You are browsing the archives of 2009 January.

For the last two days our ‘Parrot Month’ theme has been looking at the Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus (and here), a South American species that has been exported for the pet-trade in vast numbers and – through a combination of accidental escapes and deliberate releases – now has feral populations across North America. One of [...]

Have you checked out these carnivals, each of which tastefully included a link from 10,000 Birds? – Travel the World Carnival, Carnival of Cities, and Carnival of the Green.

Pity the poor bird who fails to fly south as its comrades take wing. Lack of foresight has been the undoing of many a migrant that misses the proverbial boat. Sure, global warming may instigate some pretty mild winters but just as surely as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, [...]

Pictures of two different accipiters, without comment as to possible identification.  One was found perched and digiscoped in Kissena Park this past Monday, the other flew directly overhead and was photographed with my 100mm macro lens in the Rockaways on Sunday.  Sharpies or Coops?  That is, Sharp-shinned Hawks or Cooper’s Hawks?  Or one of each?

…of birding. Tomorrow, Saturday the 22nd, is the Superbowl of Birding, a twelve hour contest in the bitter New England winter, a race against the elements and time to score the highest possible score by seeing more and better birds than all the other teams.  The Bloggerhead Kingbirds, the crack bird-blogger squad that Christopher has [...]

The birding south of the U.S. border and north of the equator is always exceptional. This February, the mind-boggling birding splendors of Central America will be wide open for international indulgence. Check out these incredible events: The Neotropical nation nearest and dearest to my heart is Guatemala. If you’re not exactly sure why a country [...]

This is the first weekend of the Age of Obama. No matter where in the world you live or what you believe in, this simple yet radical shift in American leadership must mean something to you. How will the new U.S. administration impact your weekend. Will you be watching birds? Comment below on the excitement you have [...]

I’ve been shaking my fist northward for the last four frigid weeks. Actually, every part of me has been shaking from the brutal arctic assault. But at last, something great is blowing in from Canada! Seabrooke Leckie of the Marvelous in Nature seems to weather the harsh winters of eastern Ontario with enviable equanimity. Where lesser souls [...]

As always, the “Just for Fun Avian ID Quiz” is brought to you by Jory Langner, our esteemed Avian Quizmaster. On a personal note, this year I’m conducting a “Little Year”.  No snickering please.  I consider it a hybrid, half Big Year (seeing as many species as possible) and half small carbon footprint (local to [...]

Neil Gilbert of OC Birding found a parrot that he does not know the identity to in Irvine Regional Park, Orange County, California.  Does anyone want to help him figure it out?  He’s got good pictures here.