A Birder's Site

Keeping Track of Species with Bird Watching Check List

Mon, 10 May 2010 01:25:06 +0000

Ardent birdwatchers and bird watching organizations all over the world keep birdwatching check lists. These are kept up-to-date to detect varied bird species in various areas. This kind of activity is most significant to the endangered species of birds because the birder’s check lists will show where and when these particular species of birds were spotted. The check lists will also show if these birds are nesting in those areas where they were spotted. As a result, the areas will be identified and searched thoroughly to better trace and study the birds in their natural environment.

Other Check Lists

There are some other types of birdwatching checklists used worldwide. One such type is the check lists that focus on one specific national park and all bird species that are in it. This is valuable to tourists who travel in these kind of parks for birdwatching because the check lists will convey what bird species are in the different areas of the parks. This will inform the birdwatchers of species of birds that frequent in such areas so that they will know what bird features to look for in order to identify them and to pick the areas to go to find the particular species of birds.

Another type is the birder’s checklists that include the materials that birdwatchers should bring with them when doing the activity. For minor birdwatching trips, the lists will contain binoculars, field guides for the bird species of such area, journals and sketchbooks for people who would want to keep track of the species of birds that they will find. If there are sudden rainstorms in the area like in tropical countries, the lists will include water proof bag to house the supplies to avoid getting them wet.

One more type of birdwatching checklists is expedition birdwatching checklists. These are detailed checklists that cover the kinds of clothes and supplies that the participants will need for the trip and their health requirements because the individuals are required to trek through jungles or forests. Sometimes, these trips would ask the people involved to spend the night to remote regions to find exotic, unique and valuable bird species in remote and secluded jungles. These birdwatching checklists will enable the participants to be ready for the expedition.

A Sparrow Takes off in Slow Motion

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:22:23 +0000

Bird Watching Gifts – Holiday Gift Ideas

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:15:02 +0000

Bird watching is one of the fastest growing interests in the world. If you’re buying for a bird watcher, here’s a primer on ideas for bird watching gifts.

Bird Watching Gifts

Bird watching may seem the simplest of tasks. In truth, there are lots of gadgets, which gives you an opportunity to find great bird watching gifts

1. Binocular Pack Straps – Where you find bird watchers, you’ll find binoculars. Binoculars are the staple equipment item of all birders. The problem, however, is binoculars have a habit of flopping around your body when walking and putting a strain on your neck. Any bird watcher would love to find a solution and binocular pack straps are the answer. They look like backpack straps and snuggly hold binoculars to your body while you walk. Brunton is a great brand and you can expect to pay $30 or so.

2. The Birder’s Handbook – The Birder’s Handbook is a great companion piece for any birder. Over 600 species are covered and all can be found in North America. This book is an excellent list for bird watching enthusiasts to compare their life lists against. The list price of the book is $20.00 and you can find it at any only bookstore.

3. Bird Cams – If backyard bird watching is the primary bird watching activity of the person your giving gifts to, bird cams are great gifts. The bird cam sits inside of the bird house and lets birders see the birds in action. A fascinating view of a bird’s life. Night-Owl and NovaBird make solid cams. You can expect to pay $80 to $300 for a solid cam.

4. Nomad Bird Watching Journals – A little self-promotion. Nomad Bird Watching Journals are great gifts for bird watching enthusiast. Whether they enjoy bird watching tours, backyard birding or bird watching vacations, these journals let bird watchers keep track of sightings, conditions, locations, people met and impressions of the birding experience. A great Christmas gift, you can see the journal by clicking the link in the byline of this article and expect to pay $25 for the journal with case.

Bird watching is sweeping the world. Now you know what to buy bird watching enthusiasts for the holidays.

By Rick Chapo

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com/bird_watchers.cfm – makers of writing journals. Bird watching journals make great Christmas gifts for him or her.

