Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
I first saw a pelican on my trip to Florida, over spring break in 1993. Since then, I’ve seen them in California and on our trip to Chincoteague Island, VA, over Memorial Day weekend in 2005.

Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
A single bird at Lake Artemesia, and another on Lake Cash at Patuxent, on April 2nd, 2008. Groups of cormorants and pelicans would hang out on the beach on the California coast in the summer of 2002, just at dawn; I was up early enough a couple of mornings to sit and watch them before they scattered for the day.

Anhinga Anhinga anhinga
A male at Pinckney Island NWR in the late evening on April 29th, 2009. A female on a lagoon on Hilton Head Island, in the morning on May 1st, 2009.

Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
Herons were my favorite birds for the longest time, until I realized that they subsisted almost entirely on frogs. I used to love to find them at the sides of ponds and streams, accidentally startling them into their gangly flight. During my day at the shore in San Francisco, I shared the afternoon with a great blue heron. Both of us had gotten a little lost, ending up at a stretch of beach north of where the birds usually congregated.

As much as I would prefer to find frogs in riparian areas, it always heartens me to see herons. They are, to me, a symbol of a relatively healthy river: if they weren’t finding smaller things to eat, they’d move on. I was always sure to see them along the {what was that river} in Highland Park, or along the Huron in Nichols’ Arboretum.

In DC, I have seen them along the Potomac while out on my bike in the morning, ahead of the commuters and the tourists. There is a single Great blue heron resident at my local pond, as well.

Great Egret Casmerodius albus
In Tillamook Bay, OR, January, 2007.

Snowy Egret Egretta thula
On Chincoteague Island, VA, May 2005.

Little Blue Heron Florida caerulea
A juvenile on Hilton Head Island, in the morning on April 28th, 2009. Several adults in Pinckney Island NWR in the late evening on April 29th, 2009.

Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor
At Pinckney Island NWR in the late evening on April 29th, 2009.

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
On Chincoteague Island, VA, May 2005. I saw these perky little birds all through the marshy area around the island, mostly around dawn when I rode through the preserve on my bike.

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
The first time I saw these beautiful birds, I thought I was looking at penguin escapees from the National Zoo and couldn’t for the life of me figure out what they might be. Once I got a good look at them they weren’t hard to identify, and I spent some weeks riding past the same bend in Rock Creek just to catch another glimpse. I couldn’t get the association with penguins out of my mind, and although I know they roost in trees, they always look stranded along the branches.

After seeing them those first times in Rock Creek Park, I began to see them all along the Potomac in the early mornings and discovered that they aren’t as rare as I’d assumed.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax violaceus
In a tree above Well’s Run, near the elementary school, in the evening, May 1st, 2007.

Green Heron Butorides striatus
A male with orange (breeding) legs, in Paint Branch Creek, in the morning on May 25th, 2007. I startled it, and it flew down a bit and flashed its crest. Also at University Hills pond, fall 2006. The bird I spotted only spent a day at the pond, but I caught it in its distinctive pose of hunkering down looking for fish. It didn’t seem too pleased to see me, althought I’m sure it managed to get something to eat once I’d left.

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
On Chincoteague Island, VA, May 2005.

American White Ibis Eudocimus albus
A large flock, including both adults and juveniles, at Pinckney Island NWR in the late evening on April 29th, 2009.

Common Loon Gavia immer
A single bird on Cash Lake at Patuxent, on April 2nd, 2008, and again on April 5th, 2008.

Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
Large flocks wintering at Eastern Neck, MD, on March 5th, 2008.

Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
Large flocks in fields near the refuges at Eastern Neck, MD, and Bombay Hook, DE, on March 5th, 2008.

Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Birds that look like Canada geese are common in the DC area, mutants that are two or sometimes three times larger than a true Canada goose, and that stay year round. It’s rare, though, to see the smaller breed, as they get pushed out by the flocks of larger geese. In the fall, I can see still catch sight of them at the pond as they migrate. A pair are nesting on the island at the University Hills pond, spring 2007.

