female-eastern-towhee
Louise Beckinsale
Spring Spotlight – The Eastern Towhee

While there is a report of an eastern towhee that has successfully wintered close to North Gower, Ontario, there have yet to be any reported sightings of this large sparrow on eBird so far this month.  As the temperatures continue to increase, we hope to see more of this ground-feeding bird as they move into […]

 

pigeon-courting
Louise Beckinsale
Keep an Eye Out for these Signs of Courtship this Spring

Spring is in the air, keep an eye out for these tell-tale signs of courtship in your new avian arrivals. With the somewhat unseasonably warm weather upon us this month, there have already been a handful of reports denoting the return of some of our favourite spring and summer birds. As they return to their […]

 

bluejay-anting-on-the-ground
Louise Beckinsale
Exploring the Strange Ritual of Anting in Jays and Other Birds

For years, researchers have been attempting to explore the reasoning behind the act of anting among Jays and other species of birds. The Blue Jay may be one of the most recognizable birds in North America, particularly here in Ontario, where they are so common; our nation’s only professional baseball team is named after them. […]

 

robin-migrating
Louise Beckinsale
How Do Birds Know When to Head North in the Spring

Researchers have determined that birds seem to be equipped with a keen sense for shifting climate changes, altering migration patterns. For the most part, we can all understand the reasons birds head south for the winter and how they can accurately time their departure. The other side, the return of the birds in the spring, […]

flower-bed
Louise Beckinsale
Designing Flowerbeds for Your Backyard Birds

A well-designed flowerbed can bring additional species of birds to your backyard by supplying adequate shelter and food. As the spring approaches many of us are already hard at work planning a number of activities for the upcoming season. While birding is naturally on top of our list, other tasks such as spring cleaning our […]

A Special Arrangement for the Raptors at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Louise Beckinsale
A Special Arrangement for the Raptors at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

While the fact that birds, planes and airports do not mix, there are a number of different ways their airports deal with a variety of birds, especially large birds such as raptors and owls. Given the size of these birds, the loss of human life can be catastrophic if one collides with a plane or […]

 

blackbird-building-a-nest
Louise Beckinsale
Birds That Begin Nesting as Early as March

Well, the month of March is upon us and it might be safe to say that most of us are at least getting somewhat more optimistic about the possibility of an early spring. While we certainly cannot predict the weather patterns we will experience over the next month or so, we do know one thing […]

 

red-tailed-hawk
Louise Beckinsale
Spot One of These Rare Majestic Raptors of Winter

With a relatively mild winter on our hands, at least in comparison to other years, we have been treated to a great deal less snowfall and sub-zero temperatures. In addition to these obvious factors, we have also been treated to seeing some new species in our area as well as noticing more and more migratory […]