A friend of mine recently decided she wanted to take up bird watching a little more actively. She can identify the common species, but wants to know what is visiting her yard and campsight. Naturally, I’ve jumped all over this. Spring migration is well underway, and more returning species are …
We love posting good news on this blog. When you’re dealing with wildlife and wild spaces, good news items are few and far between. Today is one of the good days. The Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey samples more than two million square miles of waterfowl habitat across the …
Can you name Canada’s National Bird? You may get a clue from our coins! Our national bird is the Common Loon, which also explains our loonies and toonies that the world loves to laugh about. And before you ask, no a baby loon is not called a loonie (or twins …
Bird Studies Canada is looking for your help. Anyone who has listened to their wild call echoing across a tranquil northern lake can appreciate how the Common Loon has become a much-loved wilderness symbol. The loon has a special place in the hearts of many lakeside residents and visitors, and …
I was taking a birding drive on the weekend out to a large shallow lake which is filled with puddle ducks in the spring. Across the road from this lake is a landscaping company, and in preparation for their big season, they have a huge pile of wood chips to …
Growing up in northern Alberta, I distinctly remember flocks of whooping cranes passing over our house. It was a normal as the sun setting. Little did we know what the future held for these huge, whooping birds. The whooping crane was designated as an Endangered Species in Canada in 1978. …
What would you think is the most common bird in Canada? If you guessed Canada goose, you would at least be in the correct family! According to Environment Canada, our snow goose population now stands at over 4.5 million breeding birds, and has tripled over the past 20 years. While …
Well I’m a happy camper today. Bird watching yesterday gave me my first look at returning gulls. Granted, they were too high for me to make a species identification, but they were definitely gulls. And right on schedule. As I live next to the Bow River in Calgary, Alberta, I’ve …
After a cold, snowy, winter most of us are chomping at the bit to get out there and start birding in comfort again. If you’re thinking of a holiday, there’s no better place to be this month than on Vancouver Island, BC. The Brant Wildlife Festival celebrates nature, particularly the …