American Black Duck Anas rubripes
Along the Potomac, off the Arlington bike path, in 2003. I also spotted a pair flying along the Detroit River, in December of 2006. In a small flock at Bombay Hook, DE, on March 5th, 2008.

Wood Duck Aix sponsa
A male, on Lake Artemesia, in the early morning on May 8th, 2007. I also saw a female on Lake Artemesia, in the early morning on May 22nd, 2007.

Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis
At Bombay Hook, DE, on March 5th, 2008.

Mallard Duck Anas platyrhynchos
These are common birds, the most likely bird to be found at a pond or river on any given day. There is a group of mallards that live at the University Hills pond, nesting on the island, boosted in the fall by ducks that are migrating and just stopping over.

Northern Pintail Anas acuta
Wintering at Bombay Hook, DE, on March 5th, 2008.

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
Wintering at Bombay Hook, DE, on March 5th, 2008.

Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis
I identified this little duck at the University Hills pond, in autumn 2006, by process of elimination, as there aren’t that many divers in this area. A mixed flock at Lake Artemesia, in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

Canvasback Duck Aythya valisineria
On the Detroit River, Christmas Day, 2006.

Redhead Aythya americana
A small mixed flock on Lake Artemesia, in the afternoon on February 24th, 2008.

Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
A flock at Lake Artemesia, in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

American Wigeon Anas americana
At Bombay Hook, DE, on March 5th, 2008. Along the Tillamook River, OR, on January 14th, 2007.

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
A mixed group on the river in Sarnia, in the late afternoon on February 17th, 2008.

Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
In Tillamook Bay, OR, on January 14th, 2007. A mixed group on the river in Sarnia, in the late afternoon on February 17th, 2008. A single female on Lake Artemesia, in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
A single male on the river in Springbank Park, London, in the late afternoon on February 16th, 2008. A pair on Lake Artemesia, in the afternoon on February 24th, 2008.

Common Merganser Mergus merganser
A mixed group on the river in Springbank Park, London, in the afternoon on February 16th and February 17th, 2008.

Black Scoter { latin name }
A pair at Lake Artemesia, in the afternoon on January 18, 2009.

Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis
I believe I saw several out on the ocean on January 14, 2007, but my wee Swedish binoculars weren’t good enough to make a firm identification.

Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus
In the Tillamook Bay, OR, on January 14th, 2007. A single bird in breeding plumage on Lake Artemesia, in the afternoon on February 21st, 2008. A pair — one in breeding plumage and one in winter plumage — on Lake Artemesia on April 2nd, 2008, and again on April 5th, 2008.

Pied-billed Grebes Podilymbus podiceps
Several at Lake Artemesia, beginning on April 1st,2008. I believe I also saw a pair at Bombay Hook, DE, on March 5th, 2008, but the light was too poor to be certain.

Greater Scaup Aythya marila
On the river at Eastern Neck, MD, on March 5th, 2008.

Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
In the Tidal Basin, DC, on March 12, 2007. They appeared to be a small flock of males only, but there was another group of ducks across the basin that could have been accompanying females; they were too distant to identify.

Common Eider { latin name }
In Frenchman’s Bay, Maine, in September 2009.

Black Guillemot { latin name }
In Frenchman’s Bay, Maine, in September 2009.

Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
On Route 4 south of Dunkirk, Maryland, around noon on May 26th, 2008.

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
These birds are, of course, common by roadsides and rivers. The most dramatic sighting I’ve experienced was during a hike of the Billy Goat Trail on Bear Island, when we came across an entirely dead tree serving of a roost for over thirty turkey vultures. They would fly out in twos or threes over the river, circle, and return to line the branches of the tree. If it hadn’t been the middle of a gorgeously bright autumn day, I would have likely been totally freaked out by the sight.

Osprey Pandeon haliaetus
On a trip back from the Delaware shore, in summer 2005, I saw several of these birds coming and going from their nests on a set of high tension towers along the Chesapeake Bay estuaries. They’re making a successful comeback in the Bay, so I hope to see them again, at a time when I’m not in a moving vehicle and can take some time to watch them. A single bird was hanging around Lake Artemesia, first spotted on March 29th, 2008. Following this first sighting, I’ve been able to get good looks at birds both at Lake Artemesia and on Cash Lake at Patuxent.

