Have you been following the the great Birding Is Fun blog? Thirty one birders from around the world write monthly posts, and the variety of topics and photos is truly awesome. How I ended up sharing web space with some of the best birders and writers in the world is …
Posted by Cindy Boucher Evening Grosbeak Spruce Budworm: Moth and Larvae Stage “Everything we do affects something else.” This statement stayed with me in a recent conversation about the Evening Grosbeak presence in New Brunswick during the 70 & 80’s. Let me explain. During those years people recalled incredible numbers of …
I’ve lived in British Columbia my whole life and last month I finally had the opportunity to visit the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Thanks to my birding partner Ken Kennedy, it was a dream come true. With in minutes of arrival I had Sandhill Cranes (a lifer to boot!), Canada Geese …
Outstanding video from the Alberta Conservation Association! The sharp-tailed grouse is a native game bird that makes its home in the prairies, parklands and forest openings of Alberta. For much of the year the sharp-tailed grouse is a quiet, well-camouflaged bird; however, its spring shenanigans are undoubtedly one of the …
It was inevitable, but my shorebird stint (no pun intended) has come to an end, with this, the penultimate entry to the series. I’m going to break this down into four sections based somewhat on genetics, but also somewhat on the “easy” ones and the “hard” ones. The scare quotes …
Yes, I had every intention of throwing out this old weather beaten, shredding lawn chair cushion. Early May wasn’t exactly warm enough to sit on the deck, so the chair was waiting for the spring yard work urge to strike. Apparently procrastination can pay off, as these American Robins now have …
I was in two minds as to what subject I should post this month, but owls always seem to be popular so I’ll go with that. I also thought I’d focus on some of the less common species, at least in Alberta, that I’ve seen this year: the Great Gray, …
With the arrival of the Common Nighthawk, one of the last arrivals, virtually all the migrating birds have returned to the Okanagan Valley. Undoubtedly this is one of the very most important breeding areas in all of Canada; with almost 200 species breeding here it is a critical environment for …
A few years ago my husband, Dennis, bought me a spiffy new nest box equipped with a nestcam for my spring birthday. Within two days several violet-green swallows (tachycineta thalassina) began checking it out. I’d expected an extended looky-loo period because that’s what happened the spring before when swallows nested under the eaves …
This past week has been full of excitement for my Grade 9 students as they prepare for their upcoming sailing trip in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. I’ve been busy with my own preparations as well, so I thought I would keep things simple this month and showcase a …