One January day, my husband and I set off on a walk around our neighborhood. The temperature was a bone-chilling negative 19 degrees, and although we worked to get our blood pumping, our fingers and toes eventually revolted. As we turned back toward the warmth of home, I spotted a flock of birds bouncing through the branches of a sumac. When I looked more closely, I was shocked to see that the birds were American robins. [Read more…] about Robins in Winter
birding
Carolina Wrens Move North
I saw a new bird at my feeder last winter. In mid-December, a small, reddish-brown bird with an upturned tail, a white eyebrow-stripe, and a long, slender, downcurved bill was on the deck below our feeder. Looking at its cocked tail, I suspected it was a type of wren – a Carolina wren, I discovered upon checking my field guide. I had heard the rich, whistled song of this wren in my neighborhood for the first time the previous summer, but this was the first time I’d seen one. [Read more…] about Carolina Wrens Move North
Bald Eagle Viewing in Winter
Winter is a great time to view bald eagles in New York State. Viewing from a safe distance and at planned observation sites can offer an exhilarating and memorable experience.
Wintering bald eagles begin arriving in December and concentrations peak in January and February. Most are heading back to their nesting areas by mid-March. [Read more…] about Bald Eagle Viewing in Winter
Feed Wild Birds Safely and Responsibly
For many birdwatchers in New York, November 30th is an important date: the day that backyard bird feeders can go back up. To avoid conflicts with bears, DEC highly recommends only feeding birds from November 30th to April 1st. [Read more…] about Feed Wild Birds Safely and Responsibly
It’s Time For Bird Nest Box Maintenance
Birdhouses are a simple addition to your yard that can provide nesting places for many kinds of birds and weeks of wildlife-watching opportunities.
Cavity-nesters, like tree swallows, house wrens, blackcapped chickadees, Eastern bluebirds, wood ducks, and American kestrels, all use nest boxes.
The type of birds you might attract depends on the size of the box and the nearby habitat; some birds prefer open fields while others prefer forests or wetlands. [Read more…] about It’s Time For Bird Nest Box Maintenance
Canada Goose Migration: Where Are They Going?
The musical honking of Canada geese and their V-shaped flocks streaming overhead are classic signs of autumn. I hear the clamor of geese as they fly low over my house, preparing to land in the hayfield in our valley.
Sometimes I spot the large, black-necked birds before they take off to continue their journey. Where are they coming from, I wonder, and where are they going? [Read more…] about Canada Goose Migration: Where Are They Going?
Featured Natural Place: Vosburgh Swamp Wildlife Management Area
Vosburgh Swamp is a 290-acre Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Greene County, NY comprised of forested uplands, tidal forested wetlands, tidal marsh, and small areas of freshwater wetlands. The area also features accessible waterfowl viewing and hunting blinds, multiple trails, and public parking. It was acquired by the State of New York from Scenic Hudson in 2012 and 2015. [Read more…] about Featured Natural Place: Vosburgh Swamp Wildlife Management Area
Migrating Birds, Light Pollution & Toxic Chemical Exposure
The journeys of night-migrating birds are already fraught with danger. Light pollution adds yet another hazard beyond the increased risk of collisions with buildings or communication towers. According to a new study, birds attracted by the glow of artificial light at night are drawn into areas where they are also exposed to higher concentrations of airborne toxic chemicals. The study has just been published in the journal Global Change Biology. [Read more…] about Migrating Birds, Light Pollution & Toxic Chemical Exposure
Dire News From 2022 State of the Birds Report
A newly released State of the Birds Report for the United States reveals a tale of two trends, one hopeful, one dire. Long-term trends of waterfowl show strong increases where investments in wetland conservation have improved conditions for birds and people. But data show birds in the United States are declining overall in every other habitat — forests, grasslands, deserts, and oceans. [Read more…] about Dire News From 2022 State of the Birds Report
Wildlife Mosaics: Paddling Freshwater Marshes
Sunlight glinted off the water as we paddled our canoe along a winding channel which led through a marsh of tall grasses and wild rice. Two white, long-legged birds – great egrets – stalked the shallow water, poised to spear fish with their pointed bills. A bald eagle landed in a tree, squawking as it joined its mate. After four miles of canoeing down the Missisquoi River in northwestern Vermont we had reached the point where the river enters Lake Champlain. [Read more…] about Wildlife Mosaics: Paddling Freshwater Marshes