[DrCaleb]

This little guy bounced off my patio window and got his bell rung. He was quite docile for 5 minutes, then had the sudden realization of "MAMMAL!" and took off.

But it was very floofy and cute till then. I think it's a baby Yellow Warbler, so I'm sticking to that. Never seen a yellow warbler before. But it definitely wasn't a baby Goldfinch, as my feeders have been packed with them lately.

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[DrCaleb]

I found out my feeders have not been packed with juvenile Goldfinches, although there are definitely some.

Pine Siskins (a type of finch) have been prolific this year, and I guess I am no exception. So here is a segment I will call "Know your LBJ's" (Little Brown Jobs)

The first pic we have is a Fledgling / juvenile Goldfinch. Note the hint on yellow in the wing and tail, and the stripes on the chest and belly. Also note the dark, sleek head.

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This is a Goldfinch, male, coming into his adult colours, and packing his bags to head south.

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Juvie Goldfinch 3.JPG [ 1.15 MiB | Viewed 184 times ]

This is a Pine Siskin. Note the crest difference from the Goldfinch, and the spotted belly, not striped. You have to look close at the LBJs, as they all look the same till adults. Sometimes afterward too.

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[DrCaleb]

To compare, a male and female Goldfinch

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Female Goldfinch.JPG [ 1.22 MiB | Viewed 179 times ]

[DrCaleb]

And here is a bird that is both male and female!



'Incredibly rare' male-female bird spotted at Pennsylvania nature reserve

[DrCaleb]

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A black phoebe is pictured in Victoria. The species is usually only seen in California and Oregon: (Jody Wells)

Rare bird species spotted during Victoria Christmas Bird Count

[DrCaleb]

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A rare bird was spotted in Yukon last week.

Birders flocked to Haines Junction to spot a hawfinch, which was thousands of kilometres out of its usual range.

Cameron Eckert, a director with the Yukon Bird Club, says the bird normally spends winters about 6,000 kilometres away — in Japan.

The sighting was so rare that he says it made a national record.

"This is the first record for the Yukon and the first record for Canada," said Eckert.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ra ... -1.5863996

[DrCaleb]

12 cool things to know about snowy owls

[DrCaleb]

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Birds make you as happy as money, study finds




What’s better: a backyard full of birds or a pay raise? When it comes to happiness, a new study suggests the richness of bird species holds more value.

While it’s no secret that being rich takes much of the pressure off our day-to-day lives, researchers in this month’s Ecological Economics journal found living near natural surroundings, especially in areas with more species of birds, had a closer link to life satisfaction than income.

https://nationalpost.com/news/world/bir ... tudy-finds

[Strutz]

Birds are very relaxing to observe. There is a big oak tree on the neighbouring property and from our windows/deck we get to see many different species that enjoy hanging out in the tree. There are times that 4-5 different species are all there at once, on various areas but all seemingly getting along. Now that spring is here the music some of them emit is quite joyous!

[Strutz]

Some Alaska Costco shoppers say ravens steal their groceries
https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/some-alask ... -1.5364983

Never underestimate the intelligence of birds such as ravens.

[raydan]

I would often go to the same cross-country trails and stopped at the same picnic table. Planted my skis and sat down to eat my lunch and when I looked up, there were always a couple of chickadees perched on my skis watching me... they knew.

[DrCaleb]

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Naturalist Brian Keating experienced something rare earlier this month — the sighting of three species of chickadees in one day.

"I call that a triple crown. And actually a friend of mine calls it the triple chick," Keating told The Homestretch. "It's just one chickadee shy of the Alberta grand slam.… But I think any day with three species of chickadees is a good day."

Keating spotted the first two species while out for the day cross-country skiing in Kananaskis, and spotted the third one after getting back to Calgary.

"My wife and I went up along the Smith-Dorrien Highway up to the Great Divide [Trail]. And we did a good long day cross-country ski. And along that ski route, we came across two species of chickadees, the boreal and the mountain chickadee. And when we got home, we saw the black-capped chickadee."

The fourth species, the one they did not spot on this epic outing, is the rare, chestnut-backed chickadee. There have been only 17 recorded sightings so far in Alberta, Keating said.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ ... -1.5969751

[raydan]

Taken this year...

[DrCaleb]

Cold snap taking a toll on B.C.'s Anna's hummingbirds

[DrCaleb]

Check out the ingenious ways people are freeze-proofing their hummingbird feeders during B.C.'s cold snap