketed as a “pocket-size guide for real field use” but is a bit awkward in size for a pocket. However, for using the guide in the field, All the Birds does a fine job. The guide is organized in an unconventional manner with species arranged by appearance, focusing on such things as bill shapes and sizes and behavioral similarities like “tree climbers”.
Such a layout creates an interesting way to identify birds: say you are unsure that a Cactus Wren is indeed a wren, you can find it amongst the “curved-bills”. This greatly enhances learning similar birds that are actually unrelated and thus normally in a different section of a field guide. However, some of the sections are too large with too many families represented which becomes pretty confusing.
Each section is introduced with wonderful text that explains what, how, and where to look for that type of bird. This feature is pretty cool because it provides a bit of pre-field work help to aid your success of finding birds. It is always a good idea to read the text and study your guide before going into the field and this encourages that.
The illustrations are beautiful and other helpful identification tips are sprinkled throughout the pages making All the Birds a great learning tool.
Birds of Eastern North America: A Photographic Guide (Princeton Field Guides)
This beautiful guide comes in both Eastern and Western varieties with the only differences being regional coverage. The photography alone is worth owning this guide; the photos were hand-picked specifically for their ability to illustrate identifying marks and also show the amazing beauty of the birds.
The text that accompanies the photography is wonderful as well and includes several pages of introductory text that covers topics such as plumage, migration, and habitat types. The detailed information on habitats comes in handy for understanding where to look for specific birds.
The layout consists of species text and range maps on the left-hand side and a collage of photographs on the right-hand side. The collage covers male, female, immature, and alternate plumages where applicable.
Similar species are arranged closely together for quick comparison and the index is easy to use to find a particular bird. The top corners of the pages have small bird photos that also help for finding birds while flipping pages.
This guide is more than just beautiful photos but may be a bit difficult to want to abuse out in the field.
National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America
The NWF guide is thick, heavy, and includes most of the birds of North America. Missing are some of the rarer species which is a shame because some of these are being seem more often especially along the US/Mexico border.
The guide begins with a lengthy introduction which describes how to define and identify birds, the natural history of birds, and various other nuggets of information. The birds are organized taxonomically and each family or grouping is introduced with explanative text about similarities among the group. This helps to provide a broader approach to larger groups of birds that share a lot in common.
The layout is fairly “busy” with mostly two species covered per page and loaded with multiple, small photographs. The text is limited but adequate and the range maps do their job nicely. The photos are overlaid with (hard-to-read) identification tips which help for identification but make the layout even more cluttered.
With a waterproof, heavy-duty cover and a lot of birds to explore, the National Wildlife Federation’s guide is a practical choice for field use.
Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region (Stokes Field Guides)
This guide comes in both Eastern and Western varieties with the only differences being regional coverage. The guide has a rather simple format that could be considered plain. Although, the lack of flair is quite appealing because the focus is then drawn on the birds and the information needed to identify them.
Each species is given a full page with one or more color photographs and the text immediately follows below. Behaviors are discussed along with identification tips and info on feeding and nesting. A range map plus info on habitat, voice, and conservation status is also included.
The guide is organized taxonomically (in scientific order at the time of publishing) and the pages are color-coded by family types to speed up finding a particular section. Sprinkled throughout the guide are “Learning Pages” which provide extended information on certain types of birds that can be difficult to identify.
The guide is fairly heavy and a bit too large for a pocket but is highly durable.
The Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of Eastern North America (Peterson Field Guides)
While it only covers 200 species and there is no western counterpart (yet), The Young Birder’s Guide is a great step forward into fully functional focused guides for young birders. The condensed format will leave some birds unidentifiable (for example, many warblers and sparrows are missing) but the format and look offer a lot of appeal to kids.
The format consists of one bird per page (or two extremely similar birds on the same page) where there is a photograph or two, an illustration, range map, and text explaining what to look for and listen for and other things to consider in finding and identifying a species. The specific tips on behaviors to watch for and habitats to explore enhance the functionality of the guide.
Each species also has a “wow!” fact that is sure to grab and hold the attention of younger birders. There is also a fairly large introductory section with tips on how to help birds, become better birders, birding manners, and field skills. This text provides the perfect tool to help encourage kids to get outside and look for birds.
There are other guides available and some of these are a bit “dated” but we hope this provides a nice overview of what is out there. As always, we appreciate your opinions so please provide them below in the comments!
