March was a time for early arrivals. Blackbirds, Robins, Song Sparrows and waterfowl too numerous to count showed us that spring was indeed in the air. Now we have moved into the next act of the unfolding drama when insect-eating birds show up in ever increasing numbers. In April, all of the swallows appear, along with Eastern Phoebes, Brown Thrashers and a variety of sparrows, kinglets and even a few early warblers.  Along our waterways we’ll notice Great Blue Herons, Belted Kingfishers and Ospreys, each looking for a fish dinner but catching them in very different ways.  You’ll al ..read more

Are you ready?  After spending the late fall and winter months in southern Mexico and as far south as Columbia, the Orioles are on their way back!  So far this month they have been spotted in Arkansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Illinois and northern Michigan.  You know what that means… we can expect them to grace our yards, gardens and feeders over the next few weeks.  In our neck of the woods, we welcome the Baltimore Oriole – also referred to as the Northern Oriole – along with the Orchard Oriole.  Can you tell the difference between them?  The Baltimore Oriole i ..read more

While we can expect setbacks in the time ahead, spring continues to roll along. You have probably noticed blackbirds which are now easy to find. Male Red-winged Blackbirds have set up territory in rural and some urban areas – they aren’t just marsh birds. The sparrow-like females will be along a little later. Grackles, those large, long-tailed blackbirds with feathers that change colour in the sun are all too common. They are aggressive and can take over feeders, challenging our resident birds and quickly cleaning out your seed supply. Starlings, while not true blackbirds, tend to be lumped i ..read more

The weather this winter has certainly been anything but normal.  You may have noticed that some of our early migrators were even earlier than usual.  I had my first red-winged blackbird on February 19th!  Last year I didn’t see, or hear them until March 6th.  The grackles and cowbirds arrived shortly after.  Some Robins will spend the winter with us if there is a sufficient amount of berries for them to dine on, but the ones who flew south are beginning to appear in our yards and gardens. Spring officially arrives tomorrow, and the forecast for the next couple of week ..read more

Feeding birds year-round can be incredibly rewarding. Observing a male cardinal pass a seed to a female during courtship demonstrates the lengths some birds go to obtain a mate. Similar behaviour can be observed later in the season as many birds will bring their offspring to feeders once fledged and place food in their open mouths. These actions provide hours of entertainment for any backyard birder and are just one of the many reasons I leave my feeders up all year. Year-round feeding can also come with some frustration if your yard is frequented by blackbirds such as Common Grackles or ..read more

As you may be aware, we will soon be entering the spring migration season. White-throated sparrows, Kinglets, Orioles, Hummingbirds, Warblers and Ovenbirds are among some of the species that will be heading North to their breeding grounds.  However, during this migration period, birds face a significant threat—window collisions.  Nearly 5 billion birds will migrate this spring in North America and 1 out of 5 will die from colliding with glass! This is an extremely distressing and preventable occurrence. To mitigate this risk and help protect our winged companions,&nbs ..read more

Northern Cardinals are one of the most recognized birds throughout their range and a favourite backyard visitor of many. Cardinals are often the bird homeowners most wish to attract when placing a feeder in their yard. This winter I regularly have a dozen cardinals visiting my feeders at the same time providing an incredible sight. To entice cardinals to my yard I have implemented a few simple measures to make my landscape more enticing. Attracting cardinals is quite simple if you follow these three easy steps. Offer Their Two Favourite Seeds  Cardinals will consume a wide variety of see ..read more

Winter has been easy for most of the south in this El Nino weather year, enabling lingering songbirds to hang on until we are fully committed to spring. There have been a few migrants, notably Song Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds, that have already moved into prospective breeding territory, greeting us with chipper song. Surprisingly, one of the typical early spring migrants has already moved in, the Horned Larks. The Prairie subspecies began to appear in flocks along country roads two weeks ago, surprising even longtime observers who normally expect early arrivals after mid-February. Soon ..read more

Not all backyard birds like to go to feeders. Some species prefer feeding on the ground or on elevated feeding trays where several birds can feed at once. You can even sprinkle seed on an outdoor table with success. This is a good way to use mixed seed which is of limited interest to squirrels and finches but is highly sought after by sparrows and Juncos in particular. Mourning Doves are also partial to this feeding option. The important thing is to have the seed available at a ground location in your yard that is not beside bushes or structures that can provide cover for cats. An extra secon ..read more

Roost boxes are an excellent addition to any bird lover’s yard. They are similar in appearance to a birdhouse but serve a different purpose altogether. Instead of building a nest inside and raising their young, birds use a roost box to provide shelter and warmth during winter and will often gather to share body heat. I’ve watched chickadees enter mine during freezing rain and heavy snowfalls. Birds also roost in them at night when temperatures plummet.  When you look at a roost box you will notice the entrance hole is at the bottom, this is to prevent the warm air that rises inside from ..read more