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 »
Working from home, I am grateful that my desk faces a window. I can see the sweet gum tree across the street that, now bare, hosts five leafy squirrel nests. Laden with spiky, COVID-shaped balls, the tree is a magnet for finches, who peck on the fruit and seem to explore the squirrel nests. Morning… Read more »
While everyone was waiting for turkey on Thanksgiving Day, I was anticipating a different bird: the short-eared owl. With a four-day holiday weekend but no family gatherings this year, I decided to head out to a nearby location I found by using eBird and by talking to other local birders. The place I visited is… Read more »
