It is no secret that the number of bird watchers has climbed exponentially since March 2020 and the onset of the global pandemic. If there is a silver lining to these challenging times, it is that so many have turned to nature for solace and joy. In light of this, we would like to introduce… Read more »
Last month, members of the Bird Watcher’s Digest staff led our fourth Reader Rendezvous birding tour of the year, and our second “birdtography” tour featuring our production director and award-winning professional photographer, Bruce Wunderlich. Here is a summary of the group’s adventures with birds, bears, and Bruce! The morning before the event officially began, several… Read more »
For those of us who work in birding travel, the storm clouds are clearing, and we’re getting a glimpse of sunshine again! The entire ecotourism industry is breathing a huge sigh of relief as we carefully reinstitute birding travel once again after a long hiatus. COVID-19 brought travel in the US and abroad to a… Read more »
Scott Weidensaul is living a life of avian adventure. His recent book, A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migration, has become a New York Times bestseller—and for good reason: Scott is a masterful storyteller. About the Book (from Publisher W.W. Norton): In the past two decades, our understanding of the navigational and… Read more »
It’s the most wonderful time of the year if you’re a birder! And the staff here at Bird Watcher’s Digest is spending every minute we can in between our work responsibilities trying to soak up all the migrants passing through our yards and patches and whatever birdy spots we find ourselves this spring. We thought… Read more »
Here at Bird Watcher’s Digest we’re celebrating mothers, both human and avian! At this time of year, female birds are hard at work laying eggs and taking care of their young. If you’re looking for ways to help mothers with wings, we have five great ideas to share. Keep cats indoors. Domestic cats—even well-fed, mostly… Read more »
This spring has been rife with reports from backyard birders spotting finches and other feeder birds suffering from red, swollen eyes—the telltale sign of avian conjunctivitis. Bird Watcher’s Digest columnist and wildlife rehabilitator Julie Zickefoose has been treating birds with mycoplasma for many years, and she reports that this is the worst spring she’s ever… Read more »
The weekend of February 12–15, unleash your inner citizen scientist by joining the Great Backyard Bird Count. Participation can be as simple as spending 15 minutes (or more!) on at least one of the four days observing the birds in your backyard—or anywhere else—and reporting your findings. Participating is simple for birders of all ages… 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 »
We asked, and you all answered—thank you to everyone who responded to our call to celebrate a Green Friday the day after Thanksgiving! You will see in the gallery below some of the marvelous pictures our Facebook fans shared with us. Look at all those happy faces enjoying fresh air and nature, everywhere from their… Read more »
