What follows are a few late winter/early spring Mid-Atlantic region sights and sounds. I'd like to begin with some Red-shouldered Hawk photos, but first, here's one of a Great Blue Heron grabbing a bluegill for breakfast. I took it on the same morning I took the Red-shouldered photos. The Red-shouldered Hawk Let's go to those … Continue reading A Few Sights and Sounds
Category: Recording bird songs and calls
The Joy of Discovery
I began "A Few Words About Birds" this way: "A recent opinion piece in The Virginian-Pilot, Virginia’s largest daily newspaper, began with the words: 'First of all, thank you for reading.' I’d like to begin, here, the same way. First of all, thank you for reading. I mean that, sincerely." That was followed by a … Continue reading The Joy of Discovery
The Birds of Spring
Many of you enjoyed the Carolina Wren sound recordings in the last blog. I love recording birds and listening to the results. But I especially enjoy looking at the spectrograms, where I can "see" the sounds and learn more about them. Birds' songs and calls are a lot more interesting and complex than many people … Continue reading The Birds of Spring
A Hopeful Time
This is a complicated time. But one thing that keeps many of us centered and hopeful is the birds in our lives. Beacons of Hope John W. Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, said as much in a recent message to members. He wrote that birds are "beacons of hope," and that "this … Continue reading A Hopeful Time
Common Birds
It was a year ago that I wrote: "Be Still and Know." And I still believe, but now even more so, that stillness is, as Mary Oliver put it, “one of the doors into the temple.” Gosh, I love those words. I'm a Mary Oliver fan from way back. The longer I bird and the … Continue reading Common Birds
The Killdeer Saga
The last couple of blogs on the Osprey were writing marathons. They took a lot of time and effort to put together. And they were lengthy. This, the first of several blogs on the Killdeer, will be more like a 5K fast walk instead. But before we get down to business and begin to consider … Continue reading The Killdeer Saga
The Killdeer and the Goose
Every year about this time, I begin each day with a special measure of excitement and anticipation. The switch has been thrown, migration is underway, and who-knows-what avian delight will show up who-knows-where. You might wonder where I came up with the words: "avian delight." (You might also wonder where I came with the idea … Continue reading The Killdeer and the Goose
Meanwhile the Wild Geese
I recently posted a dual tribute to nature poet extraordinaire, Mary Oliver. I know, I know. I keep bringing her up. But we bring up our favorite poets much like we bring up our favorite composers, songwriters, and authors (and grandkids): over and over again. Ms. Oliver wrote a lovely poem entitled, "Wild Geese." Here … Continue reading Meanwhile the Wild Geese
A Patchwork Quilt
I thought about titling this: "A Mishmash." But then I thought better. Who'd read something called "A Mishmash," anyway—sort of like: Who'd consider shopping at a place called "The Dump"? (As it turns out, many do.) So I decided on what I hope will be the more alluring title above. Which means that this blog … Continue reading A Patchwork Quilt
Elizabeth River Bird Blog 