Bird Watcher's General Store

Mike O'Connor, owner of Bird Watcher's General Store, writes the popular article, Ask the Bird Folks, for The Cape Codder newspaper. Every week Mike tries to answer some of life's most challenging questions. You know, bird questions.
Read through recent or past articles below, consisting of questions asked by readers and real people like you, and maybe you'll learn enough about birds to write your own article. Or better yet, blast us a question that has been eating at you for years and we will definitely answer it for you....maybe.
Also popular are the bird illustrations which have accompanied Ask the Bird Folks for more than 20 years by artist Catherine E. Clark, aka, "Clarkie." Her drawings can be found hanging on refrigerator doors throughout the country.
Prints and note cards by Clark are sold at the store along with her books Chickadee and the Whale, and The Birds We Live With.

CAPE CODDER ARTICLES
Surprise Dickcissel - 10/15/21
Broad-winged Hawks - 10/08/21	Northern Wheatear - 10/01/21
The Killdeer Act - 09/24/21	White Pelican Over Orleans - 09/17/21
Fall Molting - 09/10/21	Osprey Migration - 09/03/21
Hummingbird Feeders That Do Not Drip - 08/27/21
Great Egrets - 08/20/21	Rid Wasps Without Poison - 08/13/21
New Bird App And Sick Birds Update - 08/06/21
BWGS Osprey Pole - 07/30/21	Positive Stories - 07/23/21
Unusual Quail on Cape Cod And Mystery Bird Sickness In The News - 07/16/21
Oriole Identification - 07/09/21	Mystery Birds Revealed - 07/02/21
How Bluebirds Choose a Box - 06/25/21	Garden In The Woods - 06/18/21
Common Nighthawks - 06/11/21	Kingbirds Attack Hawks - 06/04/21
Cool Visitor to Truro - 05/28/21	Birding Burrage Pond - 05/21/21
Woodcock Babies - 05/14/21	Tricolored Heron - 05/07/21
Wild Turkey Nests - 04/30/21	How Robins Find Worms - 04/23/21
Birdhouse Placement - 04/16/21	Two Cool Birds I - 04/09/21
American Kestrel - 04/02/21	Wood Duck Housing - 03/26/21
True Stories at BWGS - 03/19/21	American Wigeon - 03/12/21
Bird Classes At Home - 03/05/21	Bird Poop - 03/05/21
Bad Beaks - 02/26/21	Bird Courtship - 02/19/21
Ring-necked Ducks - 02/12/21	Downies in Birdhouses -02/05/21
The Secretary Bird - 01/29/21
Townsend Solitaires - 01/22/21	Great Black-backed Gulls - 01/15/21
Redpolls - 01/08/21	Fox Sparrows - 01/01/21
Boreal Chickadees Visit - 12/25/20	Unusual Goose Visits - 12/18/20
The Owl In The Christmas Tree - 12/11/20
Migrating Geese - 12/04/20	Evening Grosbeaks - 11/27/20
European Cuckoo - 11/20/20
Return of Buffleheads - 11/13/20	Eastern Phoebes - 11/6/20
Pine Siskins - 10/30/20	Red-breasted Nuthatches - 10/23/20
Lucy the White Flicker - 10/16/20	Sipsom Island - 10/09/20
American Avocet - 10/02/20	Peregrine Falcon - 09/25/20
Solitary Sandpiper - 09/18/20	Hummingbirds Fighting - 09/11/20
Brown Booby - 09/04/20	Baby Crows - 08/28/20
Buggy Seed Revisited - 08/21/20
American Bittern - 08/14/20
