© Lora Denis
Eastern towhee © Larsek c/o Shutterstock
I knew that the time would come when I’d have to commit to learning bird songs in earnest. I’ve toyed with the idea before, even laughed that yes, I was on my way to becoming one of those birders, downloaded an app, and then proceeded to abandon the whole enterprise after I nearly drove my ...
Julia and her husband in Spain's Donana National Park
I like to think that birding has changed me for the better. I’ve become more attentive to detail, more attune to the natural world around me, more cognizant about conservation issues and the perils facing bird habitats. Birds have changed the landscape of Toronto for me; I now marvel at urban parks because of their ...
International Women’s Day, last Friday, presents an ideal opportunity to celebrate illustrious women birders. The remarkable Phoebe Snetsinger comes to mind immediately, she was the first person to acquire a life list with more than 8,000 birds. Snetsinger’s story is documented in her autobiography, Birding on Borrowed Time, whose title refers to an incurable cancer ...
Short-eared owl © Peter Ferguson
On a stormy midwinter morning, conservation staff Laura Robson, Megan Anevich, James Paterson and I piled into a car and set out on a road trip to visit the Altberg Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Reserve. This trip wasn’t just a joyride. We headed out with a clear purpose in mind: to find the elusive short-eared owl.
Laurel Creek Conservation Area © Carl Hiebert / Grand River Conservation Authority