Tag: UNSblogs
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Sunsets & Summer Nights
How many of you sit out in the evening watching to see which birds are the last ones coming to your feeders. Cardinals, grosbeaks, orioles and hummingbirds are on my list… and my ever elusive common yellow throat. The robins continue to sing 45 minutes after the sun has set. This is truly a…
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Blending In
Blended families are not only found among people. This family of Wood Ducks has a surprise duo of Hooded Mergansers. Mother woody didn’t just pick them up on the water, she hatched them in her nest along with her own brood. Both species of ducks nest in tree holes. There is no way to know…
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Sunflower Hearts, #1 on the Menu
Couers deTournesol, Sonnenblumenherzen, Cuori di girasole, no matter how you say it, Sunflower Hearts are the favourite seed of birds flocking to the feeders. Cardinals, finches, woodpeckers, bluejays, grosbeaks, doves, nuthatches, chickadees, … and the list goes on, all enjoy this seed. During breeding season you may even see some birds that don’t usually visit…
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Nesting Time
This is a critical time of year for birds because their energy must be focused on the next generation. Whether they are local residents or migrants, all engage in the routine of building a nest, incubating eggs then feeding their young. The amount of time spent in these stages of the breeding cycle depends on…
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What To Serve at the Bird’s Dining Table
The birds of spring and summer are here to join our feathered friends we enjoy feeding year round. Perhaps you’re wondering what different species of songbirds like to dine on. Here is a list of birds who visit our backyards, whether they are winter, summer, or permanent residents. We can offer seeds, sugar water, and…
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Spring is Humming Along
With summer conditions already upon us, our smallest birds are busy enjoying the bounty of fresh nectar-bearing flowers with even more to come in the next few months. While nature provides amply for their needs, gardeners can add to their menu with the selection of the right flowers. Once bee balms, hollyhocks, daylilies and lupines…
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How to get kids interested in birding?
It’s never too early to get the little humans in your life excited about birds. For all of the time kids spend learning the animals on Old Macdonald’s Farm and the inhabitants of the zoo, you’d think there might be a bit more attention paid at school to the creatures living closer to home. Until…
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The Flood Gates Are Opening
Warblers are among the high points of spring migration. These small birds of about three dozen species flit about the shrubbery checking for insects and offering us not only a bevy of colours – orange, red, blue, green and plenty of yellow – but a rich mixture of songs. There are warbles of course, trills,…
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A Splash of Colour
In recent weeks we’ve added spring song to our outdoor experience and now comes the colour. Keeping pace with the blooming of spring wildflowers, the return of a rich variety of brightly-coloured songbirds from their tropical vacation is what we have been waiting for. Baltimore Orioles, Scarlet Tanagers, Indigo Buntings and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks brighten up…
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It’s a Full House!
The month of May is like Christmastime for birders. Migration is in full swing and we’re seeing our tropical coloured birds returning to our gardens. The orioles, rose-breasted grosbeaks and hummingbirds are back. Take some time to visit your local parks and conservation areas to see the many amazing, vibrant warblers passing through during the…