Winter Time Birds

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:00:04 +0000

Wintertime is very difficult for birds, especially the further north that they live because the weather gets considerably colder and harsher. The ground often freezes preventing them form accessing the nutritious worms. The insects are hibernating and most hedgerows and trees are dormant for the cold winter months. Birds can find it difficult to find enough food or even a drink, especially if the winter has brought snow.

Lots of people help the birds by throwing out stale bread for them to eat. Although this does elevate the birds hunger, bread isn’t a very nutritious food source.

Most garden bird’s staple diet is usually, fruit and berries, nuts and seeds, insects, worms and grubs, Very tasty.

To really help the bird out this winter you could string p some monkey nuts. Buy some peanuts in their shells and thread a sharp wool needle with a length of wool with a knot in the end of it. Push the needle through the middle of the peanut shell and out of the other side, it’s a bit like threading beads. Thread on more monkey nuts in this way until the wool is almost full. Unthread the needle, make a loop in the wool that is left and tie a knot to keep the nuts and the loop in place. Use the loop to hang the nuts from the bird-table or tree.

You could also make a tasty bird-cake…
Add to a bowl some chopped up bacon rind, leftover chicken bits from Sunday dinner, a few peanuts, a few raisins and frozen peas, some shelled sunflower seeds if you have any, some diced apple and a couple of heaped table spoons of flour and mix well. Add some water and mix to create dough.

Mould into a ball shape and leave it over night on the kitchen windowsill to dry. By morning it will be hard and ready to leave out on a bird table or lawn for the birds to peck at.

It’s just as important the water is left out as well as food. In the winter, water turns to ice and the birds do not have access to drinking water. Leave a dish with fresh water in it out in your garden for the birds, and check it on really cold mornings to make sure it hasn’t turned to ice.

Some of the UK’s bird population are becoming endangered, this means that their population numbers are falling. Organisations like the RSPB do valuable work to protect and monitor endangered breeds of bird. You could monitor the birds yourself during the winter months, spend an hour each day for a week recording all the birds that visit your garden or bird-table. Bird watching is also known as twitching.

There is a chart on the website, a list of UK winter birds that you may see. Each bird has an illustration to help you to identify which breed it is, and there is some information about each birds preferred habitat. Some birds are residents of the UK, which means they like here all year round, others just visit for the winter.

Some birds on the list are endangered, so some of the birds are rarer than others; but you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them. Maybe you could tempt them into your garden with a bit of tasty bird-cake.

By S. Roberts

S. Roberts writes for santaspostbag.co.uk a website offering Christmas information, education and tips and advice to help your Christmas be the greatest ever. Plus correspond with Santa for FREE http://www.santaspostbag.co.uk/your-letter-from-santa.php In association with http://www.bigboystoyz.com
Visit the winter bird chart http://santaspostbag.co.uk/UK-winter-Birds.html

Why Use Bird Seed?

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:45:05 +0000

Why use bird seed when the bird can eat what is found in nature?

Well bird seed is a great way to attract birds to you home. Bird seed also helps keep the birds nourished and healthy. In the winter or in dry seasons it may be hard for birds to find appropriate food so bird seed is a great way to keep birds nourished.

What bird seed do I choose?

When you choose a bird seed for your birds look for ones with high fat and protein content. This will ensure that your birds will be well nourished and well feed. There are different types of bird seed that you can offer the birds around your home. Depending on what type of birds you want to attract will depend on the bird seed and the bird feeder. For some bird seeds hanging bird feeders or tube bird feeders are best. While for others birds platform bird feeders or suet bird feeders are the better choice. To see what kind of bird seed is most preferred by birds, here is a useful bird seed chart.

When do I use bird seed?

Bird seed can be used year round. There is nothing wrong with feeding birds in the summer and spring this way they will receive the nutrient that they need while they are nesting. It is important that if you start feeding wild birds in the winter that you continue to feed them. Once wild birds find a reliable food source they will keep coming back to eat there.

What is suet?

