Category: UNS Birding Blog
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Vortex Triumph HD: High-Quality Binoculars at an Affordable Price
Whether you are an avid birder or someone who enjoys watching the birds at a backyard feeder, binoculars are a great investment. The magnification binoculars offer allows us to identify birds more easily while better admiring their stunning plumage and intricate feather detail. Over the years, I have tried a multitude of binoculars and own three…
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Moving On
Fall migration is in full swing. Many of the swallows and flycatchers have already largely disappeared with an increasing number of warblers, vireos and other songbirds filing past now. As they head out, many hawks join them, appearing in numbers overhead on days with northerly winds. Hawk watching sites along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario,…
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MIGRATION SAFETY TIPS
It’s mid-September already, and fall migration is in full swing. Many of the beautiful songbirds we’ve enjoyed over the spring and summer months are making their way to their wintering grounds, including thrushes, warblers, tanagers, orioles and last, but certainly not least, hummingbirds. Did you know that we can help them safely reach their destinations? …
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The Party is Almost Over
The breeding season is essentially over for most species but one holdout, the American Goldfinch, is late to the game. Unlike virtually all other songbirds, they do not take advantage of Nature’s bounty and serve their chicks insects. Instead, they carefully pluck small seeds, notably from late-blooming plants like thistles, daisies and other composite flowers…
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THE MOULT IS ON
Have you noticed stray feathers in your bird baths or gardens? This is the time of year when many birds are in the process of moulting. Perhaps you’ve seen patchy looking birds including grackles and red-winged blackbirds, bald cardinals, or maybe blue jays with very few head or neck feathers. Our feathered friends need to…
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THE GREAT PRETENDERS
The song “The Great Pretender” originally released in 1955 by The Platters has been covered by a number of bands over the years. Some of our feathered friends have their own versions of this song. The avian band members would include none other than the Northern Mockingbird, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher and our year-round member,…
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They Grow Up So Fast
It is hard to believe how quickly a bird can go from an egg to a full-grown adult. Small birds like warblers can leave the nest in only 8-10 days but will still be fed by the parents for a couple of weeks. Robins leave the nest at 14 days, reaching adult size around 20…
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Nesting Season is in Full Swing
With spring migration over, birds are active with all aspects of breeding. Songbirds that arrived in recent weeks began with males claiming territory and calling out for a new partner. Females show up a little later and if they find a suitable mate, one or both will quickly begin nest construction, depending on the species.…
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LET’S GO SHOPPING FOR BIRD BATHS!
Warm weather has returned, so now’s the time to think of ways we can ensure our feathered friends have the water they need during the summer months. So many options, styles and additions to choose from. You should start by having a good look at your outdoor space and see what you have room for. …
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The Rush is On
An unbelievable number of birds are pushing north this month as we reach the peak of spring migration. This is the time that our brightly-coloured birds show up, the songbirds. The number of individuals heading north across the continent at this time is staggering, in the hundreds of millions – and sometimes that is in…