© Lora Denis
The night before my very first birding trip, I was nervous. Not only was I entirely new to birds and the natural world, I didn’t even know how to use binoculars. By “entirely new” I mean I couldn’t even identify a robin. And, since I’m being honest here, I showed up for my first outing ...
I had no idea what to expect from my first Christmas Bird Count this weekend. I was nervous about meeting a group of unknown, yet likely much more experienced birders for the first time, and slightly terrified that under pressure to impress strangers, the only bird I’d be able to identify would be a robin. ...
This female Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) is sitting on a tree branch beside the nest she is building in Presqu’ile Provincial Park, Ontario. Orioles weave intricate hanging pocket-shaped nests out of long strips of dried plant fibres and bark. This nest even includes a strip of colorful blue plastic. The nests are easier to see ...
At first, I thought the point of birding was spring migration. Birders rise before dawn and spend their days pointing their binoculars at the quick moving warblers in a frenetic attempt to ID the avian wonders that dot the trees. The irrepressible excitement of my new bird-group at the sight of the season’s first yellow ...
Red-winged blackbird © Shutterstock, BG Smith
During the week, I’m a writer, editor, writing coach, and lecturer who sits at her desk for long stretches of time, crafting sentences and researching obscure details about the culinary predilections of Peter the Great. But on Saturdays I transform into a Tilley hat clad birder who sets her alarm clock for an unseemly hour ...
Laurel Creek Conservation Area © Carl Hiebert / Grand River Conservation Authority