Suet is a great bird food. Suet is animal fat and should be made with the highest quality beef kidney fat. Suet is processed so that it will not spoil or become soft and melt with different temperatures, because if this happens then all your bird seed will end up on the ground. Here is more information about suet.
What is wild bird seed?

Wild bird seed is all of the seeds mentioned above and in the chart. Wild bird seed can be mixed together for different types of bird feeders, or to attract different types of birds. Wild bird seed is made for wild birds, made for the nutrition that they need and how they prefer to eat. When you are looking a buying a bird feeder online, be sure to check out all the different types of wild bird seed for that type of bird feeder.

By Pam Caouette

Pam Caouette is the lead author for http://www.aplusbirdfeeders.com.
http://wwww.aplusbirdfeeders.com offers great information on wild birds, bird feeders and birdseed. Visit http://www.aplusbirdfeeders.com for a wealth of information.

Whooping Cranes

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:30:04 +0000

Whooping cranes are large attractive birds. The adult is white with dark legs, a long dark bill, and a red crown on top of its head. Black wing tips are visible when the birds are in flight. Fully grown, they are the tallest of all North American birds. They live in marshes, swamps, and other wetlands, eating aquatic creatures such as frogs, as well as insects, seeds, and berries. Many things threaten their survival, including habitat loss, power line collisions, pollution, predators, and disease.
Whooping Cranes are the most endangered of all crane species, with only about 500 birds alive in the world in 2006. This number is up from an estimated 20 birds in the 1940’s as a result of captive crane breeding programs – eggs are taken from nests that contain more than one egg, hatched in captivity, and the young birds are released back into the wild when they are old enough to survive on their own.
Though the overall numbers of Whooping cranes are increasing as a result of the captive crane breeding programs, many of the captive reared birds have failed to reproduce in the wild. Birds that were raised by adults of another crane species failed to mate with their own species and a non-migratory flock established in Florida has largely failed to raise young successfully. Migratory birds released in the Northeast have failed to breed or lost eggs to predators before they hatched. There is hope that this may change, however: the wild birds from crane breeding programs are still young and may simply need more experience before they can successfully raise chicks in the wild.
In 2006, two chicks hatched in the wild in Wisconsin, in a wetland near the captive crane breeding program that their parents had been released from. If these chicks survive, it will be a milestone, and possibly the beginning of a migratory breeding wild flock of Whooping Cranes. This would be a major step forward in the recovery of the species.
Whooping Cranes are a long way from full recovery. A population of 500 birds is still very small, and this number is increasing very slowly, with very few birds born in the wild each year. But we are getting closer to success with the crane breeding programs and, if we are lucky, a day may come again when residents of much of North America will be able to look up and see a flock of large white birds with bold black wingtips pass gracefully overhead.
By Rosemary Drisdelle
Rosemary Drisdelle is a freelance writer focusing on science writing and creative non-fiction, She writes about birds for Suite101.

Where To Place The Bird Bath

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:15:03 +0000

When it comes to providing a place for birds in your area to splash, bathe, play, and drink, a bird bath can please both the feathered and human inhabitants of the property. Bird baths serve as a huge draw to entice birds of all types to your yard, and in turn, the birds receive a necessary place to refresh themselves on hot summer days or chilly winter nights. Before you purchase a bird bath, first consider where you will place the bird bath in your yard or garden to ensure the specific style you wish will fit the outdoor space.

You have countless options when it comes to where to place a bird bath, but the most popular places include:

* Decks or Porches: If you do not have a great deal of space in your yard, or do not have a yard at all, consider purchasing a bird bath that affixes to the railings on a deck of porch. In addition to having the bird bath close to reach for refilling, installing a bird bath on your deck or porch will allow you to enjoy the birds that flock to your bath up close and personal.

* Up in the Trees: What better place to put a bath for your birds than up in the trees? Choose a hanging bird bath that will suspend in your trees so that your birds will not have to leave home to get a drink of water or take a bath. Consider hanging a bird bath near a window so that you can enjoy the birds while they splish and splash. However, keep in mind that bird baths will need to be cleaned and refilled, so avoid hanging a bird bath too far out of your reach so that you will not be able to properly maintain the bath.

