Its no secret that I like insects. Well, not ALL insects I guess. I’m not that crazy about mosquitoes. I can’t stand ticks and chiggers, but those aren’t insects are they! I took parasitology as an undergrad and realized that … Continued
The past two years we have been lucky to have regular visits from batches of juvenile tufted titmice. I’m not exactly sure where they have nested. Aside from being really cute, they have also been very entertaining. The young ones … Continued
We have had a lot of orioles coming to our three jelly feeders this summer. There is one male that has the brightest orange I’ve ever seen on an oriole. He is more of a fiery chrome orange rather than … Continued
For 9.5 and 6.5 years old our kids are pretty good birders. While doing homeschooling at the kitchen table one day, my daughter Kelly excitedly yelled out “scarlet tanager.” Despite my initial skepticism, she was right! Just outside our kitchen … Continued
In the spring and summer we have an almost continual flow of these attractive birds at the feeder. We often hear them cracking away at the white-striped sunflower seeds that we put out for them. For a few reasons they remind … Continued
I always like getting in some sketching when I go to natural history museums. This Andean Cock of the Rock was in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. I question the realism of the display having a grape vine as … Continued
Its hard not to like these beautiful birds. They aren’t terribly showy or colorful, but they have an attractive mix of browns, whites and blacks with a perfect touch of brilliant yellow in front of their eyes. This one is … Continued
Few things are as cheery as the American goldfinch. Their friendly call and rollercoaster-like flight add to their obvious visual appeal. We have an almost constant stream of them at the thistle feeders. They like to nest in the blackberry … Continued
It’s spring in Michigan, and the chipmunks are busy. Okay, these guys destroy our gardens, raid our bird feeders, and dig in my wife’s potted plants all the time. They are undeniably full of trouble. Pound for pound they probably … Continued
Common grackles are interesting birds. They are icterids, related to the blackbirds and orioles. Male birds have a beautiful iridescence to their feathers. These intelligent birds are capable of mimicry and have been known to even copy the human voice.