• March and April are the best months to see Bonaparte's Gulls in the Susquehanna Valley. Like many other birds, they're on their way north this time of year.

    April 3, 2025
  • You may think the birds in these photos are Common Grackles, but they're actually Rusty Blackbirds, much less common members of our native blackbird family.

    March 27, 2025
  • The third week of March is the peak of migration for Horned Grebes in the Susquehanna Valley. Horned Grebes have lots of cool nicknames, like "Water Witch."

    March 20, 2025
  • Our local blackbirds spend most of the winter in farm fields. The flocks can number in the tens of thousands, primarily a mix of three native blackbird species.

    March 6, 2025
  • There are only seven species of swans in the world, and two of them are native to North America. By far the most common is the Tundra Swan.

    February 27, 2025
  • I am often asked which bird I like best, but I love them all and find it difficult to pick a single favorite.

    February 13, 2025
  • Northern Cardinals are one of our most beloved backyard birds. They're known by many nicknames, including red-bird and Virginia Nightingale.

    January 30, 2025
  • Winter is the best time of year to see American Tree Sparrows in Pennsylvania. I came across a flock of over 60 last week in some weedy fields north of Pittsburgh.

    January 23, 2025
  • I photographed the Downy Woodpecker in the photo above in the white oak in my backyard on New Year's Day. From that picture, someone unfamiliar with Downy Woodpeckers might think they're mostly black.

    January 16, 2025
  • Winter is the best time of year to see my wife's favorite bird, the Brown Creeper.  I found one in my backyard on the morning of New Year's Day.

    January 9, 2025