birding

December 2019

December 2019

In late November and early December my mailbox is filled with requests from charitable organizations. Some days there are so many, I’m tempted to ignore them all. But I try not to because sadly, charitable donations have declined over the past several years. Without funding, charitable organizations cannot do the work that is critical to protecting birds and the environment.

November 2019

November 2019

Each November I look forward to seeing some of my favorite birds – Tundra Swans.  More than 100,000 of these birds are just finishing their three-month migration from north of Hudson Bay in Canada to the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay and the coast of North Carolina, where they spend their winters. A sizeable flock usually winters from November through February at the Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Sanctuary just south of Lorton.

October 2019

October 2019

When I first became interested in birds about 15 years ago, I was simply attracted by their diversity. But the more I observed them, the more I recognized what amazing creatures they are. I have found great enjoyment learning about birds but there’s been a depressing side to my education. People who have been birding far longer than I have, lament that there are so many fewer birds than there were in previous decades. It turns out they are right.