Yellow-crowned Night-Herons - 08/07/20	Bird Poop - 07/31/20
Grackles - 07/24/20	Black Skimmers - 07/17/20
Stump Dump Birding - 07/10/20	Ravens - 07/03/20
Orioles Will Return - 06/26/20	Nesting Behavior - 06/19/20
House Wren Behavior - 06/12/20	Tree Swallows - 06/05/20
Spotted Sandpiper - 05/29/20	Rose-breasted Grosbeaks - 05/22/20
Cedar Waxwings - 05/15/20	Hermit Thrush - 05/08/20
Pine Warblers - 05/01/20	Get Ready for Spring - 04/24/20
Bird Movies - 04/17/20	Bird Games - 04/10/20
Red-Shouldered Hawk Calling - 04/03/20
Happy April Fool's Day - 03/27/20	Mockingbirds - 03/29/20
American Woodcocks - 03/13/20
Standing On One Leg - 03/06/20	Birdhouse Hole Chewers - 02/28/20
Short-eared Owls - 02/21/20	Chat On Feeder - 02/14/20
Winter Birding in Provincetown - 02/07/20	Where Are the Robins From? - 01/31/20
The Plight of Parrots - 01/24/20	Bird Migration - 01/17/20
Binocular Advice - 01/10/20	Hybrid Ducks - 01/03/20
A Resolution for 2020 - 12/27/19	Common Eiders - 12/20/19
Cape Cod Bird Club - 12/13/19	Wood Stork - 12/06/19
Thanksgiving Walks - 11/29/19	Owls Calling - 11/22/19
Birds Missing Tails - 11/15/19	The Most Abundant Bird - 11/08/19
Drumlin Farm - 11/01/19	The Screaming Piha - 10/25/19
Bird Population Decline - 10/18/19	Catbird Migration - 10/11/19
Tidmarsh Sanctuary - 10/04/19	Bird Idioms - 09/27/19
Hummer Migration - 09/20/19	Whimbrels in Wellfleet - 09/13/19
Feather Identification - 09/06/19	Ducks Eat Fish - 08/29/19
Nesting Eagles in Brewster - 08/16/19	Purple Martins - 08/16/19
Osprey Fishing Skills - 08/09/19	Chipping Sparrows - 08/02/19
ID Red-Winged Blackbirds - 07/26/19	Bank Swallows on Cape Cod - 07/19/19
Wren Nesting Boxes - 07/12/19	Little Compton, Rhode Island - 07/05/19
Tree Swallows On Guard - 06/28/19	Piping Plovers - 06/21/19
Blue Jay Migration - 06/14/19	Nesting Owls - 06/07/19
Hear Bird Calls Better - 05/24/19	Indigo Buntings - 05/17/19
Courting Red-Tails - 05/10/19	Spring Cleaning Birds - 05/03/19
Nesting Owls - 04/26/19	Ruffed Grouse - 04/19/19
Loose Dogs Bad for Wildlife - 04/12/19	Sachuest Wildlife Refuge - 04/05/19
Cave Swallows on Cape Cod - 03/29/19	Pesticides Kill - 03/22/19
Turkeys Fighting - 03/15/19	Melanistic Mockingbird - 03/08/19
Swans in Winter - 03/01/19	The Amur Falcon - 02/22/19
Keeping Warm in Winter - 02/15/19	Tufted Duck - 02/08/19
Should We Feed Birds - 02/01/19	Do Parrots Want Crackers - 01/25/19
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker - 01/18/19	Northern Shrike - 01/11/19
A New Year of Birding - 01/04/19	Heated Birdbaths - 12/28/18
Window Feeders - 12/21/18	Snow Buntings - 12/14/18
Razorbills - 12/07/18	The Tufted Titmouse - 11/30/18
Birding Route 6A - 11/23/18
Mandarin Duck - 11/16/18	Ruddy Ducks - 11/09/18
Fall Finches - 11/02/18	A Fall Birding Bonanza - 10/26/18
Offering Peanuts - 10/19/18	A Question From India - 10/12/18
Bobolinks - 10/05/18	Mystery Chipping Sound - 09/28/18
Chatham Birding - 09/21/18	Downy vs. Hairy Woodpecker - 09/14/18