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
A single adult circling above a farm in Lexington Park, Maryland, in the afternoon on May 26th, 2008. A single juvenile wading at Bombay Hook in the evening on April 19th, 2008. Driving along Route 20 toward Eastern Neck, MD, on March 5th, 2008, I saw an eagle dropping in over a field, white tail splayed and scary yellow talons out.

Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
In Acadia National Park, September 2009.

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos canadensis
On the road from Portland, OR, just before the Tillamook Forest, on January 14th, 2007.

Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
Our backyard, April 2007. One of these hawks caught a young robin and sat on our back walk waiting for it to die, which was fascinating and disturbing. This is likely the same bird that flew into one of the back windows in pursuit of a bird last fall.

Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii
Dewey street, winter 2001. I also had a dramatic second sighting of a Cooper’s Hawk on 15th street. I was standing at the door out to the deck, with a cup of coffee, watching the birds come and go from the feeders, when this hawk swooped in over the roof of the rowhouse behind us. It came in straight toward me, over the feeders, with talons out. It didn’t catch anything, as the birds scattered, and I think it was suprised to see me standing there, although I probably saved it an impact with its reflection in the door. It sat in the tree around the corner for about half an hour after that, either to recover, or in the hopes of nabbing a witless sparrow, so I was able to get a good look at it. I think this was when we started referring to the feeders generally as our hawk snack stand.

Broad-winged Hawk { latin name }
On Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, in September 2009.

Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
Behind the church around the corner, December 2006. I spotted this hawk, which is likely the same hawk I see circling above our street and the park from time to time, while walking back from the metro. It stayed on the top of the utility pole long enough for me to circle around and get a good look, and then flew off, likely in pursuit of one of the hundreds of robins passing through that day.

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
Ann Arbor, MI, spring 2002. I spotted two of these hawks (or perhaps the same one twice) in the course of a week, both in trees on the diag. One was inching its way toward a squirrel nest, much to the dismay of the parent squirrels backing down the tree, and the other was being harried by a handful of crows. Near the visitors’ center at Rondeau Provincial Park in the afternoon on February 15th, 2008. At Lake Artemesia on
April 2nd, 2008.

Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
Hovering over the 402, 66km east of Sarnia, in the afternoon on February 17th, 2008.

American Kestrel Falco sparverius
A male on a utility wire, along I-80 in Ohio, on August 10th, 2007. A female on the road into Bombay Hook, DE, on March 5th, 2008. Many migrating through Acadia National Park, September 2009.

Merlin { latin name }
On a morning bird walk, Acadia National Park, in September 2009.

Peregrine Falcon { latin name }
On a morning bird walk, Acadia National Park, in September 2009.

Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Walking along the edge of a field at Bombay Hook, in the afternoon on April 19th, 2008.

Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
We saw a family of turkeys crossing the road one evening while driving around Cumberland, RI, in December of 2005. We also spotted a sole male at the side of the road in New Jersey years ago.

Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus
Along Route 20 on the way to Eastern Neck, MD, on March 5th, 2008.

Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris
Heard in the reeds at Bombay Hook in the morning on May 17th, 2008. Near the visitors’ center on Chincoteague Island, VA, May 2005 (may have been a Virginia Rail).

Common moorhen Gallinula chloropus
At Pinckney Island NWR in the evening on April 29th, 2009.

American Coot Fulica americana
We like to call this bird ‘the dumbest duck,’ in the most affectionate way. I have spotted these along the Potomac, but we first saw and identified them on Lake Zurich. They earned their nickname the day we saw one try to take off from the bridge where the Limmat meets the lake. The bird made a running start, but didn’t get enough lift to clear the edge of the road, and smacked head-on into the curbside. It then did a couple of flopping sommersaults along the sidewalk, rolling under the rail, and falling into the lake. We were too stunned to do anything at first, but when we finally plucked up our courage to look over the side, we saw the bird bobbing around shaking its head in a slightly wobbly way, and then swimming off after a minute or two as if nothing had happened. A flock at Lake Artemesia, in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis
Jasper-Pulaski Wildlife Area, in Indiana.

