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 »
My favorite and most frequent location to bird has always been at my kitchen sink. All but one of my bird feeders hang from the roof of my back deck, which is what my kitchen window overlooks. My regulars include Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, house finch, Carolina wren, American goldfinch, mourning dove, and, of course,… Read more »
I was sitting here on my balcony a few minutes ago literally thinking, “Well, it’s Father’s Day, I wonder if I’ll see my Dad Bird.” (I wrote about my connection to my dad through a Cooper’s hawk last year – it’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever written.) And then I started typing up… Read more »
It seems like just yesterday that spring had sprung and the birding message boards were full of folks eagerly asking, “When do the hummingbirds arrive? Have you seen any hummers yet?” And then there was a flurry of people excitedly sharing pictures and reports of their first sightings. But lately I’m seeing a lot of… Read more »
So, you’re walking along, you glance down, and there it is, a gift from nature: a feather. On occasion its source is obvious—if it’s winter in the Midwest and the feather is reddish, it’s from a cardinal. Often, though, the feathers we find are harder to identify. If you have a smartphone or camera with… 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 »
by Julie Zickefoose, Guest Contributor and Bird Watcher’s Digest Columnist A recent Washington Post article discusses fledgling blue jays and grackles being stricken with a “new disease” in Northern Virginia. Birds exhibit blindness, closed eyes, lethargy, and ataxia. I’m going to throw in my unresearched, common-sense opinion as a licensed bird rehabilitator for the past… Read more »
It was a first for Bird Watcher’s Digest: a Reader Rendezvous (birding tour) focusing on bird photography. The leader of this event was our own production director, Bruce Wunderlich, who is also a professional photographer, specializing in our charming hometown, Marietta, Ohio—and in birds. In each issue of BWD, you’ll find spectacular bird photos from… 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 »
Every morning, I crawl out of bed, put on my walking clothes, and take my little dog, Frankie, for a walk. In other words, I go birding. At most times of the year and when I’m pressed for time, I stick to the streets and alleys near my house for about 20 minutes. There, the… Read more »
