Tricolored Heron puts in a first-ever Middlesex appearance
Just as local birders were starting to come to grips with the fact that spring migration was coming to an end, an amazing rarity near...
top of page
Search
Paul Nicholson
- May 25
- 3 min
The bird watcher’s lexicon
In any subculture, a specialized language evolves for any number of reasons. It helps people communicate more clearly. It can enhance...
40 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Apr 29
- 3 min
Can bird watching be gamified?
Is this a Common Loon or a game piece? Common Loons, which have been seen this month in London, have a three-star value in the new game,...
33 views0 comments
Laure Wilson Neish
- Apr 6
- 7 min
Back Door Birding
image by brgfx on Freepix Our homes are a convenient and cozy portal to birdwatching. Each view however is a little different which...
53 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Apr 3
- 2 min
April bird watching is promise of even more spring arrivals
Hermit Thrushes are migrating through Middlesex County now on their way to the boreal forests where they nest. Photos by Paul Nicholson....
35 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Mar 25
- 3 min
Here come the bird festivals
Planning for Southwestern Ontario’s spring migration festivals is set. All that is left is for us to decide which ones to participate in....
50 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Mar 22
- 3 min
Try some online quizzes to up your birding game
Will you be ready to identify this bird in early May if you only get a two-second view of it? We can up our bird identification game in...
37 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Feb 25
- 2 min
Owls: To post or not to post?
Some bird enthusiasts post details of owl sightings online and others do not. In any case, the well being of the birds must always be the...
87 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Feb 13
- 3 min
Don’t sleep on the winter birds
February and March are usually the best months to observe Greater Scaup in Middlesex County. A female and male are pictured here. Photo...
31 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Jan 22
- 2 min
Circle mid-February for the Great Backyard Bird Count
Participating in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count is as easy as observing winter birds such as White-breasted Nuthatches for as...
32 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Jan 13
- 3 min
If the Canada Goose is the classic migrating species, why do I see so many through the winter?
Most Red-tailed Hawks migrate south in the fall, however some, such as this bird that has been living in London this winter, will stay...
56 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Jan 9
- 3 min
Check each flocking bird
Although the first birds we notice here are likely the Snow Buntings, we don’t want to overlook the Common Redpolls. There is value in...
138 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Dec 27, 2022
- 3 min
The London/Middlesex 2022 Bird of the Year
There are as many reasons to choose a Bird of the Year as there are birders. We’ve chosen the Black-necked Stilts that nested in west...
65 views0 comments
Brendon Samuels
- Dec 22, 2022
- 7 min
What's slithering at London City Hall? Background on the Reptilia Zoo
The information presented in this blog solely reflects the opinion of the author, supported by facts and references. Brendon Samuels is...
236 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Dec 19, 2022
- 3 min
Christmas Bird Counts then and now
On London’s Christmas Bird Counts in the early 20th century Northern Shrikes were a hit-or-miss species. That is still the case today....
52 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Dec 18, 2022
- 4 min
New books offer something for every bird lover
If cool fall temperatures have you wanting to curl up under a cosy blanket with a gripping murder mystery instead of bird watching, reach...
25 views0 comments
Laure Wilson Neish
- Nov 23, 2022
- 6 min
A Tale of 2 Yards - One Species - Birds East and West
For birders who travel across Canada or down into the US, you will have noticed that some of the species we see here regularly in London...
56 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Nov 20, 2022
- 4 min
Ontario's extinct parrot still yields lessons
Carolina Parakeets were Ontario’s only parrot; however, they went extinct. This image of the birds was created by John James Audubon in...
32 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Nov 1, 2022
- 2 min
Fall migration continues into early December
The Common Redpoll, a winter finch, arrives back in Middlesex County in November. Photo by Paul Nicholson. In the same way that some...
65 views0 comments
Paul Nicholson
- Oct 16, 2022
- 4 min
Bird watching as a portal to wellness
In addition to being an accomplished bird watcher, Kelly-Sue O’Connor of Blenheim, Ontario has embraced the healing aspects of birds and...
116 views0 comments
bottom of page