Black-Bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Several at Bombay Hook in the afternoon on May 17th, 2008.

American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica
A single bird, transitioning from winter to breeding plumage and therefore strongly resembling its European counterpart, at Bombay Hook in the evening on April 19th, 2008.

Semi-palmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus
On shore at Chincoteague, VA, May 2005.

Piping Plover Charadrius melodus
In estuary at Chincoteague, VA, May 2005.

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
In summer of 2005, there were a pair of killdeers living in the fields behind my grandparents’ blueberry farm. I used to see and hear them when I went out during the day to pick berries. The first time I sighted one was in the parking lot of Colonial Williamsburg, in May of 2002, and I once saw a pair on the University of Maryland campus.

American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus
Off Chincoteague Island, VA, May 2005, during the boat tour.

Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus
At Bombay Hook, in April and May of 2008. In estuary at Chincoteague, VA, May 2005.

American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
A flock at Bombay Hook throughout the day on May 17th, 2008.

Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
Throughout Bombay Hook, on April 19th, 2008.

Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
There were probably quite a bit more around, but I only conclusively identified one in the midst of several Greater Yellowlegs — thus the size comparison — at Bombay Hook, in the evening on April 19th, 2008.

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
A migrating flock at Pinckney Island NWR midday on April 29th, 2009.

Willet Tringa semipalmata
A single bird on the shore at Pickering Beach, in the evening on May 17th, 2008.

Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
A single bird at Bombay Hook, in the morning on May 17th, 2008.

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
A group of about 20 birds, out on the tires at Pickering Beach, in the evening on May 17th, 2008. We almost missed these birds entirely, not seeing them at first against the sky and the black tires.

Red Knot Calidris canutus
Two birds mixed in with a group of Ruddy Turnstones, at Pickering Beach in the evening on May 17th, 2008.

Sanderling Calidrus alba
On shore at Chincoteague, VA, May 2005.

Semi-palmated Sandpiper Calidrus pusilla
Numerous at Bombay Hook in the afternoon on May 17th, 2008. On shore at Chincoteague, VA, May 2005.

Least Sandpiper Calidrus minutilla
A group of five at Bombay Hook, in the afternoon on May 17th, 2008. On shore at Chincoteague, VA, May 2005.

White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
A family of six, on the mudflats at the University Hills pond during the drought in the summer of 2007.

Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
A single bird mixed in with a group of Least Sandpipers at Bombay Hook, in the afternoon on May 17th, 2008.

Dunlin Calidris alpina
A small flock at Bombay Hook, DE, on March 5th, 2008.

Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
In dunes at Chincoteague, VA, May 2005.

Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata
A small flock at Patuxent on March 31st, 2008.

Herring Gull Larus argentatus
On Chincoteague Island, VA, May 2005.

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
At Sandhill Cove, in the afternoon on August 2nd, 2007.

Laughing Gull Larus atricilla
On Chincoteague Island, VA, May 2005.

Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
A single gull on the Detroit River, on Christmas Day, 2006, and four at the University Hills pond on January 4th, 2007.

Bonaparte’s Gull Larus philadelphia
At Point Pelee, in the evening on August 8th, 2007.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo
On Chincoteague Island, VA, May 2005.

Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri
At Bombay Hook, in the evening on April 19th, 2008. Off Daufuskie Island on April 30th, 2009.

Little (least) Tern Sterna albifrons
On Chincoteague Island, VA, May 2005. Off the boat from Hilton Head to Daufuskie Island on April 30th, 2009.

Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus
Off Daufuskie Island on April 30th, 2009.

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
At the University Hills pond, on April 14th, 2007.

Black Skimmer Rynchops niger
In estuary at Chincoteague, VA, May 2005.

