Rare Winter Birds

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Interior Adult Female Nonbreeding Dark-eyed Junco Slate-colored Adult Male
This morning I woke up very late and went downstairs. I was about to go outside, but then I noticed about 5 centimeters of snow! So I sat down and had breakfast by the window, soon a flock of small birds came. I got my camera and took some photographs of them, they were Dark-eyed Juncos! They were in a mixed flock of various finches. I was about to finish my breakfast but then a bird came that I've never seen before, a rosy-finch and a different type of chickadee! I was very excited, what else will this unusual day bring; snow, rosy-finches, juncos, what next!? I finished my breakfast and was putting my dishes in the dishwater, but then my mom saw a heron! I've never seen one yet this year, finally! What a day! I was about to get The Sibley Guide to Birds to confirm my observations, but when I found it, it was in a very poor condition; missing pages, cover gone, split in three pieces and it had stains all over it from coffee. The result of studying it everyday for a few years, I'm going to have to start saving $53.00. When I found rosy-finches in the book, I was correct! Rosy-finches are here, they must be confused because the closest they come here is Michigan, United States and Quebec, Canada.
Total Names of Birds Seen:
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee (Check for Life List)
Cassin's Finch (Check for 2009)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Check for Life List)
House Finch
Purple Finch
Ring-billed Gull
Great Blue Heron (Check for 2009)
Dark-eyed Junco
Common Redpoll
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
Total Number of Birds Seen: 12 species of birds
Goodbye,
Birdman
Check out my other blog at http://birdman-birdquiz.blogspot.com/

Extinct Species, Rediscovered

Four, thought to be extinct species of birds, have been rediscovered with prof from DNA tests; Eskimo Curlew, thought to be extinct in 1963 has been rediscovered in 1999 (Kenn Kaufman's Guide to Birds of North America), Carolina Parakeet, thought to be extinct in 1905 has been rediscovered a 2004 in Honduras (Bird Chick http://birdchick.com/wp/), Ivory-billed Woodpecker, thought to be extinct in 1987 has been rediscovered in 2001 in Louisiana, United States (Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology http://birds.cornell.edu/) Bachman's Warbler, thought to be extinct in 1962, has been rediscovered in 2002 (Birds of North America Online.) How could these birds have been here all this time without us knowing, because they adapted to live away from their predators and problems such as hunting. These birds have made a unbelievable adaption, now we should protect them with all our power so they make a recovery and become common again. Perhaps we've learned a valuable lesson here, and we all should learn from it, before they actually become extinct! Now we should also protect any endangered species like the Whooping or Hooping Crane, who once only had a very small population in Northwest Territory, of about 100 birds and now lives in Florida too, because of us! If we all "pitch in" we can do this for the rest of them like Hancanith Macaw, who's numbers are declining because of the pet trade. Now we can and should protect these precious birds before its too late.

Goodbye,

Birdman

PLEASE COMMENT ON MY OTHER BLOG AT http://birdman-birdquiz.blogspot.com/ IF YOU DON'T, I WILL DELETE IT.

Northern Harrier

This evening a large bird of prey came flying down and caught a bird by a wetland with a field beside it. It was a Northern Harrier!

Check out my other blog at http://birdman-birdquiz.blogspot.com/

Total Names of Birds Seen:

Northern Harrier (Check for 2009)

Total Number of Birds Seen: 1 specie of bird

Darlington Park

Today I woke up at 5:50am and was ready to go birding by 6:00am. Then I went downstairs to go wake my dad up. We were about to go outside but then we noticed the weather (10mm of rain, snow and wind speed of 53km/h), I watched the Weather Network until it "cleared up". At 7:00am, the storm went away and my dad and I went birding. After helping my dad unload some of his working supplies, we went to Darlington Park. At first I didn't remember going birding there before with my dad, but as soon as I saw the place I remembered. We were just about to park then a woodpecker-shaped bird flew. I got out of the truck and followed it, it was a Downy Woodpecker, then my dad parked. We started walking on the trail but it was very muddy. "Good call on the rubber boots dad". Soon we watched a flock of American Crows mob a Great Gray Owl. Most of you probably don't believe me but we have pictures of it from the last time we went to Darlington Park. The trail was leading to an open field and it was still very windy, so we went to a trail by the creek. We had some difficulty walking down the steep hill to the creek but despite the beginning of the trail, it was quite enjoyable afterwards. First we watched a Barred Owl fly over the top of the forest, then dad claimed he saw a Chipping Sparrow but it was actually a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. It came very close to us and gleaned insects of the tip of a branch then flew to the next coniferous tree. Then I heard the Barred Owl call: "Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all" a familiar sound to a somewhat experienced birder. It was soon 10:00am and no phone call from mom!? So we went home and she was making breakfast, then we all sat down and enjoyed the delicious meal mom prepared.

