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First of all: SWALLOWS. I have been watching for their arrival all week. Yesterday, there were none. Today, Tree Swallows are here, flashing light and dark above the river. Now, let’s back up. Last week was spring break at the University of Montana, and so, for me, a chance for a brief flying visit back [...]

The verdant Appalachian Mountains, North America’s concerned forehead, stretch from the northern parts of Georgia all the way to the fir covered forests of New England.  Unbeknownst to most of the millions of Americans that live within a few hours drive of their misty peaks and secluded hollows, the ancient, topographically diverse Appalachians are one [...]

As entertaining as it has been reading about the lovely spring migrations in North America recently, it might be worth remembering the fate of Southern Hemisphere types for whom the days are getting shorter and colder. A chilly southerly that felt like it could have blown straight the ice-sheets of Antarctica hit me today as [...]

Scope of Work This blog post investigates the nagging notion that warblers of the Old World are drab and boring interesting on multiple levels especially to the extreme bird enthusiast while North American wood-warblers are nothing but beautiful and magical. I have tried to go beyond the emotional perception and actually analyse the colours on [...]

Migrating warblers typically pass through Cyprus from March until May every Spring – a fact that is sadly taken advantage of by illegal poachers. Their migration typically peaks about a week before the end of April however. Well, last weekend certainly held up to the rule, with April 22nd being a particularly good day. Sadly [...]

The Common Tailorbird, Orthotomus sutorius, is a small warbler whose range extends from India to southern China and down into Indonesia. It is common, mostly in the lowlands, but can range as high as 5000ft. It is found in most habitats with thick cover and can often be found in urban parks and gardens. It is an [...]

Corey and I visited Central Park this morning for some early spring birding. At this point in the season, a good day might be 8 species of warbler, rather than 20. We topped 8 just barely, but made up in quality what we lacked in quantity. The undisputed star of the show was a bird [...]