Birds & Birding

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul..."
- Emily Dickinson

More than a hobby, birding has become a way of life for me!  On this page you will find all things bird-related, from general articles, to identification tips and a list of individual species accounts, organized alphabetically by common name.

Happy birding!

Why bird?  Find out here: The Joys and Benefits of Birding

What's happening to North America's birds?  Response to Study: "Decline of the North American Avifauna"
What's so special about California's Central Valley?  The Value of One Valley

Why do birds migrate?  Where to do they go, and how to they find their way?  Find out here: Unraveling the Mysteries of Migration 


Birding Arizona: Join me birding across the beautiful state of Arizona! (May 2019)
Birding the Eastern Sierra: Follow along with me on a birding adventure to Mono Lake, Mammoth Lakes and the White Mountains. (July 2020)
Birding the Pacific Northwest: Birding adventures and more in Oregon and Washington (June 2021)
Birding New England: Birding highlights from New York all the way north to Maine! (June 2022)


Helpful Identification Tips:

And, all of my bird articles, in one handy list!  
Click on each title below to learn more.

California Quail

Acorn Woodpecker
American Avocet
American Bittern
American Coot
American Dipper
American Goldfinch
American Kestrel
American Pipit
Long-eared Owl
Bell's Sparrow
Brown Pelican
Bullock's Oriole
California Quail
California Scrub Jay
California Thrasher
Cooper's Hawk
Spotted Sandpiper

Dark-eyed Junco






Recommended Reading:
Introduction to California Birdlife (Jules Evens and Ian Tait)
Lives of North American Birds (Kenn Kaufman)
The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior (David Allen Sibley)
Taken together, these books provide an excellent knowledge base for those interested in birds and their natural history.

Useful Websites:
eBird
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds
Audubon's Guide to North American Birds
American Bird Conservancy

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