Rock Dove (common pigeon) Columba livia
Extremely common in DC.

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
Common feeder visitors. I get these birds by the dozen at the feeders. I don’t mind, as I find their mild coloring and bobbing little walk soothing.

Common Screech Owl (Eastern) Otus asio
Fort Ouiatenon, IN.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
At the University Hills pond, in the morning on May 4th, 2007. Again at the pond on May 6th, and a (presumably) different one at Lake Artemesia on the morning of May 8th, 2007.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
I saw several of these on my two trips to Arizona. They’re common feeder visitors out there, but they were still new to me.

Anna’s Hummingbird Calypte anna
At the feeder outside Brewin’ in the Wind, Oceanside, OR, on January 14th, 2007.

Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri
At the feeder outside Brewin’ in the Wind, Oceanside, OR, on January 14th, 2007.

Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
On a ride along the Northeast Branch of the Anacostia, south of Riverdale Park, in the morning on June 10th, 2007. A male at Lake Artemesia, in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
In the woods between University Park and the University of Maryland, in the late afternoon on February 8th, 2008.

Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
Occasional feeder visitor at our current house. I’ve noticed them both in our yard and knocking away at the top of the tree in my neighbor’s yard, so I’m guessing they are nesting fairly close by. Several in the woods north of town in the afternoon on February 8th, 2008 and again at Lake Artemesia in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
We had one of these that would visit the cedar in front of our house on 15th Street every spring and autumn that we lived there, from 2004 through 2006. I also saw one on the tree at my grandmother’s farm in October 2005. In the woods along the Paint Branch Trail, in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
Infrequent feeder visitor in our new house.

Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
Regular feeder visitor on Koch Street, in Ann Arbor. In the woods along the Paint Branch Trail, in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

Northern Flicker (yellow) Colaptes auratus
Regular feeder visitor, here and on Koch Street, in Ann Arbor. A large group at Lake Artemesia, in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
I first saw several of these along the Potomac, off of Hain’s Point, DC, while on a training ride in spring 2003. I saw a pair building a nest at Lake Artemesia and another pair feasting on Eastern Tent Caterpillars on the morning of May 8th, 2007.

Eastern Wood Peewee Contopus virens
Along the Thames River on Western’s Campus in London, Ontario, in the afternoon on June 6th, 2008.

Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe
In the town park, along Wells Run, about two blocks from my house; in the evening on May 6th, 2007. Seen again at the same spot in the evening on May 7th, 2007. In the woods at Patuxent on April 2nd, 2008.

Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
A pair along the Thames River on Western’s campus in London, Ontario, in the afternoon on June 5th, 2008.

Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
A flock in the fields along Route 15, off the 401, in the afternoon on February 15th, 2008.

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
On a bike ride in Gainesville, MD. These birds are also common on the farm, and we see them swooping down around the field as the mosquitos come out.

Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Living in a horse barn on a farm in Dexter, MI.

Tree Swallow Iridoprocne bicolor
On my grandparents’ farm in LaSalle, Ontario. These were common on Chincoteague as well, as there were nesting boxes for them placed throughout the preserve.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
A pair on Cash Lake Pier at Patuxent, on March 31st, 2008.

Purple Martin Progne subis
At Lake Artemesia, in the morning on May 8th, 2007. I’ve seen nesting boxes at various locations before, but never with birds actually nesting in them. This pair was just hanging out on their porch when I rode by.

Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
At the University Hills pond, in the morning on May 4th, 2007.

Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
Regular feeder visitor.

American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
The most dramatic sighting I’ve had of these common birds, was walking home from the pool on autumn evenings in Ann Arbor. They would completely fill the tall trees along the path, and I would only slowly realize how many there were. As you walked beneath them, you would hear a rustling and gradually realize that the trees had no leaves on the branches, only crows. I’ve never seen The Birds, and it’s times like those that make me think I probably don’t want to. Large flocks in the fields along the 401 in the afternoon on February 15th, 2008.

