The ripening of red winter berries coincides with the arrival of large flocks of these dazzling beauties. Elegant Cedar Waxwings sport a rakish black mask and sleek pointed crest plus silky beige plumage tipped in waxy red and yellow. Listen for the high-pitched, trilled whistle as dozens descend from the treetops to feast on the [...]
Because the wind blew all night and by morning, it was a quandary to decide if the survey was a go or not. Brave souls Jim Kendall and Dave Telford ventured out to check conditions. Though they reported back that the wind was fierce, and we had decided to postpone the survey until Friday, Jim [...]
The Western Meadowlark is a beautiful, medium-sized bird that gathers in sizable flocks on the dry grassy fields surrounding the Urban Forest each winter. They arrive in October from their spring/summer breeding grounds and find strength and safety in numbers on the hilltop area as they collectively feed on insects and seeds at the ground [...]
Savannah Sparrow, American Kestrel and Lesser Goldfinch, photographed during the October survey in the Urban Forest. © James Kendall Macaulay Library Lena Hayashi, Jim Kendall, Dave and Sharon Telford, Betty Kanne, Jim Currie, Barbara Wasbin, and Nancy Kappelmann counted the UF birds on this clear, calm, sunny but cool, and beautiful day–60 degrees to start and a [...]
This survey marks the first anniversary of the “official” Urban Park Bird Survey! What a wonderfully pleasant day with temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s, and clear skies with a slight breeze. Surveyors Lena Hayashi, Jim Kendall, Jim Currie, Brenda Sabin, Dave and Sharon Telford, Claire Grozinger, Betty Kanne, and Kelly Coles went [...]
