Birders Nearby

10/26/2026

White-eyed Vireo: Another new species for Brant County. Our birding friend Bill Lamond found this cool bird in the hedges behind his house, bring many of Brantford and Brant County birders to Carolina Park to see this rare migrant. This little bird with the white pupil, rare amongst all birds, should be on the way to its wintering grounds in the southeastern US and Mexico along the Gulf of Mexico by now. It’s been a banner year for new birds here in Brant County, with such species as White-faced Ibis,(saw it), and a Laughing Gull,(missed it).

While you’re here, please check out The Big Year Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, PodBean or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Learn about what it takes to do a Big Year from the birders who experienced one first hand. The most recent episode features paleontologist Riley Black talking the origin and evolution of birds. And her new book, Tyrant Lizard Queen will be available tomorrow wherever you get your favorite books.

10/21/2026

The Big Year Podcast is back with a very special guest, Riley Black Riley Black author of The Shortest History of the Dinosaurs and soon to be published Tyrant Lizard Queen. One thing becomes clear when reading about the history of dinosaurs, is that one branch of the family tree never went extinct. They live on to this day. Yes, birds are dinosaurs. A small group of ground dwelling, seed eating, feathered dinosaurs survived the asteroid impact 66 million years ago, and the nearly 11,000 species of birds we see today are their descendants. So join me and Riley as we travel back some 120 million years, to when dinosaurs ruled the earth and the origins of birds.

10/21/2026

Season 4, Episode 7: Riley Black and the Origins of Birds

Birds are dinosaurs. I’ll say that again. Birds are dinosaurs. Yes, birds, in fact, split off from a common non-avian dinosaur long before the asteroid hit 66 million years ago, and were flying the skies of our ancient planet while T-rex ruled the earth. In fact, they shared the airspace with the pterodactyls, and out competed them. The birds took took out the pterosaurs long before the last days of the dinosaurs. ...

Birds are dinosaurs. I’ll say that again. Birds are dinosaurs. Yes, birds, in fact, split off from a common non-avian dinosaur long before the asteroid hit 66 million years ago, and were flying …

10/07/2026

09/15/2026

It’s time for a new episode of The Big Year Podcast. Ellen Horak is my guest as we hung out on my deck eating homemade truffles and bonbons, talking about Ellen and Jerry’s 2025 Canada Big year. They completed the trifecta of Big Years, they began in 2023 with a Brant County Big Year, followed by an Ontario Big Year and finally leading all Canadian birders last year with 431 species. Only a handful of birders have ever seen more than 430 species in a single year in Canada. So join us, won’t you? I’m sure you’ll enjoy listening as much as I had talking to Ellen Horak

The Big Year Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, PodBean or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Learn about what it takes to do a Big Year from the birders who experienced one first hand.

09/15/2026

Season 4, Episode 6: Ellen and Jerry Horak’s 2025 Canada Big Year

Welcome birders to fall migration and a new episode of The Big Year Podcast, with me your congenial host, Robert Baumander. It’s the time of where the phrase, “there’s no birding like shore birding” comes to mind. In fact, I’ve written a little song to commemorate the Occasion: There’s no birding like shore birding. There’s no birding I know. ...

Welcome birders to fall migration and a new episode of The Big Year Podcast, with me your congenial host, Robert Baumander. It’s the time of where the phrase, “there’s no birding like shore birdi…

09/13/2026

There’s no birding like Shore Birding:

And seeing a Red Knot during fall migration is an extra special treat. This young bird was foraging with other migrating shorebirds at Turkey Point Beach last Wednesday. This bird was likely born in the high Arctic regions of Canada and has a relatively short migration. Red Knots winter along both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, with some heading further down to South America.

Leroy Anderson’s The Typewriter was the perfect fit for this video. It is performed with a full orchestra and a percussionist playing a manual typewriter. Music credit: Leroy Anderson, composer and conductor, with the Decca Orchestra, from the album, The Best of Leroy Anderson.

While you’re here, please check out The Big Year Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, PodBean or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Learn about what it takes to do a Big Year from the birders who experienced one first hand. A new episode drops on September 15, 2026.

09/08/2026

Meanwhile at the PeckPerk Feeder Cam, a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird stopped by for a sip, as she prepares for her voyage south to Central America. (Volume up to listen to their call). Some of them take the land route south through the central US, while others migrate along the eastern coast of North America, crossing the Gulf of Mexico to their wintering grounds. This strategy of two populations taking different paths,(which no one had to teach them), insures the greatest number of individuals survive the journey.

While you’re here, please check out The Big Year Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, PodBean or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Learn about what it takes to do a Big Year from the birders who experienced one first hand.