Total Names of Birds Seen:

Red-winged Blackbird

Northern Cardinal

Black-capped Chickadee

American Crow

Mourning Dove

American Goldfinch

Canada Goose

Common Grackle

Ring-billed Gull

Killdeer

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Check for 2009)

Mallard

Northern Mockingbird (Check for 2009)

White-breasted Nuthatch

Barred Owl (Check for 2009)

Great Gray Owl (Check for 2009)

Eastern Phoebe

Feral Pigeon

American Robin

House Sparrow

Song Sparrow

European Starling

Turkey Vulture

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker (Check for 2009)

Total Number of Birds Seen: 24 species of birds

Goodbye,

Birdman

(edited by mom)

Check out my other blog at http://birdman-birdquiz.blogspot.com/

Another Blog

Today I've created another blog, I'm going to update it about every day too. Current one: http://birdman-nature.blogspot.com/ New One: http://birdman-birdquiz.blogspot.com/ Be sure to check them out. Also please become a follower of my blogs (refer to right side.)

Why We Should Enjoy Rainy Days

Before
After

1. The Sun and rain give plants chemical energy. Animals eat plants, storing the chemical energy. Then we eat animals and we get the chemical energy. Without rain with wouldn't be alive!

2. Rain falls in oceans, lakes and other bodies of water. We collect the water from there, next its filtered and we drink it. Without rain we wouldn't be alive!

3. Rain helps nature grow! Without rain we wouldn't have the beauty of nature to enjoy and blog about.

So next time you bring your umbrella outside and say "Rain, rain go away" or "Man, I wish it never rained!" think again about this post. The images above were copied from a website that they are purposed to be copied.

Goodbye,

Birdman

Back Yard Birding

This morning I helped my dad set up set up beds. Then at about 8:30am I went outside and sat down with Max. Soon I heard a long, uneven rattle coming from a moderate-sized bird with a thick bill, perched on a tree above the an open marsh beside our house. I looked at all the sounds of woodpeckers in North America but none of the sounds compared to what I heard. I heard that same sound but this time I noticed it was a harsh, unsteady clatter. I remembered what a kingfisher sounded like, from a camping trip last year to Cedar Beach. Once again I looked in the Sibley Guide to Birds and found kingfishers. The silhouette I saw in the tree and the sound it made, obviously made it a Belted Kingfisher. Just to be 100% sure it was, I researched it in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. With all of my information it was for sure a kingfisher. Next I heard a call similar to a Song Sparrow but it was clearly different. I looked in Sibley's Book and searched all the similar species for Song Sparrows. There I found the Winter Wren, but as I was reading that page, a sparrow caught my eye, again it was similar to Song Sparrow but there was something different about it's breast. The only bird that matched up to it was a Black-throated Sparrow, but they only live in the Sonoran Desert. How could one end up here, I must have made a mistake, but I can't seem to match the bird I saw with any other birds in Sibley's Book. Anyway, back to the wren, Body, Soul and Spirit (Ruth) and Mon@rch (Tom) had recently seen one of these so there was no point of researching, the Winter Wren migrates through here every spring. Up to northern Ontario to southern Northwest Territory and Yukon. I'd heard this sound only once and it was far away so I couldn't figure out what habitat it was in. I came back in with max at about noon, had a snack and helped my dad unpack (we've just moved last Saturday.) From now on when I write total species of birds and the end of a post I will put a question mark beside if I'm not 100% sure, otherwise the bird was seen for sure.

Total Names of Birds Seen:

Red-winged Blackbird

Northern Cardinal

Black-capped Chickadee

Brown-headed Cowbird?

American Crow

Mourning Dove

American Goldfinch

Canada Goose

Common Grackle

Boat-tailed Grackle? (Check for 2009)

Herring Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Great-blue Heron? (check for 2009)

Blue Jay?