* In Your Garden: If space permits, consider creating a sanctuary for the birds in your area. Use stylish bird baths to add style and flair to your yard or garden. Since running water is popular with birds, often enticing them to visit your bird bath over a neighbor’s bird bath, use a fountain bird bath to add a special touch. In addition to enticing the birds in your area, the tranquil sound of running water will allow you to enjoy your outdoor space and relax in your garden.

* Under the Trees: Since many birds seek the shelter of bird baths to escape from summer’s oppressive heat, placing a bird bath under the shade of trees in your yard will further entice birds to your area. However, keep in mind that the leaves and other debris from the trees can cause the bird bath to become dirty quicker so that it requires cleaning more frequently. Also, the blocked view from the trees may not allow you to see the birds that visit your yard and enjoy the bird bath. Generally, individuals choose to place bird baths in open places to prevent hassles associated with frequent cleanings.

* Near Your Home: Watching birds frolic will allow you to relax and unwind in your own home. Place your bird bath near a window that will allow you to oversee your feathered friends. Great places to watch birds include the kitchen, living room, bed room, or home office. Imagine taking a break from work to enjoy watching the birds or watching the flock while washing dishes in your kitchen.

Wherever you decide to place your bird bath in your yard or garden, remember the reason: to entice birds to your yard. Furthermore, consider the great variety of styles and sizes that will allow you to find a bath that matches your personal tastes.
By Doug Mahopac

Doug Mahopc specializes in Birds. Bird Baths

Virginia Bird Watching

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:00:05 +0000

Virginia is among the premier bird watching spots in the mid-Atlantic region of the USA. Virginia has a wide variety of environments and is visited by many species of birds.

Song birds

Virginia is home to large numbers of song birds. Along the coast, marshes, wildflowers, fields and areas of brush provide ideal nesting and feeding habitat. Other songbirds inhabit the tall pine forests there. Warblers, nut hatches, sparrows, red wing blackbirds and others nest near the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic coast in the summer, while cardinals, jays, woodpeckers and finches reside there during the winter months.

Shore Birds

Herons, egrets, ibises, oyster crackers, march hens and other shorebirds are frequently spotted along the marshes in places like Chincoteague, Assateague and the other barrier islands. On the beaches, dozens of species of sandpipers, plovers, gulls and terns feed, nest and raise chicks.

Birds of Prey

A number of birds of prey visit Virginia. Ospreys arrive in the spring to raise young and feed on the abundant fish stocks. As seasons change, some ospreys migrate south while other birds of prey arrive. American eagles, red tailed hawks and other large hunters are present in the fall thru spring. Other hawks such as sparrow hawks may be found year round.

Waterfowl

Ducks, geese, brant and swans all make stops in Virginia. In the refuge, geese and swans take up residence year round. Other full time residents include black ducks, wood ducks and mallards which raise their young on the marshes of Chincoteague Island, Wallops Island and much of the Chesapeake. As autumn arrives, ducks and geese migrate into the refuges and surrounding areas of Virginia. Shoveler ducks, pintails, mallards, widgeons, teal, rudy ducks, canvasbacks, redheads, ring necked ducks, bluebills, and others fly in. Mergansers, buffleheads, goldeneyes and other diving ducks show up in the bay waters as cold weather sets in. Off the coast, rafts of sea ducks and small groups of oldsquaw ducks forage along the shoals over the winter.

Pelagic Birds

The waters off the coast are visited by up to 30 species of pelagic birds including albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters, storm-petrels, phalaropes, skuas, jaegers, gulls, terns and alcids. These birds migrate along the offshore waters far from land. Many pass off the coast and never see Virginia’s beaches.
By John C. Banks

The author is a recreational angler and owner of several outdoor websites. See Chincoteague Island Virginia and Maryland – Virginia Saltwater Fishing for more information about birding in Virginia.

