Birding

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Bluebird breeding program success at Hammock Bay

Spring brings full house to 55 bluebird boxes Spring brings a full house to all 55 bluebird boxes at Hammock Bay in Freeport. This is the fourth season Joe Wyatt, naturalist at Hammock Bay, has been running a bluebird breeding program for these beautiful indigenous birds. The success has been quite good. There were 297 fledglings in 2009 and this year Joe is hopeful to have the same success. It takes 14 days to incubate, and 17 to fledgling after...

North American spring bird migration count May 8

Get out in the field or be a backyard bird feeder counter for spring migration count Okaloosa and Walton Counties NAMC is sponsored by National Audubon Society, Florida Ornithological Society, and locally supported by Choctawhatchee Audubon Society. Each spring and fall a “picture” is acquired of the migration pattern of birds.  From this “picture” they may discover the shape of migration particular to each species.  The date had been chosen to count as many migrants as possible before they reach...

Dead birds found along Walton and Okaloosa County beaches

Recent events wreaks havoc for migratory birds Whether recent bird deaths directly related to oil rig disaster is not yet determined There have been several reports of numerous dead birds found along the beaches of the Florida Panhandle. Don Ware, bird count coordinator of the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society and Stephanie Torr of Old Florida Village took a walk along South Walton’s Seacrest Beach on April 24 to assess the incident of dead birds washing up on shore. Don and Stephanie...

Springtime boasts new life in Chickadee nest

Six Carolina Chickadees about to hatch On April 3, a good deal of activity was stirring at a Carolina Chickadee nest in Freeport, as six new eggs are about to hatch. Both Chickadee parents were close by as Joe Wyatt, naturalist at Hammock Bay checked the bird box for its progress. As Joe approached the box, the female chickadee flew out of the nest and perched herself on a nearby tree branch and chirped in discontent for the intrusion. The...

Spring means sharing the beach with shorebirds

Watch for nesting shorebirds this spring As Florida’s residents and visitors venture out to the beaches, so do the state’s abundant and unique shorebirds. But there’s a big difference between the two beachcombers in Florida. Shorebirds depend on those narrow stretches of sand to survive, not only in the short term, but to survive as a species. Without the proper nesting sites and feeding habitat, the number of shorebird species may decline. Some species’ numbers are already stressed, so accidentally...

Cooper’s hawk on Lake Powell

Beautiful adult Cooper’s hawk spotted near Lake Powell Among the bird world’s most skillful flyers, Cooper’s Hawks are common woodland hawks that tear through cluttered tree canopies in high speed pursuit of other birds. You’re most likely to see one prowling above a forest edge or field using just a few stiff wingbeats followed by a glide. With their smaller lookalike, the Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawks make for famously tricky identifications. Both species are sometimes unwanted guests at bird feeders,...

Be a part of the The Great Backyard Bird Count Feb. 12-15

Annual event fun for all ages The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the U.S. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps...