Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Woodpecker Wonder

This past weekend, we had a magical moment when three different species of Woodpecker visited our bird feeder on the back deck - including a Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Northern Flicker.
Adult male     Adult female     Adult male Red-shafted

Here are some stock photos of the three Woodpeckers, courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Online Guide, which I am quickly learning is a terrific resource on all things birds. The website has terrific guidance not only on help properly identify bird species, by size / shape / color / behavior and habitat - but it has a fantastic library of bird sounds / calls that will be fun to learn from.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Bill's Birding Adventure Officially Launches

Welcome to Bill’s Birding Adventure! Please join me as this blog explores the many faceted and fun worlds of birds . . .

While visitors are encouraged to join in the adventure, I mostly launch this blog as a platform for personal learning – as I spin up on all things related to this special vertebra. And there is much to learn indeed!

I have always loved birds – their beauty and variety, and especially their sweet sounding songs – the beginning of which can probably be traced to my parents, who loved nature. While urban and suburban dwellers most of their lives, they both grew up on farms. There passion for gardening was one small way to honor their roots. They loved to get their hands dirty.

Downy Woodpecker
Westport, CT 26Jan2013


However, it is my mother who has always loved the birds. Even at the fine age of 92, she still wonders at the sight of a Cardinal or Bluebird visiting the bird feeder outside her apartment window in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I vividly remember the bird houses in our backyard as a child, and the bird books strategically placed near the picture window overlooking them – and the joy that my mother always got from seeing an unexpected species, whether winter, spring, summer or fall.

So it is with this spirit that I begin my more modest sojourn into the world of birds . . . focusing initially on species that are native to Connecticut, especially those that visit out newly installed bird feeder on the back deck. But no doubt the focus will expand, as Marianne and I travel throughout the US and Europe, including heading up to Rhode Island later this summer!