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
The evolution of county listing
I came to county listing quite innocently, at least in my mind. After college, I spent my summers doing surveys for the now published 2nd Breeding Bird Atlas in Pennsylvania, honing my earbirding skills so I could identify any breeding species by hearing just a snippet of their song. (Hint: If you really want to learn your bird songs, spend … Read More
Dilute plumaged Whimbrel – Eastern Shore of Virginia
Earlier today while out birding at the Magothy Bay Natural Area Preserve (eBird checklist) on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, I spotted a very pale blonde Whimbrel mixed with about 60 typical Whimbrel. The birds were distant but would occasionally fly between foraging locations which allowed me to get a few poor-quality flight shots showing the pale bird. I have never heard … Read More
Delaware Birders robbed of 1st State Record?
Editor’s note – 4/4/13 – The identification of this bird is far from settled, and hummingbird experts and banders have varied opinions. Bruce Peterjohn, who banded the bird, sent out an email with the original measurements which seem to place it solidly in the Anna’s Hummingbird column. Read his post, along with the case that Sheri Williamson lays out below … Read More
A three redpoll taxa day in PA
The Redpoll Challenge, to see all four New World taxa of redpolls (Greater Acanthis flammea rostrata, Common A. f. flammea, Hornemann’s A. hornemanni hornemanni, and Hoary A. h. exilipes) in a single flock was raised by Ron Pittaway in 2007. Since then, the challenge has been met a couple of times, but until this winter it had never occurred in … Read More
Photographing Roosting Owls: How To Know You’re Doing It Right
A sleepy owl is a happy owl! Of all the potential subjects for aspiring bird photographers, roosting owls just might be the most intoxicatingly enticing subject of all.  Owls are an especially charismatic clan of birds.  Whether or not you enjoy their typecast roles in folklore, you have to admit that there is an overwhelming temptation to map our human modes of … Read More
Ageing American Kestrel Chicks
It has been a busy month! About half the boxes that I have been monitoring in Levy and Marion counties are being used by breeding Southeastern American Kestrels (a hand full have been taken over by Eastern Screech-Owls, Tufted Titmice, Great Crested Flycatchers, Eastern Bluebirds, and Flying Squirrels). Over half of the boxes that had eggs have hatched, and we … Read More