Sense of Smell in Birds - 09/07/18	Goldfinches Nest Late - 08/31/18
How Birds Stay Cool - 08/24/18	Window Crashes - 08/17/18
Specialty Plates - 08/10/18	Flycatcher Finale - 08/03/18
Flycatchers Part 2 - 07/20/18	Flycatchers Part 1 - 07/20/18
The Ugly Duckling Story - 07/13/18	Our National Bird - 07/06/18
Yellow Warbler Cowbird Tactics - 06/29/18
Connecticut Lakes - 06/22/18	Clapper Rails - 06/15/18
Kettle of Hawks - 06/08/18	Purple Martins on Cape Cod - 05/25/18
Skinner State Park - 05/18/18	The Flicker Dance - 05/11/18
More About Rats - 05/04/18	Brown Pelicans - 04/27/18
Birdhouse Placement - 04/20/18	Birding the Cape Cod Canal - 04/13/18
Two Gulls a Couple - 04/06/18	Oil Rig off Cape Cod - 03/30/18
Thick-billed Murre - 03/23/18	Small Birds Like Big Seed - 03/16/18
Cardinals - 03/09/18	Winter Singing - 03/02/18
The Purpose of Birds - 02/23/18	Vermilion Cliffs - 02/16/18
Madera Canyon - 02/10/18	Finding Wrentits - 02/02/18
White-fronted Goose Sighted - 01/26/18	California Condors Return - 01/19/18
Frozen Ducks - 01/12/18	Rose-ringed Parakeets - 01/05/18
Snowy Owls Are Here - 12/29/17	Make Your Own Suet - 12/22/17
Christmas Trees - 12/15/17	Choosing Binoculars - 12/08/17
Turkey & Black Vultures - 12/01/17	Yellow-throated Warbler - 11/24/17
Marbled Godwit - 11/17/17	Double-crested Cormorants - 11/10/17
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - 11/03/17	Snow Geese - 10/27/17
Tailorbirds - 10/20/17	Fledged Bald Eagles - 10/13/17
Sapsucker Woods - 10/06/17	Birds In Storms - 09/29/17
Mourning Dove Rituals - 09/22/17	Weird Molting Birds - 09/15/17
Screech Owl Box - 09/09/17	Molting Catbirds - 09/01/17
You Can Still Get Orioles - 08/26/17	Green Herons? - 08/18/17
Cats Kill Birds - 08/11/17	Begging Baby Hummingbirds - 08/04/17
Nesting Cooper's Hawks - 07/28/17	Odd Looking Baby Birds - 07/21/17
Nesting House Finches - 07/14/17	Mystery Baby Owl - 07/07/17
Summer Juncos - 06/30/17	More Nova Scotia - 06/23/17
Trip to Nova Scotia - 06/16/17	Hot Pepper in Bird Seed - 06/09/17
Laughing Gulls - 06/02/17	Cowbird Eggs - 05/26/17
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher - 05/19/17	Still In Oregon - 05/12/17
Bend, Oregon - 05/05/17	Make Way for Ducklings - 04/28/17
Attract Bluebirds - 04/21/17	Meadowlarks - 04/14/17
Oil Rig Lights & Birds - 04/07/17	Rattlesnakes on Cape Cod - 03/31/17
More Long-eared Owls - 03/24/17	Long-eared owls - 03/17/17
When To Clean Birdhouses - 03/10/17	Robins Appear For Berries - 03/03/17
Limpkins - 02/24/17	Suet And Suet Holders - 02/17/17
Crow Calls - 02/10/17	Finding a Scrubjay - 02/03/17
The Unusual Platypus - 01/27/17	The Search for a Dovekie - 01/20/17
Bird Feet - 01/13/17	The Biggest Owl - 01/06/17
Use Your Own Bag - 12/30/16	Penguins & Polar Bears - 12/23/16
Confusing Sparrows - 12/16/16	Mystery Ducks Probably Mallards - 12/09/16
Rare Bird Sightings - 12/03/16	Ipswich Sparrow -11/25/16
Barn Owls - 11/18/16	Gray Kingbird on Cape Cod - 11/11/16