Black-capped Chickadee Parus atricapillus
Regular feeder visitor in Ann Arbor. In the woods at Rondeau Provincial Park in the afternoon on February 15th, 2008.

Carolina Chickadee Parus carolinensis
Regular feeder visitor in Maryland. In the woods along the Paint Branch Trail in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee Poecile rufescens
At the feeders of the Audubon Society of Portland, OR, on January 12th, 2007.

Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
Regular feeder visitor. In the woods north of town in the afternoon on February 8th, 2008.

White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
Regular feeder visitor. In the woods at Rondeau Provincial Park in the afternoon on February 15th, 2008.

Red-breasted Nuthatch { latin name }
Many on morning bird walks, Acadia National Park, in September 2009.

Brown Creeper Certhia familiaris
On the trail near the lighthouse in Cape Meares, OR, on January 14th, 2007. One also appeared in our yard only once on Koch Street, so that identification isn’t certain.

Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
I saw these perky little birds for the first time on Koch Street, in Ann Arbor. There was a nesting pair in the brush behind our house, and their call was easy to distinguish. We seem to have another nesting pair in our yard, as I saw a couple of batches of young wrens exploring the yard and visiting the feeders in the spring of 2006. Several at Lake Artemesia and in the neighboring woods in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

House Wren Troglodytes aedon
Nesting along the Thames River on Western’s campus in London, Ontario, in the afternoon on June 5th, 2008.

Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
On the trails at the Audubon Society of Portland, OR, on January 12th, and again on the trail at Cape Meares, OR, on January 14th, 2007.

Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa
A group in the woods at Rondeau Provincial Park, in the afternoon on February 15th, 2008.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
At the University Hills pond, autumn 2006.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
Along the Northeast Branch of the Anacostia, between Riverdale Park and College Park, afternoon of June 23rd, 2007.

Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
A pair at Lake Artemesia, in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008. These were a lovely sight, with the male perched atop a nesting box and the female nearby in a small tree. This is a bird I’ve always wanted to see, the Blue Jay being the only blue bird I grew up with, and I just happened upon them as I was heading back toward the metro at the end of an afternoon of peering at ducks. Even in their ‘dull’ late winter plumage they were gorgeous.

Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
A pair, in our neighbor’s backyard, April 2007.

Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
At Patuxent, on April 2nd, 2008.

American Robin Turdus migratorius
Extremely common. Robins migrate through here in large flocks, a very disconcerting sight if, like us, you come from a place where you rarely see more than a few robins at a time. At Lake Artemesia in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008.

Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
These birds are extremely common in the DC area. I shared a breakfast croissant with three young ones at a Smithsonian cafe one morning in 2003, after an early bike ride down to Hain’s Point.

Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottus
The first time I saw a mockingbird, it was perched on top of the ATM machine at the Rutgers credit union, mimicking the sounds of the user interface. That was in the summer of 1999, and I didn’t see another one until we moved to DC in spring 2002. They are everywhere in DC, and even after four years it is still entertaining to hear the city birds mimicking car alarms. Now that we live in the suburbs, I have been surprised to hear birdsong and find the source to be a mockingbird.

Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
The World War I Memorial for DC, May 2002.

Varied Thrush Zoothera naevia
On the trails at the Audubon Society of Portland, OR, on January 12th, 2007.

European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Extremely common. I’ve learned that starlings are one of the few birds that eat adult Japanese beetles, as opposed to just the grubs. As a result of this service that they do the blueberry plants, I am somewhat endeared to them, despite their general reputation as invasive pests.

Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
A single one was identified by my neighbor, in a town tree in front of our house, on April 3rd, 2007. Another single one, seen through binoculars in a tree at Lake Artemesia, in the morning on May 8th, 2007. In the woods between University Park and the University of Maryland, in the late afternoon on February 8th, 2008.

Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
At Lake Artemesia, in the morning on May 25th, 2007. We heard two, but only spotted one.

Red-eyed Vireo { latin name }
At Greenbelt Park, in the morning on May 8, 2010.

Northern Parula { latin name }
On a morning bird walk, Acadia National Park, in September 2009.