Dark-eyed Junco

Killdeer

Belted Kingfisher (Check for 2009)

Mallard

White-breasted Nuthatch

Eastern Phoebe? (Check for 2009)

American Robin

Black-throated Sparrow? (Check for Life List)

House Sparrow

Song Sparrow

European Starling

Winter Wren (Check for Life List)

Total Number of Birds Seen: 19 species, 7 ? species

Goodbye,

Birdman

Late Night Birding In Damp Forest/Open Field

Yesterday my dad and I decided to go birding in search of the woodcock in display, so we left with a flashlight, a few minutes before it usually gets dark. We walked down the block to a damp, brushy forest with a open field beside it. It was still late evening so many songbirds were making their last song for the day. We kept walking until we found where the forest and field met. There we turned on the flashlight and listened very carefully. Standing there a female Canada Goose came which sounded very similar to the woodcock. We stood there for about ten minutes and then, as soon as the sun had completely gone down we heard a nasal PEENT! Followed by one of them flying up high in the air making twittery whistles and then a loud chirping sound. Then it dived so fast I thought it disappeared. Then both the male and female did their courtship display, covering so much area that I had a difficult time trying to track were the sound was coming. They both did that same thing over again until we left the field. Then we heard a single hoot, which was a Long-eared Owl. We didn't hear it every few seconds because we were talking for the rest of the jog. Then we saw them fly in front of us again, at first we had mistaken them for swallows because of their small size, but then when the second one came, I noticed a completely different flight pattern. On our way back home we found out where a museum was. Maybe that will be my next blog post topic, maybe. Anyway, I think that the mystery bird from my last post is a hybrid between two grebes but I'm still trying to identify it. Thank you for any help you may have given me (I only look at the comments from before, after I do my next post)

Total Names of Birds Seen:

Red-winged Blackbird

Northern Cardinal

Black-capped Chickadee

Brown-headed Cowbird

American Crow

Mourning Dove

House Finch

Northern Flicker (Check for 2009)

American Goldfinch

Canada Goose

Common Grackle

Ring-billed Gull

Blue Jay

Killdeer

Mallard

White-breasted Nuthatch

Long-eared Owl (Check for 2009)

Feral Pigeon

American Robin

House Sparrow

Song Sparrow

European Starling

American Woodcock

Downy Woodpecker

Total Number of Birds Seen:24 species

Goodbye,

Birdman

Loon or Grebe

This picture was taken at the edge of Lake Ontario in Hamilton on Thursday, March 19, 2009 at about 1 0'clock pm. For elevation ask Ruth (Body, soul and spirit.) I previously said it was a Western Grebe, but it also may have been a Red-throated Loon. I'm still comparing the two species but because it was continually diving, I could only get one, slightly poor photograph of this mystery bird. If any of can are able to contact a experienced birder (preferably David Allen Sibley) and ask him to check this out it would be greatly appreciated. I've narrowed it down to the Red-throated Loon and the Western Grebe because it had a; yellow-black, slightly upturned long bill, gray-black crown, bright red eye, black eye-ring, gray supercillium, brown-rufos neck, brown back, white undertail. It may have been a hybrid but that would be unlikely, but if it was the female would have to be a Western Grebe and the male, a Red-throated Loon because it had more grebe plumage features than a loon. It dived for about 1-2 minutes at a time without looking down first and always came up a different spot then would go in alert posture and dive again, repeatedly. It was solitary and away from any other waterfowl, very close to shore and it was silent. Any bird that considered flying where it was would leave immediately as soon as it saw this mystery bird.

If you or anyone you know may have an idea what this is, please comment ON THIS POST or e-mail me at swpsnook@live.ca .