Last Report From Hawaii - 11/04/16	Live From the Big Island - 10/28/16
Still In Hawaii - 10/21/16	Hawaii Trip Part 1 - 10/14/16
Unusual Birds to Watch For - 10/07/16	Anniversary Birding Trip - 09/30/16
Carolina Wrens - 09/23/16	Safflower Seed - 09/16/16
What Attracts Rats - 09/09/16	Hummingbirds at Feeders - 09/02/16
Cool Birds - 08/26/16	Barred Owls - 08/19/16
Fish Crows - 08/12/16	The Song Sparrow - 08/05/16
Chuck-will's-widow - 07/29/16	Bald Birds - 07/22/16
Unusual Nesting Spots - 07/15/16	Willet In A Tree - 07/08/16
Quabbin Reservoir Part 2 - 07/03/16	Quabbin Reservoir Visit - 06/24/16
Birds Eat Bugs in June - 06/17/16	Upland Sandpiper - 06/10/16
Woodpecker Eats Bats - 06/03/16	Hawk Watch - 05/27/16
Do Not Stop Feeding in May - 05/20/16	North Carolina Part 2 - 05/13/16
Outer Banks Trip - 05/06/16	Great Tit Visits Cape Cod - 04/29/16
Little Blue Heron on Cape Cod - 04/22/16	Birding for Kids - 04/15/16
Putting Out Hummer Feeders - 04/08/16	Drone Finds Short-eared Owl - 04/01/16
New Plan Protects Plovers, Allows People Beach Access - 03/25/16
Yellow-billed Loon Visit - 03/18/16	Winter Orioles - 03/11/16
Bird Feeder Placement - 03/04/16	Pied-billed Grebes - 02/26/16
Capitalization of Bird Names - 02/19/16
Gulls Go To Food Anywhere - 02/12/16	Farewell Texas - 02/05/16
Texas Trip Part 2 - 01/29/16	Texas Trip Part 1 - 01/22/16
Deadly Cell Towers - 01/15/16	Bird With The Most Feathers - 01/08/16
Gadwalls - 01/01/16	Screech Owls - 12/25/15
The Oldest Living Bird -12/18/15	Gifts for Birders -12/11/15
Best Time of Day to Bird -12/04/15	Birding In Falmouth - 11/27/15
eBird App - 11/20/15	The Hoatzin - 11/13/15
Mixed Seed vs. Sunflower Seed - 11/06/15
Ostrich vs. Roadrunner - 10/30/15	Singing in the City - 10/23/15
Owl Pellets - 10/16/15	Galapagos Penguins - 10/09/15
Fall Topics - 10/02/15	Allopreening - 09/24/15
California Quail - 09/18/15	Chipmunks Stock Up - 09/11/15
Ruddy Turnstone - 09/04/15	Chickadees For Canada - 08/28/15
Birding Fort Hill - 08/21/15	Birds That Eat Ants - 08/14/15
Heaviest Blackbird - 08/07/15	Revisited Summer Topics - 07/31/15
Moon Bird - 07/24/15	More on Goldfinches - 07/17/15
Catbird Takes On a Black Racer - 07/10/15
A Birding Passion - 07/03/15	Mystery Bird is a Cuckoo - 06/26/15
Oriole Feeds Titmouse Babies - 06/19/15	A Quick Trip to Vermont - 06/12/15
Hummingbird Food - 06/05/15	The Ovenbird - 05/29/15
Where Are the Finches? - 05/22/15
Oregon Trip Part 3 - 05/15/15	Oregon Trip Part 2 - 05/08/15
Oregon Trip Part 1 - 05/01/15	Nuthatch Behavior - 04/24/15
The Destructive Kea Parrot - 04/17/15	Rake Up Under Feeders - 04/10/15
Native Bird Island - 03/27/15	Famous Weasel Woodpecker Photo - 03/20/15
Some Sapsuckers Winter Over - 03/13/15	Rough Winter for Birds - 03/06/15
Starlings on Suet - 02/27/15	Ravens vs. Crows - 02/20/15
Kinglets in Winter - 02/13/15	Blackbird in Beatles' Song - 02/06/15
Birding the Southwest Part 3 - 01/30/15
