I’ve often said that people who are more actively observant of the natural world around them are more acutely aware of the seasonal cycle. When you spend most of your free time watching the comings and goings of animals, you can’t help but notice the gradual, steady changes each day brings on our yearly journey around the Sun. This is … Read More
Susquehanna River Kayak-Birding Highlights
Over the past two weeks I was happy to take many birders and bird-photographers out to the Conejohela Flats along the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County, PA. Although there were multiple days with morning or evening storms, almost all of my scheduled trips went along as planned, and I was able to get out to the flats with people on a … Read More
What’s left of the Prairie State…
After a very busy May, which included (winning!) the Birding Cup in central PA and then guiding at the Biggest Week in American Birding, I ventured out to central Illinois to help with some bird surveys on two proposed wind facilities. Other than spending a few half-days birding Illinois during cross-country trips, I have never really spent much time in … Read More
Learning to digiscope
My name is Phoebe Lanzone, I am 7 years old  and this is my first blog post. I  wanted to share with other kids my experiences with birds and nature and hope that you will enjoy what I post. I wrote something short about myself on my profile. Digiscoping is a fun way to see birds in a new way. … Read More
Birding Delaware: Indian River Inlet to Bombay Hook
Two Sundays ago, Alex and I, along with Chad Kaufman, Taj Schottland, Steve Brenner, and Mel Torres tore it up in southern Delaware. We didn’t plan on doing a Big Day but instead were planning on a full day of casual, relaxed birding. After a late night of birding and hanging out at Dogfish Head, we started the morning searching … Read More
Twitchy Least Sandpiper settling in
Andy McGann was walking around in the Susquehanna River when he captured this video of a Least Sandpiper in worn adult plumage settling down after a presumably long flight on its southbound migration. Watch it as it nervously walks around and then eventually settles in once its become more comfortable with its surroundings. Compare it to a video that Andy … Read More
Answers to Forest Fest Mystery Bird Quiz
This past weekend, we celebrated Forest Fest at Penn State. At the festival, the avian outreach class had a table set up that talked about birding, demonstrated bird banding, and led a guided bird walk through the arboretum. We also had 10 photos, that I took, of 10 different species of birds for people to try and identify. Below are the photos … Read More
BESP 8/25/11 – Forster’s Terns, Common Loon, etc
I made a quick run over to Bald Eagle State Park this morning and was rewarded with a few interesting species; two Forster’s Terns (a juvenile and an adult at the swimming beach), a very early Common Loon, two juvenile Semipalmated Sandpipers, and a Least Sandpiper. The Common Loon, which was a 1st summer bird, this is the third record … Read More
Spring Shore-birding in Idaho
Spring and fall shore-birding is one of my favorite activities; you never know what might show up in a flock of shorebirds on a mudflat! This spring I am in Idaho and so I had a bunch of new shorebird spots to check out. By far the best spot that I went to on a regular basis for shorebirds was … Read More
Wounded Dunlin
A few days ago Idaho-birder Cheryl Huizinga texted me to say there was a Dunlin at Blacks Creek Reservoir, a species Anna and I needed to see in Idaho. We drove up after work and easily found the bird right where Cheryl said it had been. This Dunlin was in its beautiful breeding plumage and was a great subject to … Read More