Boreal songbirds

photo by Jeff Nadler

The Boreal Songbird Initiative, along with other environmental groups like Bird Studies Canada, Nature Canada, the David Suzuki Foundation, among others created a petition called “Save our Boreal Birds” a little over a year ago. This petition will be sent to the Prime Minister of Canada and many provincial leaders, and asks that vital bird habitat be kept intact despite the fact that over 30% of the Boreal Forest has already been designated for development. As you may know, many migratory birds that travel through the US and other countries breed in the Boreal Forest to the north.

Please consider signing the petition at:

http://saveourborealbirds.org/sign.html

Thank you!

Canon Telephoto

Need a longer telephoto lens for your Canon? How about a used 1200mm f/5.6L EF USM Autofocus Lens? Be sure your heart medicine is handy when you look at the price here .

Blue Cloud Abbey

Late yesterday I returned from Blue Cloud Abbey (near Marvin, SD). My retreat time was wonderful, the birding was (?). Most days were like the shot above - cloudy, windy, drizzly. There was little bit of sunshine and I did get a few photos that I will post in the next several days as soon as I catch up a little with what interferes with my life: work.

lens caps - II

In a follow-up tweet, David Pogue writes about a photographer who puts a funny picture inside the open door of the lens cap (see yesterday's post) to make his subjects grin.

lens caps

Tired of losing lens caps? If so, click here for a solution.
Thanks to David Pogue of the NY Times.

Mallard at Springbrook

spiritual retreat & birding at the Abbey

I will be leaving very early Thursday morning for Blue Cloud Abbey near Marvin, SD, for a 6 or 7 day private retreat and bird photography. I will not be posting on my blogs during this time, but you can follow me on Twitter by logging to http://twitter.com/Krafts 

If you join Twitter (a very simple procedure) and elect to "follow" me, my "tweets" will automatically appear each time you open your Twitter page.

I will also be posting photos from my iPhone camera of the Abbey as well as birding trips.

Happy Easter!

                                   iPhone photo

Red-winged Blackbird & Common Grackles at Springbrook

 

  

more to follow

American Tree Sparrows passing through Springbrook Nature Center

more to follow

Song Sparrow song

I posted a photo of a Song Sparrow in my previous post. For a video and the Song Sparrow's song, click here . Thank you Steve Ingraham of ZBirding for the link. Steve is also on Twitter as @singraham .

Springbrook Nature Center

This morning was my first trip this year to Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley, MN. It is one of my favorite birding spots since it is close to home, has good walking paths, and a variety of birds. 

I arrived shortly after sunrise. The temp. was 28 degrees and I was glad I had my gloves and a hooded jacket. The following are some of my photos from this morning -- nothing spectacular, but it was fun to see the usual suspects in their habitats.

a sign of Spring
  

a louder sign of Spring

Song Sparrow basking in the early morning sun

suspicious Blue Jay
more to follow

Pileated Woodpecker

I have a rather small suet feeder that was given to me by the neighbor across the street.
It is often frequented by Downys, Hairys, Red-bellies, as well as Chickadees and Nuthatches.
Recently some Pileateds have discovered it.
I'm glad, but I think they look funny, being such large birds on a small feeder.
Next fall I'm getting a larger feeder.

 

red buds on Maple tree

Dark-eyed Junco

snow again!

Oh, Spring! Where art thou!

Whooping Cranes in Danger

After seeing and photographing the juvenile Whooping Crane in Nebraska a couple of weeks ago, I'm more interested than ever in the fate of these beautiful birds. Therefore, I was concerned to read that 2008-2009 was the worst winter on record in terms of bird deaths for the last remaining wild flock of whooping cranes. Read about it here .

"Yes, I'm talking with my mouth full! Wanna make something of it?"

last summer

the gold in goldfinches is coming back

Yes, we have snow again, and again, . . .