Bird Watching - The Outdoor Directory for Birding

The spring migration of birds here in the Northwest is in full swing. The beginning of May was the peak of the shorebird migration along the coast. At home our invasion of Goldfinches and Grosbeaks continues where three bird feeders of sunflowers seeds a day are emptied. Unfortunately, many of our migratory birds are declining. The Audubon society lists over 210 species of American birds in decline. You can personally do a lot to help migratory birds by e-mailing your congressional representatives to fund the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act at a higher level of funding. Check the web for more information on the NMBCA and the important work it does. A short e-mail to your Senators and Representatives in the House will help.

Posted by bill@birdingguide.com at 05:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Nature's varied shades of green in Spring are so lovely with yellow the dominant base of all the varied spring greens unfolding on the trees and shrubs and grasses. Later in the year the sun will harden the greens of spring into the darker even brownish and blackish greens of summer. But for this morning yet the unfolding of all the hues of spring green drew us out into the woods for a walk midst the morning chorus of bird songs. The woods here are filled with small clouds of birds this time of year. Some are active with the breeding colors of the new season others feeding and foraging heavily as they pause on their journey northward to their breeding grounds.

The trees tops this morning are heavy with Evening Grosbeaks and Black Headed Grosbeaks. A small cloud of Pine Siskins are feeding in the alders and birches. Several Purple Finches are mixed in with all the Grosbeaks. After a brief rain shower we turn our focus from the tree tops to the ground shrubbery and spotted several Song Sparrows. A Rufus Hummingbird darts past my head. As always the ever present local residents are flying by throughout the morning: the Black Cap Chickadees, the Chestnut Backed Chickadees and Red Breasted Nuthatches.

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