Whenever I hear there’s a rarity or a vagrant bird nearby, my knee-jerk response is to be anything but intrigued. First and foremost, the likelihood of that bird surviving its having been veered off course from, say, western Europe to Columbus, Ohio, is fairly dismal; the prospect of rushing to look at a bird in peril… Read more »
My eight-year-old son is a rising birder, and he often surprises me with various pieces of bird art he has created. I am curating quite a collection of drawings, sculptures, and paintings! Such was the case recently when he presented me with this canvas of two snowy owls, which blew me away with its attention… Read more »
Snowy owls are a rarity in southeastern Ohio, so it’s exciting news when one is spotted nearby. After hearing about a snowy owl turning up not far from my home, I decided to take a drive to check it out and maybe get a few photos. My wife (who isn’t a birder) and I set… Read more »
The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequent shelter-in-place orders, work-at-home directives, and social distancing rules have inarguably complicated many people’s lives worldwide. But something we here at Bird Watcher’s Digest observed, amidst all the strife and heartache, was an influx of people becoming interested in birding. Folks restricted to the confines of their apartments and houses have become more aware of what goes… Read more »
When I was growing up in landlocked Tennessee, our family spent summers in Florida. Our annual pilgrimage to the Sunshine State involved loading up the Country Squire “Woody” Station Wagon to the hilt with beach towels, bathing suits, pots and pans, cooking spices, and groceries. I felt a “Lewis & Clark” kind of pioneering adventure… Read more »
Audubon’s long-standing tradition of Christmas Bird Counts are conducted each year between December 14 and January 5, and this season marked the 121st annual CBC! BWD editors Dawn Hewitt and Jessica Melfi participated in different counts on January 2, and here they share their very different—but equally memorable—experiences. The Thrills of Christmas Bird Counts by Dawn Hewitt Oh,… Read more »
With nearly all in-person birding festivals canceled and some of my favorite hotspots closed due to the pandemic, 2020 was a challenging year to find birds to photograph. Since March, I have been working from home. As a result, I’ve spent many lunch breaks and more early evening hours than normal in my backyard, and… Read more »
What lens do you use for bird photography? This is a question I have been asked many times. My love affair with Tamron lens began in the winter of 2018 while co-leading a Bird Watcher’s Digest Reader Rendezvous at Florida’s Space Coast. I was leading the bird photography sessions of the trip, which were sponsored… Read more »
Although Ohio winters can be quite long and dreary, one of the highlights for me is my backyard bird-feeding station. Winter birds with their colorful, cheerful presence can brighten even the most gray, snowy day. A few years ago I tried something new with my backyard feeding station that was a big hit with my… Read more »
Are you suffering from the “birding travel blues”? If you’re like me, you’re at home today daydreaming about distant lands and glorious life birds! Although our ability to travel this year has been hampered by COVID-19, birding and wildlife tours are gaining traction in the year ahead with birders who are eager to “get back out there.” While… Read more »