Goodbye,

Birdman

Bird of The Week: Blackburnian Warbler

ALL OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS FROM "BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA"
Common Name: Blackburnian Warbler
Scientific Name: Dendroica fusca
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Juvenile Perched: N/A
Juvenile Flight: N/A
Imature Perched: N/A
Imature Flight: N/A
Adult Female Nonbreeding Perched: more subdued facial pattern, orange throat and breast, white wing bars, black streaks on flanks
Adult Female Nonbreeding Flight: N/A
Adult Female Breeding Perched: more subdued facial pattern, orange throat and breast, white wing bars, black streaks on flanks
Adult Female Breeding Flight: N/A
Adult Male Nonbreeding Perched: pale orange line center of crown, complex black and-orange face pattern, white streaks on black back, white patch on wing, brilliant orange throat, black streaks on breast and belly, white belly
Adult Male Nonbreeding Flight: white edges to outer tail feathers, bold white wing patches
Adult Male Breeding Perched: pale orange line in center of crown, complex black-and-orange face pattern, white streaks on black back, brilliant orange throat, black streaks on breast and belly, white belly
Adult Male Breeding Flight: white edges to outer tail feathers, bold white wing patches
Voice: Call a slightly husky chik; flight-call a high, thin zzee; song variable, but always high-pitched; swirling series of lisps, spiraling upward to end in an almost inaudible trill.
Nesting: Fine cup in conifer on horizontal branch away from trunk, usually high in tree; 4-5 eggs; 1 brood; May-July.
Feeding: Gleans arthropods, such as spiders, worms, and beetles; also friut.
Occurrence: Breeds in coniferous and mixed forests from Alberta east through the North Great Lakes to Newfoundland and south into the Appalachians of Georgia; migrants found in wooded, shrubby, or forest edge habitats. Winters in wet forests in Costa Rica and Panama, and southward as far as Peru.
Length: 13cm
Wingspan: 21cm
Weight: 9-12g
Social: Winter flocks
Lifespan: Up to 8 years
Status: Secure
Flight: fast, slightly undulating, and direct with rapid wing beats.
Other: This fiery beacon of the treetops is considered one of the most beautiful mambers of its family; its orange throat is unique among the North American warblers. The Blackburnian Warbler co-exists with many other Dendroica warblers in the coniferous and mixed woods of the north and east, but is able to do so by exploiting a slightly different niche for foraging-in this case the treetops. It also seeks the highest trees for nesting
Distinguishing Features: The female is like a dull adult male, but with two wing bars and no black on the face.
Avian Firefly: This male in breeding plumage glows when seen against a dark forest background.
ALL OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS FROM "BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA"
For more information about the Blackburian Warbler go to birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/Blackburnian_Warbler.html/

Preparing for Move

We're packing so I'm unable to write a blog post for a few days. Also the Bird of the Week post (I'm starting it every Monday) will be postponed.

Update

March 28th-Moving back to Oshawa, Ontario

April 18-25th-Setting Up New Bird Garden

April 11th-Trip to Ottawa, Ontario

Possible Wing Injury

Today, unfortunately as my dad was driving me to school, he had hit a hawk. He had slammed the breaks but we still hit it. It was very young so it was a weak flier, so it couldn't fly over the car fast enough. We pray that it wasn't injured or killed, as we came home we looked around but there was no sign of it. We both feel horrible for our accident, hopefully it only got hit on the edge of it's wing so it wont be injured as severely as it would if we hit a different part of it's body.

Goodbye,

Birdman

River Bank Trail

Fresh Adult Eastern Black-capped Chickadee Eating Seeds of Cattail
Adult Male Eastern Northern Cardinal Searching for Seeds

Fresh Adult Eastern Black-capped Chickadee Being Territorial

Pair of Purple Finches Perched

This morning I woke up and found sparrows feeding on my platform feeder, then my dad came down and we went to River Bank Trail. On the way there my dad had drove into a dead end and was just about to turn around until I said "Stop, look". A silhouette of a bird that had a plump body and a short tail was perched in a tree nearby, so I got the binoculars and looked at it. It was a meadowlark, I had realised that I had seen that same silhouette earlier before so that wasn't the only one I saw. There must a lot of meadowlarks in the neighbourhood. My dad and I were very excited but it flew away before I could get a picture of it and it didn't sing so it is was very difficult to identify what type it was, it was an eastern because of the white malar. Anyway my dad kept driving and as soon as we arrived there someone started walking their dog. They didn't even clean up after it! We let them walk ahead of us. We sat down preparing for a hike, we entered the meadow part, there was a Purple Finch and a Brown Thrasher which was of course "thrashing" leaves under a bush. Next we walked under a canopy forest, Northern Parulas and Black-throated Blue Warblers were singing. Also, when we came out from under the canopy forest I heard an American Woodcock repeating it's call, but there was something else calling in the background. I got the binoculars and searched, it was a gull-like bird with brownish wings. Now that I've identified it, it was a Glaucous x Herring Gull hybrid 1st winter. Next my dad pointed out than a birder behind us was trying to get pictures to get a picture of the woodcock I spotted, I mumbled sarcastically "good luck with that". Of course he didn't get a picture of it. Next I heard a B-bee gun shot, and a goose flew up in a tree! Then I heard it again and flew away. Later I saw a goose NOT walking properly, someone had shot it's wing! WHY DO PEOPLE SHOT BIRDS FOR NO REASON!!! Anyway, we moved on because there was nothing we could do about it. The same birder from before was feeding chickadees and cardinals. That was the end of the trail so we hiked back and drove home.

