Some local birds to look for and study - Blue Jay, Crow, Cardinal and last, but by far not least, the Chickadee to be found in local parks, treed backyards and small ravines. The chickadee is by far my favourite bird because it is sociable and friendly. When cultivated with some patience it will come and feed from your hand. One even came to my hand in the parking lot of my apartment building.

© Aarre Ertolahti

Needless to say we were both very surprised and it flew off without taking a scrap!   This bird has a great number of very interesting behavioural characteristics and has been widely studied. A website that you should not miss is Jack Paul's Chickadee site (see the reference section). Another excellent website worth visiting is Aarre Ertolahti's "Birding in Lappe", situated north of Thunder Bay Ontario. This is woodland birding at its best, complete with Whiskey-Jacks and hand feeding of chickadees! (Photo: "Pete" by courtesy of Aarre Ertolahti).

      As one becomes familiar with some of the bird songs, the sound will become your "radar" in announcing the bird even if you can't see it at first. Blue Jays, Red-winged Blackbirds and Chickadees are good examples. The loud "rattle" of the Kingfisher is unmistakable - once heard, never forgotten! The quiet call of the catbird or the loud call of the tiny Ovenbird are more excellent illustrations. Walk the walk, enjoy the scenery, and listen!

      "Pishing, Sucking, and Squeaking - If you can't beat them, join them!" Birds have an innate curiosity about sounds and they can be attracted to a "new" sound, regularly repeated. The referenced article provides an excellent explanation, as well as the caution that you may call in more than birds!

     In addition to surfing the Internet I would recommend purchasing at least one book - Peterson's Field Guide to the Birds (Eastern edition or as appropriate) - I believe it is the best reference book for identifying the birds you may come across. This book is available from most bookstores.

Two additional books that I would suggest you round out your library with are:

"Birds of Algonquin Park" By Dan Strickland.

"The best of The Raven" By Dan Strickland and Russ Rutter.

     These two latter books are relatively inexpensive and are available from "The Friends of Algonquin Park Bookstore" A link to this site is provided in the "References" section.

      Also, check out the Canada Wildlife Service site ("Hinterland Who's Who" section) for excellent information on a number of Canadian birds (and animals) as well as free pamphlets on some of the birds that I have mentioned.

      As you become more interested in birding you will probably want to buy a pair of binoculars but for starters they are not really necessary. In addition to magnificatio, light gathering ability, I find that the ability to focus at reasonably close distance is very handy for a pair of "old, myopic, eyes"

      If one has the opportunity to try birdfeeding the best and most reliable seed to use is Black Oil Sunflower seed. Feeder boxes can be easily home built or purchased.

     If you have any kind of back (or front) yard, a feeder will prove to be a very interesting addition. Some birds, like Blue Jays may monopolize it at times, but I can confirm that they earn their keep by aggressively discouraging any hawks in the vicinity. It may take some time for the birds to "find" the feeder but, as Aarre Ertolahti has said, "If you feed'em, they'll come!"

      Although birding in the woodlands is ideal,   birdwatching from my apartment balcony overlooking a major north south street in Scarborough, Ontario, has also been very rewarding:

A family of five Kestrels (Sparrow hawk - about the size of a Robin) nesting on the roof of a nearby building (binoculars required) and herding the local pigeons.

A very large hawk landing on roof of building across the street.

Chimney swifts regularly doing non-stop aerobatics overhead.

A Great Blue Heron flyby (on way to & from Lake Ontario I presume).

A Blue Jay that regularly visits a balcony about 5 floors down.

A multitude of Crows on their regular evening trip to their night roosting tree(s).

.....and in nearby parks:

Catbird (has a quiet song that sounds like a cat).

Red-winged Blackbird

White breasted nuthatch (the amazing mechanical windup toy! Walks down tree trunks headfirst!).

Northern Juncos - Observed in ravine behind apartment parking lot March 10, 1998. A slate coloured bird with white belly and with white outer tail feathers that flash conspicuously as it flies away.

All Toronto Robins do not migrate. In January, 2001, I came across some bathing with Starlings in a creek near Wilket creek. They had also changed their diet from insects to Sumach seeds!

And, of course, the Chickadee!

......and on the Toronto lakefront:

A nesting Killdeer, under a sawhorse in a boatyard parking area, giving it's "wounded bird (wing dragging)" display to divert me away from its nest on the ground (I went no closer). Someone else had obviously placed the sawhorse to ward off car parking. However, I don't know how that family survived the prowling boatyard cat!

An "Old Squaw" (now called "long-tailed duck") diver duck. An arctic bird that winters on the Great Lakes.

More chickadees!

     None of the above sightings were the result of going out on a mission to find birds. They were just "encounters" while going about a normal day's activities. In the "outings" I didn't have binoculars or "Peterson" with me, so I simply observed, appreciated, and checked "Peterson" when I got home.