Magnolia Warbler { latin name }
On a morning bird walk, Acadia National Park, in September 2009.

Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
At Lake Artemesia, in the morning on May 22nd, 2007.

Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens
At the University Hills pond, autumn 2006.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
A single female, along Wells Run, in the morning on May 4th, 2007. A couple of males along Wells Run, in the evening on May 7th, 2007, and loads more males at Lake Artemesia, in the morning on May 8th, 2007.

Black-throated Green Warbler { latin name }
On a morning bird walk, Acadia National Park, in September 2009.

Bay-breasted Warbler { latin name }
On a morning bird walk, Acadia National Park, in September 2009. Not a firm identification.

Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica
A pair on Hilton Head Island, in the morning on April 27th, 2009.

Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus
Along the Laurel Trail at Patuxent, on April 5th, 2008.

Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum
Several mixed in with a migrating flock of Yellow-Rumped Warblers at Patuxent, in the late afternoon on April 14th, 2008.

Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata
A pair, along Wells Run, on the evening of May 4th, 2007. At Lake Artemesia, in the morning on May 22nd, 2007.

Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla
In Wells Run, near the elementary school, in the evening on May 1st, 2007. Again in the evening on May 6th, slightly downstream.

Ovenbird { latin name }
At Greenbelt Park, in the morning on May 8, 2010.

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
A male visited us at the bookstore one day, in autumn 2002. I also saw females on Capitol Hill that fall. I had never seen warblers before moving to DC, and it’s been fun to keep watch for them during the fall migration.

Canada Warbler { latin name }
On a morning bird walk, Acadia National Park, in September 2009.

Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina
One time visitor to the dense shrubbery in our backyard on 15th street. I happened to be reading by the back window, and the flash of color caught my eye.

Wilson’s Warbler Wilsonia pusilla
A male, at Lake Artemesia, in the morning on May 22nd, 2007.

American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
A single male, along the Thames River on Western’s Campus in London, Ontario, in the afternoon on June 5th, 2008.

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
Common resident everywhere I’ve lived, and the state bird of where I grew up. Several in the woods at Rondeau Provincial Park in the afternoon on February 15th, 2008.

Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
A single female visited our feeder in November, 2006.

Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
Several on a farm in Lexington Park, Maryland, in the afternoon on May 26th, 2008.

Painted Bunting Passerina ciris
At Pinkney Island NWR in the evening on April 30th, 2009, and again in the morning on May 2nd, 2009.

Eastern Towhee (red-eyed) Pipilo erythrophthalmus
A single female along the Paint Branch Trail, in the afternoon on February 20th, 2008. A single male along the path near the parking lot at Lake Artemesia, on April 2nd, 2008.

Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus
At the feeders of the Audubon Society of Portland, OR, on January 12th, 2007. This western bird was formerly considered to be of the same species as the Eastern Towhee, grouped as Rufous-sided Towhees.

American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea
In a flock with Horned Larks, in a field along Route 15 off the 401, in the afternoon on February 15th, 2008.

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
I first saw one of these at our feeders in Ann Arbor, which is when I discovered generally that many more varieties of sparrow would show up in the winter, mixed in with the small flocks of common ones.

Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla
Near the pier at Lake Artemesia, in the morning on April 17th, 2008.

Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
A small group on the peninsula at Lake Artemesia in the morning on April 17th, 2008.

Fox Sparrow (red) Passerella (iliaca) iliaca
One time visitor to the feeders on Pickford Place. It really was quite a large little bird.

Fox Sparrow (sooty) Passerella (iliaca) unalaschcensis
On the trail from the lighthouse at Cape Meares, OR, on January 14th, 2007.

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
Infrequent feeder visitors. I used to see one of these almost every day when we lived on 15th street, either at the community garden behind the mason temple, or in a yard a few blocks away. I see them regularly at the University Hills pond and at Lake Artemesia.

Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana
At Patuxent, on April 2nd, 2008.

White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
Regular feeder visitors during the winter.

