This guide is meant to support advocates and members of the public encouraging adoption of bird safe design requirements at the level of individual building construction, by participating in the development approval process. Information is provided based on the process in London, Ontario, Canada, which may also be applicable to other jurisdictions. We are in the midst of a building boom, as governments are scrambling to increase the supply of housing and related infrastructure. Unfortunately for birds, much of the new building construction going on follows designs that use large amounts of gl ..read more

There were many birds on this year’s short list for the 2023 London/Middlesex Bird of the Year, including a Tricolored Heron seen in London’s Greenway Park in June. Photo by Paul Nicholson. There’s no doubt that London’s keenest birders will be birding hard until December 31. Although an exciting species might well be seen in the last days of 2023 by one of these birders, or even on a Christmas Bird Count route, it isn’t too soon to consider the Bird of the Year for London and area.   On the short list, we have to include the Black-billed Magpie that has been seen this month at the Dingm ..read more

Just as local birders were starting to come to grips with the fact that spring migration was coming to an end, an amazing rarity near downtown London put in an appearance. Bird watcher Scott Milne found a Tricolored Heron at Greenway Park near Wonderland Rd. in London. It was fortunate that Scott knew this species. He had seen these herons before in the south-east U.S. The news travelled quickly. Posts on the eBird platform and on Discord as well as text messages and phone calls alerted other area birders who streamed in. By late morning, birders from elsewhere across southern Ontario were arr ..read more

For birders who travel across Canada or down into the US, you will have noticed that some of the species we see here regularly in London can be found way out west, or even southwest into desert country. I had the opportunity to live in Alberta and the BC interior before moving to Ontario, so it has been interesting to compare the geographic variation in these widespread birds, especially conspicuous yard visitors that frequent my feeders. Although they may be grouped under one species, birds can look quite different in a western vs eastern yard. An obvious example is the Northern Flicker wood ..read more

Carolina Parakeets were Ontario’s only parrot; however, they went extinct. This image of the birds was created by John James Audubon in 1825. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons It surprises many to learn that a parrot species likely inhabited Ontario. The Carolina Parakeet was a small, 33 cm long neotropical parrot with a dark green back, lighter green underparts, and a yellow head with a reddish-orange face. The preferred habitats of this extremely social bird were old growth forests and swamps. The earliest North American records of these birds date back to the 16th century, and the first ..read more

image by brgfx on Freepix Our homes are a convenient and cozy portal to birdwatching. Each view however is a little different which offers us an exclusive perspective on our local bird scene. Some of us live in big rural spreads with a variety of birds. Others are urban dwellers who may live in a high rise surrounded by an abundance of House Sparrows or pigeons, but may also have an exciting bird neighbour such as a Peregrine Falcon or a birds-eye-view of an Osprey nest. For many, home is a stand alone suburban house or condo. Even within suburbia, neighbourhoods come in a variety of configur ..read more

Hermit Thrushes are migrating through Middlesex County now on their way to the boreal forests where they nest. Photos by Paul Nicholson. By April 1, the keenest London-area birders had already welcomed some early avian migrants. Several of the Middlesex County breeding species had returned from the south. Ospreys were inspecting local nesting sights. Eastern Phoebes. Chipping Sparrows and Field Sparrows were being reported in and around London. The earliest Double-crested Cormorants had also returned. There were also sightings in the last days of March and the earliest days of April of fly-th ..read more

In any subculture, a specialized language evolves for any number of reasons. It helps people communicate more clearly. It can enhance efficiency in communication. It may help professionals in the field. It can even create a sense of identity for others who are immersed in the subculture. Bird watching is an excellent example of how a specialized language has been created. So what are some of the parts of this bird watching lexicon? And do these give us a greater depth of understanding? I find it useful to consider bird watching terms in groups. One obvious group of birding words relates to the ..read more

Is this a Common Loon or a game piece? Common Loons, which have been seen this month in London, have a three-star value in the new game, Naturedex. Photo by Paul Nicholson. When many folks think of bird watching, they will conjure up someone taking a leisurely stroll through the woods with a pair of binoculars in one hand, and perhaps a field guide in the other. To be sure, there are lots of bird enthusiasts who take great pleasure in this mode of birding. But a recent southern Ontario news item brought back to the top of my mind the gamification of birding. After the 2016 release of Pokémon ..read more

February and March are usually the best months to observe Greater Scaup in Middlesex County. A female and male are pictured here. Photo by Paul Nicholson. One of the many great things about being a bird watcher is that you can revel in the fruits of every season. There’s no need to pine away, impatiently waiting for peak migration in May. There are birds here now, and the winter months are our only opportunity to see some of these species. Let’s start with the obviously-named ones such as Snowy Owl, Snow Bunting, Snowbird, and Snow Goose. There are Snowy Owls that overwinter around London eve ..read more