Utilizing bird seed in a whole new way

Utilizing bird seed in a whole new way

Happy Veterans Day! This year, Veterans Day has more significance to my wife and me, as our son Jeremy is graduating from boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri on this very day. In fact, as you read this column, Gayla and I will be Missouri attending his...
Get out in nature to spot rare birds

Get out in nature to spot rare birds

The typical casual backyard “birder” is perhaps content with seeing the usual birds at his feeders-house finches, mourning doves, spotted towhees, lesser goldfinches and western scrub-jays, to name a few. Truthfully, the birds in the backyard don’t...
Sparrows are another common winter species

Sparrows are another common winter species

In last week’s column on dark-eyed juncos, I mentioned that juncos are frequently seen feeding down on the ground with sparrows. Sparrows, for many birders, can be very challenging to identify. Today’s column will touch on some of the more common winter...
Dark-eyed Juncos a sure sign of winter’s arrival

Dark-eyed Juncos a sure sign of winter’s arrival

On my recent trip to Missouri, our bird walk leader was lamenting the fact that the day before our outing he had seen his first sighting of a dark-eyed junco. In fact, he used some rather strong words at his disappointment in seeing a junco. Why, you ask? Because, he...
Birding: My big birding day in the Prescott area

Birding: My big birding day in the Prescott area

Have you seen the movie, “The Big Year”? Whether you are a birder or not, it is a must-see. The movie is based on a true story of three serious birders on a quest to set a record—to see the highest number of bird species in North America in a calendar year. The movie...