White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
Several of these, in the tan variety, spent the winter at our feeders on Pickford Place, in DC. I first sighted one in Ann Arbor, though, the black and white variety that looks like it should be in the NFL.

Dark-eyed (‘slate-colored’) Junco Junco hyemalis hyemalis
Regular feeder visitors during the winter.

Dark-eyed (‘Oregon’) Junco Junco hyemalis oreganus
At the feeders of the Audubon Society of Portland, OR, on January 12th, 2007.

Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
I used to love to spot these along the boardwalk at Point Pelee park when I was a kid. For years after that, I never lived where they were common. Now I see flocks of them in the cattails at the University Hills pond.

Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
On my grandparents’ farm, in LaSalle, Ontario.

Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major
Several, both male and female, outside the coffeeshop at Coligny Circle on Hilton Head Island, in the afternoon on April 28th, 2009.

Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
This is another bird I’d never seen until moving to DC. I used to see groups of them along the Arlington bike path, at the points where the path crossed creeks or feeders to the Potomac. Now that we live only a block from such a creek, they are infrequent visitors to the feeders in our yard.

Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
I first sighted this bird on the Mall in DC. Most recently, I’ve seen a pair at Lake Artemesia, on April 1st, 2008.

Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
A pair, at the University Hills pond, in the morning on May 4th, 2007. Also, separately, a male, female, and immature male at Lake Artemesia, in the morning on May 8th, 2007.

Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula
In the neighborhood near the University Hills pond, midday on May 6th, 2007. I also saw a (different) lighter oriole on my way back from the pond, about an hour later. I didn’t get a good enough look to see the cheek, but it’s possible it was a Bullock’s Oriole.

House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
Frequent feeder visitors.

Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus
Migratory feeder visitors, seen hanging around the yard in March 2007.

Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea
A single female, at the feeder behind the visitors’ centre at Rondeau Provincial Park, in the afternoon on February 15th, 2008.

White-winged Crossbill { latin name }
On a morning bird walk, Acadia National Park, in September 2009.

Pine Siskin { latin name }
On a morning bird walk, Acadia National Park, in September 2009.

American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis
Regular visitors to the nyjer feeder. I have also spotted goldfinches at the farm, eating the seedheads of wildflowers out near the raspberries. Also seen around Lake Artemesia.

House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Extremely common.

Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis
At the Cliffs of Moher, March of 2005.

Teal Anas crecca
At the Wexford Slops, March 23rd, 2005.

Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
At the Wexford Slops, March 23rd, 2005.

Brent Goose Branta bernicla
On the shore at Bundoran, County Donegal.

Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis
At the Wexford Slops, March 23rd, 2005.

Greylag Goose Anser anser
At the Wexford Slops, March 23rd, 2005.

Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus
Likely a domestic escapee, seen at the Wexford Slops, March 23rd, 2005.

Greenland White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
At the Wexford Slops, March 23rd, 2005.

Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
In County Mayo.

Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
At the Wexford Slops, March 23rd, 2005.

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
At the Wexford Slops, March 23rd, 2005.

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
At the Wexford Slops, March 23rd, 2005.

Curlew Numenius arquata
At the Wexford Slops, March 23rd, 2005.

Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis
At the Wexford Slops, March 23rd, 2005.

Jackdaw Corvus monedula
In Knock.

Magpie Pica pica
Along the road near Knock, and at the Wexford Slops. I also used to see these on road near the stop to catch the bus to Colchester.

Rook Corvus frugilegus
At the Wexford Slops.

Hooded Crow Corvus corone
In County Meath.

Great Tit Parus major
At the feeder at Newgrange, County Meath.

Blue Tit Parus caeruleus
On the path through St. Stephen’s Green.

Coal Tit Parus ater hibernicus
In Knock, and then also along the path in St. Stephen’s Green.

Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba
Along the road in County Mayo, and then again outside of Ardara, County Donegal.

Robin Erithacus rubecula
In Knock.

Song Thrush Tardus philomelos
On the path near the visitors’ centre at Newgrange, County Meath.

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
In Knock.

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
At the feeders at the Wexford Slops.