Tag: birding
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On Birding and Time
This, like many things lately, is a different type of content from The Wild Life. Who knew you could learn so much about authentic expression and finding yourself from producing a podcast? In this episode, I go out for a birding excursion with a major time constraint and ponder on my relationship with time itself. […]
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Hairy & Downy Woodpeckers: Spot the Difference
These two little woodpecker species are notorious for their visual similarity, but there are some key differences that can tip you off!
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The Wild Life’s Binoculars for Young Birders (and naturalist kits) Fundraiser
With this program, we hope to provide every attendee to our events that’s under the age of 18 with a free pair of binoculars, and a birding/naturalist kit. We also will have a web form available for individuals to apply for a pair! We have an event coming up on May 8th, a Big Day birding event, which would be perfect for our first distribution!
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The American Goldfinch
A few days back while at the park with my son, we were sitting beneath a shady cedar tree watching a family of Canada Geese graze in the grass when, from above, came a familiar summer song— po-ta-to chip, po-ta-to chip.
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TWL Hiking Club| Mallards are Actually Really Awesome
It’s #TWLHikingClub Tuesday| Today, we’re kicking off a new series on appreciating the little things—from urban wildlife to the oh so common Mallard.
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Birding by Smartphone
In 1917, the American poet Wallace Stevens published a poem called 13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird. In truth, 13 is a major understatement, with just as much variation in “why” as their is in “how”. Whether you’re a life “lister”, a casual admirer, or anywhere in between, at some point each and every one of has had a moment where we saw a bird and thought to ourselves, “what is that?”
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Upcoming Naturalist Programs in Central Minnesota
This #TWLHikingClub Tuesday, check out these upcoming central MN interpretive programs hosted by the naturalist behind The Wild Life!
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Gulls and the Concrete Sea: Why do Seagulls Love Parking Lots?
Most know them as seagulls, a name which implies a proclivity for life at sea. Yet this familiar moniker is neither accurate (scientifically speaking), nor seems to fall in line with a universal observation—gulls love parking lots, whatever their distance from the salty sea
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Golden Eagle or Immature Bald Eagle? Here’s How to Tell
It can be hard to tell. Here are some tips to help you get the right ID.
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Pelicans Are Pretty Fly
How do Pelican beaks work? How much can they fit in their pouch? How do Pelicans hunt? I’ve got the answers to those and more!
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Ask TWL: The Crested Caracara
The Northern Crested Caracara is a medium-sized raptor, smaller than a goose, but bigger than other birds in the Falcon family like the Peregrine Falcon. The envy of the Bald Eagle, the Crested Caracara is, well, crested—which is sort of a way of describing a bird faux-hawk (pun-intended).
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The Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
Chrissy Bowker of Texas asks, “What’s this animal?” COMMON NAME: Yellow-crowned Night Heron SCIENTIFIC NAME: Nyctanassa violacea; ORDER, Pelecaniformes DIET: Mainly crustaceans, insects, and some types of fish. Occasionally, it may feed on small lizards, rodents, or other small birds. SIZE: Average height, 25 inches; Wingspan, 44 inches WEIGHT: Average weight, 1.65 pounds HABITAT: Wetlands, marshes, bayous, shallow lake shores, mangroves, and […]
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The Northern Cardinal
Species: Cardinalis cardinalis Order: Passeriformes Chrissy Bowker of Texas asks, “What’s this animal?” The bird in the picture above is none other than a young Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis. This one in particular is very young, presumably a recent fledgling from the nest. Hatchlings leave the […]
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The Tree Swallow
Species: Tachycineta bicolor Order: Passeriformes Chrissy Bowker of Texas (who, yes, also happens to be my mother) asks, “What’s this animal?” The bird in the picture above is none other than the Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor. The Tree Swallow is an insectivorous, migratory passerine bird that breeds in […]