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One of the most familiar warbler songs, as well as one of the easiest to learn, is the loud, ringing song of the Ovenbird. Well described as “Teacher, Teacher, Teacher,” in the north or “Teach, Teach, Teach,” . . .
The Yellow Warbler and the Common Yellowthroat are probably the most abundant members of their clan locally.
The month of May is a spectacularly intense and interesting time in the bird world. Early breeders, such as Great Horned Owl, Bald Eagle, Common Raven, and Canada Goose have rapidly growing young. Yes, it's Spring!
The last ten days of April and the first week of May can produce large passages of northbound hawks through our region.
This winter a significant number of this nomadic owl species have found a winter residence in our region.
The large handsome Evening Grosbeak was a common winter bird in our region when I began birding more than a half century ago.
In our region Pine Siskin, Evening Grosbeak, and species of the redpoll complex are already appearing in small numbers.
In November, many northern raptors settle in for the winter in the eastern Lake Ontario and western St. Lawrence region.
The Red-breasted Nuthatch, cousin of our familiar and mostly resident, White-breasted Nuthatch, are coming south.
Ospreys in the St. Lawrence Region are doing fabulously well... seems appropriate to celebrate.
Hard times for birds eating flying insects.
Once known as Marsh Hawk, this species is a favorite raptor of mine. They are most often seen skimming low over open country flashing the white rump patch that helps identify them in all plumages.
As August dawns the breeding season for most summer bird residents of the River is over.. Early migration becomes a steady flow with some species mostly gone by months end...
...writing to convince many of us today, June 2019, that the high water is beneficial when so many are suffering is a different story
Our region is home to six species of swallows ... All catch insects on the wing and are known to birders as aerial insectivores.
Already in the spring of 2019 more than 150 have passed the Derby Hill Bird Observatory (DHBO )in barely a month of monitoring...
For my part I cannot imagine the part of the world extending from the Lake Ontario lakeshore down the international sector of the St. Lawrence, without grassland birds. The Bobolink’s bubbling cacophony ...
These birds were market hunted, whenever they were present, until receiving protection from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
