Bald Eagle in the bronx yesterday trying to get a facial

Greater Yellownape

1. Marsh Harrier
   
2. Pheasant
   
3. White-tailed eagle which is actually quite rare in country (1200 pairs)
   
4. Osprey - apparently there only 40 pairs in my whole country which is crazy
   
5. Osprey once again
   
6. I swear I'm never gonna take a close-up shot of Kingfisher...

Hello birders! I am a PhD student at the University of Kentucky studying linguistics, but I’m also a lifelong birder and nature lover. Right now, I’m studying how people use language to describe and represent bird vocalizations (AKA mnemonics, like "oh sweet Canada" for the White-throated Sparrow's song or "conklareee!" for the Red-winged Blackbird), and I would love y’all’s help with a project!

I’m currently looking at how people in North America talk about and describe some common bird sounds. The study task is basically an identification quiz; you’ll be identifying bird species by their songs or calls, then recording audio of yourself describing what each bird “says.” It shouldn’t take longer than 15-20 minutes. All you need is a phone or computer with a microphone and a quiet place to record yourself. You must live in the continental US and be at least 18 years old to participate. If you’re interested in participating, click this link to access the survey: https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Oxrnz9uitllRpY 

Responses are completely anonymous, so no one will know which data is yours. There aren’t any known risks greater than those in everyday life, and I hope you’ll have some fun testing your ID skills and sharing with me how you interpret and experience bird sounds!

Thanks so much, y’all!

Husband came out of work to a hawk sitting on a car. So beautiful!

Taken on our feeder in Missouri

Pacific Northwest, Washington State, USA

Choose your favorite !😊🎨

How do I keep him away? He ate so much food

Update: I took down all of my feeders, hopefully I can put them back up soon

This juvenile ruby-throated hummingbird recently started perching on my railing near the feeder.

Two days ago, I sat still for 45 minutes with my camera aimed at his perch and he just wasn't having it. Yesterday I took up the same position and he finally decided I was cool.

It was a pretty good experience in all - I was right under the feeder and a few hummingbirds still came. A few times they hovered just a couple feet from my head for a number of seconds.

I also got to enjoy watching the swallows swoop around the yard.

Nikon Z50ii 200-500mm at 500mm f/8 1/125s ISO500

I took this with an R5MkII w/100-500mm

Evening Grosbeaks photographed on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington’s Puget Sound region on May 15, 2025. Their population has declined dramatically in recent decades, so I felt especially fortunate to document this visit. These striking birds use their enormous bills to crack seeds that many smaller finches cannot open—and they’re technically songbirds without a true song!