Total Names of Birds Seen:

Red-winged Blackbird

Northern Cardinal

Black-capped Chickadee

Brown-headed Cowbird

American Crow

Mourning Dove

Purple Finch

Canada Goose

Common Grackle

Glaucous x Herring Gull (Check for Life List)

Ring-billed Gull

Cooper's Hawk (Check for 2009)

Blue Jay

Mallard

Eastern Meadowlark (Check for 2009)

Northern Parula (Check for 2009)

Feral Pigeon

American Robin

American Tree Sparrow

Chipping sparrow

House Sparrow

Song Sparrow

European Starling

Brown Thrasher (Check for 2009)

Black-throated Blue Warbler (Check for 2009)

American Wodcock

Downy Woodpecker

Total Number of Birds Seen: 28 species

Goodbye,

Birdman

Victoria Park/Wings of Paradise: Butterfly Conservatory

Zebra Finch in Alert Posture
Blue Morpho Sunbathing
Zebra Finch Perched

Ring-billed Gull, Canada Geese, Mallard

Mallards

Chipper Feeding

Mallards

Today my mom asked if we could go birding. She drove to Victoria Park, there were only a few waterfowl species but I watched an Adult Female Domestic Mallard and an Adult Male Mallard x Domestic Mallard hybrid or intergrade court and mate. We soon got a little bored just watching ducks and geese so we went to Wings of Paradise Museum. We paid and went in the Butterfly Conservatory. At first it was very humid, and my camera took very poor pictures because to camera lens had fogged up. But after a few moments it was clear. After that we realised there was several other animals other than butterflies in the conservatory such as birds, fish and turtles. We had a great time, thank you mom for taking me.

Total Names of Birds Seen:

Mallard

Canada Goose

Ring-billed Gull

Zebra Finch

Chinese Painted Quail (Check for Life List)

Zebra Dove

Java Finch

Total Number of Birds Seen: 7 species

Goodbye,

Birdman

First Day of Spring

Spring is the best time of year for both nature and the many people that love it. From buds blooming, to birds building their nest, mid-May is the best time of Spring. That's why we go to Point Pelee National Park on the May long weekend to enjoy nature and Pelee at its best. This late march we're moving to Oshawa in a beautiful house with a bare back yard, perfect for starting a bird garden. Our next door neighbours and also very fond of birds, maybe we can have permission to take photos of birs in each others yards. Maybe, we can also "connect" bird gardens. A swampy forest habitat is nearby our house and hopefully my dad and I we be able to bird in it. The photos above are from the cruise we went to last November. Anyway, I'm trying to make this last week in Breslau last by scattering mixed seed on our deck railing, but few birds are coming to check it out, oh well. Lately I've been getting fewer comments so if you read my blog, please comment and spread the word, I love to answer any questions you may have relating to nature. After all that is my blog title.

Goodbye,

Birdman

Major Birding Trip

Adult Male Breeding Greater Scaup Swimming

Trumpeter Swans

Ring-billed Gulls

Red-breasted Mergansers

Adult Male Downy Woodpecker Drumming

Eastern Adult Male White-breasted Nuthatch Storing Seeds

Adult Male Breeding American Wigeon Courting

Adult Male Breeding Ring-necked Duck Swimming

Adult Male Winter Long-tailed Duck Diving

Canada Geese

Yesterday Ruth called me because her leg had an infection and couldn't go to work today, so she asked if she could go birding with me today, I said yes at 11:00am. Today I got ready and Ruth picked me up at 10:49am, we left to Hamilton to go birding by Lake Ontario. We arrived there at 11:47am and many waterfowl were begging for food. We walked to the trail and Trumpeter Swans were begging us for food and if I raised my hand it would lift its bill and if I lowered my hand it lowered its bill. We saw many rare waterfowl there but whenever I told anyone , they didn't seem to care so they must not be rare. Anyway next we went to the forest trail beside the lake and saw woodpeckers and nuthatches, also some chickadees feed out of our hands. Most of them picked peanuts kearnels over black sunflower seeds, interesting. Next we went to a lift bridge that had a recent sighting of a Peregrine Falcon nest, but we didn't see itself or it's nest unfortunately. Then we went to Grindstone Creek, we got out and grackles, blackbirds, sparrows, robins and dove were chearfuly singing. It actually sounded silly with a mixture of chack, put and oooahhh all at the same time. We walked down farther and we saw many birds feathers laying on the ground and a Red-tailed Hawk soaring above. It had obviously captured this unfortunate pigeon. Oh well, hawks have to eat too y'know. It was soon reaching 3 o'clock and Ruth had to put her daughter Rebecca from work so we left.

