Charles Lucien Bonapatre was Napoleon’s nephew. He was a French naturalist who lived in Philadelphia for only a short time, but made a huge impact. He is considered to be the “father of systematic ornithology” and is commemorated with the Bonaparte’s Gull. Interestingly his wife, Zenaide, has a dove and its genus named after her.There…

It has been 14 years since a Green-tailed Towhee has shown up in the Delaware Valley. This morning I headed across the Delaware River into Collingswood, New Jersey where one has been visiting the McDevit’s backyard for the last 5 days. This is a western species that occasionally strays eastwards in winter. It breeds in…

The Northern Hawk Owl is the only species in its genera, Surnia. Though its scientific name comes from the Greek for ill omen, it is its common name that alludes to the fact that it has hawk like characteristics. Indeed it is different from other owls. With its long tail, pointed wings and direct raptor-like…

Birding when the thermometer reads a frigid zero degrees may seem a little extreme, but on a brilliant sunny day in Algonquin Provincial Park it is the norm! This wonderful wilderness with it towering spruce and pines, outlining large expanses of flat snow covered lakes, makes this one of winter’s most beautiful birding locations. There…

As the sun sets in the Amazon Basin, a whole new set of sounds emanate from the surroundings. Along with these sounds comes an opportunity to also see some incredible things… if properly equipped. We set out on the Rupununi River with headlamps and spotlights before sunset. Along the way, while it was still light, we…

We were back on Amherst Island shortly after dawn watching a male Snowy Owl stalking prey and distant Short-eared Owls making their last forays before settling in for the day. It was far warmer and windier today and we seemed to dodge the snow they were calling for this morning. The open water around on…

I recently received this photo of a juvenile Green Woodpecker from an old friend in France. I have never been to France. However, nearly twenty years ago, before I became an “official” tour leader, I joined some friends on a whitewater rafting trip to West Virginia. We were joining about 30 other people on the…

I am in Eastern Ontario on a 4 day trip having driven up from Philadelphia today. We caught the 3:30 ferry for the short ride to Amherst Island on Lake Ontario, and with light fading we headed straight to Owl Woods. In certain years this small patch of woods can produce a wonderful variety of…

Christmas Bird Counts are an excellent time to look and listen for owls. Early this morning I joined Paul Guris and Marty Dellwo on the Cumberland (NJ) count and we managed to call up 25 Eastern Screech Owls and 5 Great Horned Owls, our 2 most common eastern owls. While this may seem respectable for…

Guyana is a place of giants and of the ever so tiny. From the giant-sized Kaieteur Falls to the Giant River Otters who live in its waters. We came to Karanambu Ranch in central Guyana to find the Giant Anteater, which feeds on termites and ants in the surrounding savanna. The Giant Anteater is an…

No matter where in the world we are hiking there are dangers of which we must be aware. If you happen to be in Ecuador, hiking Papallacta Pass, beware of altitude sickness — drink plenty of water and take your vitamins. Wandering through the South American Rainforest, be alert for thorn-covered vines and tree trunks,…

Puerto Rican Tody © Kevin Loughlin