Tube Bird Feeders Exclude Large Birds

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:45:04 +0000

Tube bird feeders are given this name for the obvious reason; they are a tube shaped bird feeder that makes use of this unique design to offer a little something different to the birds that come to eat. The cylindrical shape makes it harder for a pest to latch on to it if they are going to try to steal seeds, or whatever it is you choose to feed, because they have nothing to grab onto. This means you lose less feed to the squirrels, chipmunks or other rodents who otherwise might see the bird feeder as a free meal. As well these kinds of feeders are more likely to bring you the smaller birds, so if you have a preference between smaller birds or larger birds that may be a deciding factor on whether you want this type of bird feeder or not.

Theses tube bird feeders can be a variety of sizes and so hold different amounts of food. But that is not why they attract the smaller birds as opposed to the larger ones. The reason for this is the size of the perches. These feeders tend to have perches up the sides of the tube which allow the birds to eat at different levels on the feeders. This is unlike the platform bird feeders where they all eat on the tray at the bottom. With these there is a tray to catch falling seed, but the birds can eat while sitting on a perch anywhere on the feeder. This means that you must keep the bird feeder full to allow the perches to be useful places for them to eat from. They can also eat from the tray, which may allow for some larger birds to hop on, but as very little will fall it is better to count on this type of bird feeder being for smaller birds.

Therefore if this is the type of bird feeder you want to use you will need to understand that you will not be seeing any jays, doves, cardinals, grackles or other large birds eating from it. If on the other hand you like chickadees, finches or nuthatches then you will be happy with this feeder. Tube bird feeders can hold a variety of birdseeds from the small Niger seeds to the much larger sunflower seeds. Check before you make your purchase because some will come with different sized holes for the use of certain types of seeds. You will also need to know what the birds in your area prefer to eat.
By Mayoor Patel

Mayoor Patel is the writer for the website http://bird-feeders.wares-are.us. Please visit for information on all things concerned with Tube Bird Feeders

Treat The Birds To A Bird Bath!

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:30:04 +0000

All birds love to have a bath every now and again. Don’t get me wrong, they do not like to be placed in water and washed all over. They prefer to give themselves a bath! Whilst our pets don’t necessarily need one, wild birds absolutely love them, and you can buy one and place it in your garden without any hassle. In fact, some bird baths look really nice in a garden, and they can make really good outdoor ornaments.

Why Do Birds Like Bird Baths and Why Should You Buy One?

Birds love bird baths because they provide fresh, clean water which is really hard to come by sometimes, especially in summer. They love cleaning their wings and fluttering about in them and that can provide a lot of joy to families watching them.

If you love to watch birds then a bird bath is definitely a lot better at attracting them than bird feeders are. This is because bird feeders only attract birds which eat seeds. A bird bath attracts all different kinds of birds in the area and so you are likely to see a wider variety with a bird bath in your garden.

If you have children they will love to watch the different birds having a bath and it can even be educational. You could teach them about the various different birds and why they like having a bath. Children really do enjoy watching animals and so you will be doing them a big favor by adding one to your garden.

The Different Types of Bird Baths Available

There are a variety of different bird baths available to buy, or you could easily make one yourself.

One’s which you can buy have all kinds of features including water accessories to attract more birds. Birds love the sound of moving water and many wild bird stores sell accessories which make the water move. They even sell drippers which provide a constant source of fresh clean water.

They come in all shapes and sizes and there is a design to suit each garden. Whether you want a wooden one or a fancy, elegant iron one, there is always something for you. Most people who make their own bird baths use wood as this is the simplest one to create.

Overall providing the birds with a bird bath in your garden is one of the nicest things you can do for them. They will reward you by coming and bathing in the water, and they will provide you and your family with plenty of joy.
By Perry Marshall

birdbathplanet.com a website packed with information on copper bird baths and solar bird baths