Birders and birdwatchers can be an odd bunch of people. They have an intense love of birds, but understanding that passion and translating it to gift-giving can be mind-boggling for those outside their feather-filled sphere. Here at Flocking Around, I aim to make your mind much less of a bog and more of a holiday desert. (If you have a better bog/boggled joke, please put it in the comments below.) Wait... that's not right...? Keep up with all the newest, best, and budget-friendly birding gear available by ,JOINING THE FLOCK! ,Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchas ..read more

Finches are found across North America, but every winter, certain species of finches partake in movements of great numbers into various regions. Learn where to find these finch irruptions for winter 2023/2024! The Winter Finch Forecast is a creation of the late Ron Pittaway. Conservationists like Ron create these novel projects that become true movements to save birds and other organisms! To keep up with the movements of finches this winter, I would encourage all readers to JOIN and DONATE to the Finch Research Network! This crew does amazing work in the field of finch conservation and knowle ..read more

Hear ye, hear ye! I hereby declare this list to be the ultimate list of birding apps! So sayeth the Head Flocker! Let the praises of this list be shared throughout the lands (social media)! For those in need of future declarations of bird-related knowledge, I cordially invite thee to the Royal Flock! Note: I do not receive any commissions for promoting any of these apps, nor did any of these entities pay me to include them in the list. These are the apps I use on my mobile device. Top Birding App: Merlin Bird ID Behold! The greatest (and most mystical) of the bird apps: Merlin Bird ID! Ah, m ..read more

Get ready for some great August birding! Birdwatching, or birding, is a captivating recreational activity and hobby that nature enthusiasts across North America enjoy. And as the dog days of summer transition into the 'back-to-school bashes' of August, an exciting variety of avian species take flight, making it an ideal time for untethered birdwatchers to embark on unforgettable adventures (or those with ample PTO saved up). To help guide those with the late summer birding itch (make sure it's not a rash, first), we will explore the top five birding destinations in the United States and Canad ..read more

Save your neck. Save your back. Bring your gear in a pack. Pack your email address into our ,registration page! We keep your information zipped up TIGHT! At Flocking Around, we provide PERSONAL advice on gear we use daily or have tested extensively. This is no clickbait site, we do not let AI drive the wheel, and we do not show products we do not believe in. ...Except for that one time. I promoted a hot sauce. I knew it was too strong, but I shared it anyway. Those poor toilets. RIP (rest in porcelain). What to look for in a birdwatching backpack? When purchasing a bag (for any reason), I con ..read more

The American Goldfinch is iconic across North America, but the similar-looking Lesser Goldfinch might be a confusing sight for birders living in or visiting the West! I have written several series on the identification of similar-appearing birds, from Purple and Cassin's Finches to Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks. Make sure to visit the Bird ID category to take a deep dive into all of our ID series. While this identification may not be the challenge as the two mentioned above, it can still be tricky for those new to the West or birding in general. Hopefully, this article can provide the foun ..read more

If you do not believe me, I do not blame you. But it is not just a flashy headline. Buying the right coffee helps you and birds. Period. Is putting a period after the word period necessary? These are the weird questions that pop up while writing these articles. But this is not a writing site; it is a bird site. On to the birds! First, if you like our weird writing styles, please join our ,growing flock! In full disclosure, the flocking crew does not drink much coffee and only began drinking coffee during the pandemic of 2020 (though we dabbled during a focus-intensive hummingbird banding trai ..read more

Rosy-finches are a beloved group of three finch species that stick to western North American mountains. Most winters, they show up in flocks by the thousands. This winter, it has been a different story… We work hard to discover what is happening in local, regional, and international bird issues. If you want to ensure you do not miss future updates, please ,JOIN THE FLOCK! What are the rosy-finches? The rosy-finches of North America are three species from the family Fringillidae, which consists of our common and uncommon finches, including the finches of Hawaii. This family is full of highly u ..read more

Bird myths, fables, fiction, and wildly inaccurate stories have been shared about birds for generations. I am about to take a flocking flamethrower to those falsehoods. Want to learn more about Flocking Around and what we are striving for, find ,it here! If you are not part of the flock, ,join for free! Before I reveal each truth, I will offer a poll to test your skills! To keep the game from becoming too obvious, I will use some truths and some falsehoods. Hopefully, this keeps everyone on their toes and allows them to answer truthfully based on their knowledge. These are statements or quest ..read more

As we move forward into 2023, I am thinking about the future of Flocking Around and what I want to bring to all of you bird lovers, bird enthusiasts, birders, bird curious, and general nature-loving folks. See, while Flocking Around is about birds, it is truly about more. It is about you. It is about fostering and nurturing your love and knowledge of birds. Yes, we can use that love and knowledge to help our feathered friends, but also, I want to use laughter and information to help the birdy side of your lives to shine a little brighter. So, let’s talk about the direction for Flocking Around ..read more