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The Helpful Birder

Featured Posts General Birding

Where to Find Birds

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Featured Posts General Birding

Not All Blue Birds are Bluebirds

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Featured Posts General Birding

How Nature Reuses Its Resources

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Bird Species Featured Posts

Species Spotlight: Swallow-tailed Kites

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  • Florida scrub jay
    Florida Birding Hotspots

    Cruickshank Sanctuary, Brevard County

    The Helen and Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary is located on Barnes Boulevard in Rockledge, Florida. It consists of 140 acres of pine flatwoods and scrub habitat. The biggest attraction at this location…

    May 13, 2020
  • King Rail, Viera Wetlands
    Florida Birding Hotspots

    Viera Wetlands, Brevard County, Florida

    Note: Viera Wetlands is currently COMPLETELY closed. It is expected to reopen in December of 2023 to walkers and bikers, but it’s not expected that cars will be allowed to drive…

    April 2, 2020
  • Florida Birding Hotspots

    Black Point Wildlife Drive, Brevard County

    If you want to bird in Florida, one of the best places you can choose is the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The land is owned by NASA, but operated by…

    April 2, 2020
  • Swallow-tailed kite in flight over Wildwood, Florida
    Bird Species Featured Posts

    Species Spotlight: Swallow-tailed Kites

    Every spring around March/April, Florida birders get really excited to see the first Swallow-tailed Kites come through. Because they migrate to South America, they aren’t here year-round. But when they are,…

    March 19, 2020
  • Northern Gannets at Bempton Cliffs, England
    Birding Travels

    My Whirlwind Tour of London, Birdfair, Norwich, and More

    My first trip to Europe last August was an absolute dream. My friend Rochelle asked if I would like to accompany her to Birdfair, the largest birding festival in the UK.…

    March 19, 2020
  • General Birding

    Why are Juvenile Birds So Difficult to ID?!?!

    Many species of birds have babies that look an awful lot like their parents. A young male cardinal is less red than an adult, but clearly a cardinal. Baby egrets are…

    March 19, 2020
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thehelpfulbirder

I made a perch for birds to use, in the hopes it w I made a perch for birds to use, in the hopes it would make for better backyard photos than the feeders or light strands do. I’m so excited that this Palm Warbler took advantage of it while I had my camera out! The rain storm didn’t seem to bother it at all. The hummingbird was also busy during the showers, but the buntings must have hunkered down. They were nowhere to be seen.

#birdsintherain #palmwarbler #warblersofinstagram #warbler #floridabirds
Vermilion Flycatchers are pretty common in Arizona Vermilion Flycatchers are pretty common in Arizona. I shared the third one in this batch before, but the other two photos are new. Second and third ones are the same individual.

Also from now on I may post all images with an accompanying Phish song…
I’m revisiting some of my Arizona photos from last I’m revisiting some of my Arizona photos from last February. I got busy and then I got derailed. Now all of it is a little mixed up in my head. 

This Neotropical Cormorant was at Freestone Park in Gilbert, outside of Phoenix.

I highly recommend my guide for the day, Gordon Karre.

#azbirding #arizonabirds #cormorant #neotropiccormorant #arizonabirding
The Redwing is a very common thrush in Iceland, wh The Redwing is a very common thrush in Iceland, where you will find this subspecies, the Icelandic Redwing (Turdus iliacus coburni). This particular individual is the first of many that I saw as we made our way around the island. #iceland #pingvellir #pingvellirnationalpark #icelandbirds #redwing
Puffins seem to be the itchiest birds I’ve ever en Puffins seem to be the itchiest birds I’ve ever encountered! iPhone video from Hafnarholmi, Iceland.

#puffins #atlanticpuffin #iceland #icelandbirds #iceland
A majestic elk for this mammal Monday - 13 points? A majestic elk for this mammal Monday - 13 points? I’m not sure how you count them. This guy was huge and he kept everyone in check. Humans included. 

#mammalmonday #elkcountry #ruttingseason
A few of my favorite things! #caterpillars #puffi A few of my favorite things!

#caterpillars #puffins #butterflies #flycatcher
My first encounter with an Arctic Tern in Iceland My first encounter with an Arctic Tern in Iceland - or anywhere for that matter #lifer They’re very common all around the island, and aggressively defend their nesting grounds. I’ll post a story about that too. These birds migrate further than any other species in the world: 44,000 to 50,000 miles (70,000 to 80,000 km) round trip!

#arctictern #icelandbirds #tern #seabirds
I’ll just be gone an hour, no more… back in a jiff I’ll just be gone an hour, no more… back in a jiffy…

Florida Scrub Jay

#birding #birdhumor #floridascrubjay #backsoon #floridabirding
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Recent Posts

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