Total Names of Birds Seem:

Red-winged Blackbird

Canvasback (Check for 2009)

Northern Cardinal

Black-capped chickadee

American Coot (Check for 2009)

Brown-headed Cowbird

American Crow

Mourning Dove

American Black Duck (Check for 2009)

Long-tailed Duck (Check for Life List)

Ring-necked Duck (Check for 2009)

Tufted Duck (Check for 2009)

House Finch

Common Goldeneye (Check for 2009)

American Goldfinch

Canada Goose

Common Grackle

Pied-billed Grebe (Check for 2009)

Western Grebe (Check for Life List)

Great Black-backed Gull (Check for 2009)

Herring Gull (Check for 2009)

Ring-billed Gull

Red-tailed Hawk

Dark-eyed Junco

American Kestrel (Check for 2009)

Killdeer

Mallard

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Total Number of Birds Seen:31 species

Grand River Trail

Red-breasted Mergansers

Adult Male American Robin Courting

Today at 12:00pm, my dad took me to "Tim Hortons". We got 10 "Sour Cream Glazed Timbits" and ate them on the way to a grand river trail. We got out and a European Starling was mimicking various other birds. Notice that they open their beak when they mimic, but they only move their throat feathers when they sing their own calls. Anyway next Canada Geese flew over us honking, followed by robins preparing to court by the male chasing the female robin until she decides to stop. Although I don't know the purpose of flying away. Well, next my dad and I saw our first Song Sparrow and Mallard for 2009. We then went to another part of the trail but there wasn't many birds there so we turned around. Chickadees and goldfinches were fluttering about in a nearby brush pile, and a hawk soaring by the roadside, but what really stunned me was mergansers! Finally, mergansers have come, I've been waiting for a long time. I took a few pictures and just as my dad was about to view them with his binoculars, they dived. I showed him my pictures. Next we discussed the Western Bluebirds we previously saw in Sedona. It was a very exciting moment for both of us. The same year we also saw another new bird for our life list, Eastern Bluebirds. Then we left to pick up Jesse from a friend's house.

Total Species of Birds Seen:

Red-winged Blackbird

Northern Cardinal

Black-capped Chickadee

Brown-headed Cowbird

Brown Creeper (Check for 2009)

Mourning Dove

Long-billed Dowitcher (Check for Life List)

House Finch (Check for 2009)

American Goldfinch

Canada Goose

Common Grackle

Ring-billed Gull

Red-tailed Hawk

Killdeer

Mallard (Check for 2009)

Song Sparrow

European Starling

Total:17 Birds

Spring Break

"Spring Break" is a week long recess in most schools, it is most commonly from March 16-20th. Most teenagers spend their "Spring Break" in Panama City Beach, Florida or South Padre Island, Texas. Some Universities in Japan have their "Spring Break" begin in April. "Spring Break" is also referred to "March Break", "Study Week" or 'Reading "Week.
Goodbye,
Birdman

Horned Larks!

Adult Male Northeast Horned Lark Singing

Today I've seen my second Horned Lark for 2009, when I decided to go birding in my backyard. I grabbed my camera and jacket to go outside, as soon as I opened the back door I heard "reek trik treet tritilititi treet". I'd never heard anything like it. Whatever it was it continuously repeated that phrase several times until I located where the sound was coming from. I put my camera screen on EVF and searched that particular brush pile. I took a picture of it and zoomed in, it was a Horned Lark! Soon I realized it had been calling another lark, so I was a about to get my spotting scope for a better view but I soon heard it's familiar flight call "see tu" and it flew away. Anyway, I still got a good picture of it. "Tune in" tomorrow for a blog post about "March break", unless I'm unable to post tomorrow.

Goodbye,

Birdman