Backyard Birding - Recognizing Fledglings
It's that time of year when it can really be difficult to ID some birds. The reason is that fledglings (birds that have recently left the nest) often look very different from their parents. So it is especially important to consider size and shape first before considering coloration when making ID's at this time of year. When I say size and shape, I mean how the bird looks in general. Fledglings of most birds are fully grown when they leave the nest. Their feathers may no
Bird Feeding - Where Are All My Hummingbirds?
If you are wondering where your hummingbirds seem to have gone, fear not! It's nothing you are doing. In fact, most people are reporting only one or two hummingbirds in their yards right now. I suspect this probably due to the fact that they are nesting and feeding their young insect nourishment, so they can grow into healthy adults. The late spring seems to have slowed the timing of their nesting cycle (breeding phenology) this year, so I would expect they will soon be b
