Getting pushy in a puddle
Two American robins refusing to share a puddle (Photo by Janis Turner)
This is the story of two American robins not very successfully sharing one road puddle for bathing. I observed this down by the front street from my condo, and the sun was just up over the buildings in the east. I heard a lot of robin activity...
Terminarch: Making music out of birdsong
Sage thrasher (Photo by Dick Cannings)
One of the best things about composing music for the concert hall is that inspiration can come from just about anywhere. My latest work, Terminarch, is a 10-minute piece for a quartet of percussionists based on the birdsong of 12 endangered...
How do you solve a problem like migration?
A flock of shorebirds takes to the air at Oak/Plum Lake Important Bird Area, a migration stopover site in Manitoba. The mixed-species flock includes Wilson’s phalaropes, red-necked phalaropes, stilt sandpipers, pectoral sandpipers, dunlin, white-rumped sandpipers and semipalmated sandpipers. (Photo by Christian Artuso)
I can feel the rapid thrumming of the bluebird’s heart against my palm as I carefully manoeuvre its foot into position over a tiny Ziploc bag. I pick up my nail scissors and take a deep breath to steady my hand. I will only get one chance to...
Tales of recovery: Cooper's hawk
Cooper's hawk (Photo by Jim Johnson, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Not that long ago, we used the “Santa Claus method” to classify wildlife. There was the nice list. Animals like deer and trout and ducks were on that list. These were mostly animals that we liked to hunt and fish, but also animals that...
Restore it and they will come
Henslow's sparrow (Photo by Adam Timpf)
One spring day last year, I was doing what I always do: walking the family dog and noting on my ebird app what birds were around. This daily ritual exercises the dog and allows me to collect data on what birds and wildlife are inhabiting our farm...
Mhairi’s bird of the day: Lesser scaup
Lesser scaup (Photo by Christian Artuso, CC BY-NC-ND-4.0)
Spotted on March 24, 2020 Lesser scaup Aythya affinis Aythya: from aithuia in ancient Greek, meaning “seabird” Affinis: “related to” in Latin Some birds are easy to identify at a glance, and some are fairly easy with a...
An original poem: The Bluebirds Have Returned
Mountain bluebird (Photo by Leta Pezderic/ NCC staff)
Springtime is making its appearance across the country. Buds are starting to appear on bare branches, blades of grass turn green again and signs of critters abound. One feathered friend is particularly endearing, and a delight to welcome back: the...
Tales of recovery: Eastern bluebird
Eastern bluebird (Photo by Cameron Curran/NCC staff)
There is perhaps no other bird that has endeared itself into our popular culture as the bluebird. It’s the helpful feathered friend in Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. Bluebird is in the lyrics of over 500 songs, performed by...
Mhairi’s bird of the day: Wood duck
Wood duck (Photo by Frank Vassen/Wikimedia Commons)
Spotted on March 23, 2020 Wood duck Aix sponsa Aix: “diving bird” in ancient Greek For the last 10 years, I have been recording my bird observations on my daily bike commute to work, before we started working from home in light of...
Mhairi's bird of the day: Song sparrow
Song sparrow (Photo by Stuart Clarke)
Spotted on March 20, 2020 Song sparrow Melospiza melodia Melo: “song,” in ancient Greek Melodia: “tune,” “voice” For the last 10 years, I have been recording my bird observations on my daily bike commute...
