Wingin’ It: Warmer days bring birdsong
As spring arrives, migratory birds are returning from their wintering grounds. Some birds return from as far away as South America; others, known as…
Wingin’ It: Ducks on the ponds signal the start of spring migration
As we write this article at the end of March, the ice has left our pond. Earlier in March, when the pond was still…
Wingin’ It: Watching the birds of winter
A red-breasted nuthatch. (Photo courtesy Cephas, Wikipedia Commons) Winter is a great time to hone your bird identification skills. Sitting in a warm house…
Wingin’ It: Valentine’s Day couples … Birds that bond
One of the easiest birds to identify is the northern cardinal. We have at least one pair on the farm throughout the year. Cardinals,…
Wingin’ It: A week of bird banding at Alberta’s Beaverhill Bird Observatory
After a long drive on a dusty dirt road, I eagerly hopped out of the car at a trailhead in the middle of nowhere,…
Wingin’ It: From swallows to swifts … welcoming back the migrating birds of spring
Starting in late April and into May we look forward to the arrival of the birds that have spent the winter in Central and…
Wingin’ It: Ice out, spring migrants in
Now that the ice is out on our pond, we can expect to see some early spring migrants taking advantage of the open water.…
Wingin’ It: South to Guatemala, Part 2
The next stop on our itinerary was Los Tarrales Reserve on the southeastern slope of Atitlán volcano. This reserve is part of the Atitlán…
Wingin’ It: South to Guatemala, Part 1
There are reasons many of our birds head south in the winter. New England weather is cold and food supplies are scarce. Some birds,…
Wingin’ It: Fall migration brings raptors through the neighborhood
Editor’s Note: This column first appeared in the Sept. 30, 2022, edition of the Harvard Press. Fall is fast upon us and with…
