This is the time of year when you’ll see those sleek,
silky-plumaged birds with small red tips on their wing feathers and a yellow
edge on their tail swarming over your Pyracantha
and other berry bushes. These birds are a mixture of brown, yellow, and gray
and are distinguished by a topknot and a …

I was reminded by a flock of Sandhill Cranes flying overhead
 that it’s that time of year again -
migration. As the days shorten in the fall, birds in northern climes get
restless and finally uproot themselves from their nesting areas up north or in
the mountains. It’s always a sight to ducks and …

 Migration has begun. Ducks, geese, swans and Sandhill Cranes are on their way to their wintering grounds in the valley as are smaller
winter residents such as the White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Cedar
Waxwing, and Hermit Thrush. The White-crowned Sparrow is especially noticeable
with its striped head and whistling call. More about this …

Many of us feed hummingbirds. During much of the year these
tiny birds survive on nectar, the sugary fluid produced by flowers in order to
attract pollinators. Hummingbirds eat “meals” as do humans – a relatively large
and quick intake of food. Whatever the concentration of nectar, the birds will
eat something like 5-14 …