New feeders, pole systems, and baffles to keep squirrels away? Check! New, fresh, high-quality bird seed? Check! Binoculars, identification guide, and excited anticipation about all the birds you’re going to see? Check! Birds? … insert cricket sounds here … So what’s up with that? There are plenty of reasons why there aren’t any birds coming […]
Author: Andrew Jobes
Ever heard of a Pine Grosbeak or a Bohemian Waxwing?
Last month’s blog post talked about the arrival this winter of Evening Grosbeaks. Another grosbeak, the Pine Grosbeak, is also showing up, which is exciting, because these large, beautiful finches rarely come this far south. If I recall, the only time I’ve ever seen Pine Grosbeaks was in the Hudson Bay Lowlands during the breeding […]
Seen any Evening Grosbeaks yet?
Not all bird species fly south for the winter, and not all of those that do come as far as Peterborough. Last year was what was called an “irruption year” for birds. Many bird species, such as Pine Siskins, the 2 redpoll species, and Bohemian Waxwings came here in greater numbers than in a typical […]
Wellbeing as we move towards winter
The colour palette, crisp air, and smells of autumn offers such sensory splendor, and we hope you’re spending as much time as you can outdoors. Fall is the time of year when things slow down in preparation for winter. Trees shed their leaves, and plants go dormant. Birds fly south, and those that stay are […]
Garden Tips: Fall migration’s on its way
As we move into fall, the birds begin their move for the winter. Although there are still plenty of American Goldfinch and Northern Cardinal young begging for food, most of this year’s hatchlings are now fully independent of mom and dad and are footloose and fancy free. As young disperse from their home base, the […]
All that Glitters IS Gold
American Goldfinches are the latest-breeding songbird species in this area. They molt their feathers a second time in the summer, which is unusual for most bird species and leads to increasingly bright colours as the season progresses. Their song is a cheerful musical babbling, and their flight call – po-ta-to chip! po-ta-to chip! – is […]
Lions and Tigers and Chipmunks, oh my!
You’ve likely noticed the usual abundance of squirrels and even more chipmunks than usual this year. Animal populations respond to several things in their environments, and food is a major one. This is nuts! You may recall that 2019 was a great year for flowers. It was also a great one for nut-producing trees, like […]
Garden Tips: Marching Into Spring
The days are getting longer, and the Northern Cardinals and American Robins are singing up a storm! Things start getting busier in March in the bird world as our year-round-resident cavity-nesting species start courtship and breeding behaviours. Male songbirds use song to define and defend their territories, as well as to attract females. Woodpeckers use […]
Garden Tips: Where are all the birds?
Lots of folks are asking why there are so few birds at their feeders this winter, as compared to last year. The answers to these types of questions are never as straightforward as we might think. To start off, different numbers of birds are here from one winter to the next. A variety of factors […]
Garden Tips: Are your feeding efforts helping or harming birds?
Feeding birds can be a source of tremendous pleasure. Whether songbirds at a seed feeder, woodpeckers at suet cage, or ducks and geese by a pond, watching them eat what you offer is at the same time exciting and calming. As the weather gets colder, migrating and overwintering birds can certainly use the extra calories […]