Jim Williams

Latest from Jim Williams

Feeling stressed? Watching birds is good therapy.

When you give up on bird list chasing and just look, birds can clear your mind.
October 24, 2024

These birds may nest in colonies of thousands of nests, but you might not even know they're nearby.

Cliff swallows have actually benefited from manmade habitat changes.
October 10, 2024

What goes into a bird’s name?

Bird names, both common and scientific, try to help clarify which bird is which.
September 19, 2024
A black-capped chickadee has a seed in its beak.

Nesting loons have time on their side

A hard-luck tale of one nesting pair shows the many pitfalls these long-lived birds face producing chicks.
August 29, 2024
A common loon on the water stretches its wings wide.

Birds die daily in large numbers, but why do you rarely see dead birds?

Birds die frequently from one cause or another, but nature is there to clean up.
August 15, 2024
A gull and a raven face off over roadkill.

Seeing these sea birds isn’t necessary if you can hear them

Long-tailed ducks are a talkative bunch with distinctive calls that make them easier to identify.
July 25, 2024
A closeup of a pair of long-tailed ducks on water.

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126 birds on list ‘lost to science’

Some birders continue to search for these elusive birds that have had no sightings for the past 10 years.
July 4, 2024
Nearly a dozen collected Bachman's warblers lie in a specimen tray.

Bird nests are as varied as the species that nest here

From tightly woven masterpieces to casually plopped arrays, different species follow their own blueprints.
June 27, 2024
A mourning dove and two of its chicks nestle in a planter.

Mourning doves return to their unusual nesting perch

The fact that the birds nested in a pot on a balcony on a busy street seemed uncommon last year, but apparently it worked well enough that the doves came back.
June 6, 2024
Mourning dove on the edge of the planter.

Comment period open on birding name changes

The American Ornithological Society plans to change the names for all birds named after people.
May 28, 2024
The Swainson's thrush, an "avoider" species, is undergoing more "divorces" due to urban development. MUST CREDIT: John Marzluff - University of Washington.

Birders, beware: If you venture off road, be prepared to monitor for ticks

Prime birding territory is often prime tick territory, as well. Be vigilant and watch for any illness symptoms.
May 23, 2024

Hitch a ride on a birding road trip from Minnesota to Texas

You can map out your trip to maximize the bird sightings you’re after, but nature — and hotels — will throw you a few curves.
May 16, 2024
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