Western Birding Part 2 - 01/23/15	Birding the Southwest - 01/16/15
Kingfishers Year Round - 01/09/15	Why Birds Flock - 01/02/15
Cartoon Birds - 12/27/14	A Christmas Tree for Birds - 12/20/14
Northern Harrier - 12/12/14	Roger Tory Peterson - 12/5/14
Winter Roosting - 11/28/14	Pine Siskins vs. Purple Finches - 11/21/14
Visiting Pochet Island Part 1 - 11/7/14	Pochet Island Part 2 - 11/14/14
Owls a Scary Addition to Halloween Fright - 10/31/14
Egyptian Goose in Falmouth - 10/24/14	The Toucan's Large Bill - 10/17/14
Lots of Fall Birds - 10/03/14	The Labrador Duck - 10/10/14
Lone Loons Not Uncommon - 09/26/14	Where Are the Bobwhites - 09/19/14
Osprey Nest Building - 09/12/14	Mystery Bird Identified - 09/05/14
Visiting Monomoy Part 2 - 08/29/14	Visiting Monomoy Part 1 - 08/22/14
Nest in Cut Down Tree - 08/15/14
Pileated Woodpeckers - 08/15/14	Raccoons Steal Suet - 08/01/14
Doves Won't Use Birdbath - 07/25/14	The Cowbird's Name - 07/18/14
Choosing State Birds - 07/11/14	Cardinal Calls - 07/04/14
Chickadee Cam Part 2 - 06/27/14	Chickadee Cam Part 1 - 06/20/14
Puffins in Newfoundland - 06/13/14	Birding Newfoundland - 06/06/14
Bluebirds Keep a Clean House - 05/30/14	Egrets of Cape Cod - 05/23/14
Spring Cleaning & Maintenance - 05/16/14	Birding in Greece - 05/09/14
Decorah Eagle Cam - 05/02/14	Parasitic Jaegers - 04/25/14
All About Barn Swallows - 04/18/14	All About Turkeys - 04/11/14
Stick-On Window Birdhouse - 04/04/14	Largest Eagle On Cape Cod - 03/28/14
Red Ovenbird Architecture - 03/21/14	Birds' Senses - 03/14/14
Robins Come To Feeders - 03/07/14	Pigeon War Heroes - 02/28/14
Ring-billed Gulls - 02/21/14	Confusing Bird Apps - 02/14/14
Yellow-Rumped Warblers - 02/07/14	Bring In Feeders When You Go Away - 01/31/14
Birding Western Florida - 01/24/14	Collecting Nests Illegal - 01/17/14
Hawk Owls Rare to New England - 01/10/14	Birdman of Alcatraz - 01/03/14
Bird Behavior Before Storms - 12/27/13	More on Seeing Snowy Owls - 12/20/13
A Good Snowy Owl Year - 12/13/13	Cedar Waxwings - 12/06/13
Thanksgiving Pheasant - 11/29/13	Community Gardens For Birding - 11/22/13
Monteverde, Quetzal, Part 2 - 11/15/13	Monteverde Cloud Forest Trip - 11/05/13
Male Flickers on Feeders - 11/01/13	The Best Looking Bird - 10/25/13
European Bee-eater - 10/18/13	Himalayan Snowcocks - 10/11/13
The Best Birdbath - 10/04/13	Least Sandpipers - 09/27/13
Oystercatcher Feeding Behavior - 09/20/13	Hummingbird Migration - 09/13/13
The Osprey Transmitter - 09/06/13	American Waterthrush - 08/30/13
The Dangerous Cassowary - 08/23/13	Dusky Seaside Sparrow - 08/16/13
House Sparrows - 08/09/13	Mockingbirds Sing at Night - 08/02/13
Hummers Eat Barbecue Ash - 07/26/13	Great Crested Flycatchers - 07/12/13
Chuck-Will's-Widow - 07/05/13	Alaska Part 2 - 06/28/13
Adventure In Alaska - 06/21/13	Robins Use Same Nest Site - 06/14/13
Hummingbird Flying Skills - 06/07/13	Tree Swallows - 05/31/13
Summer Tanagers Eat Bees - 05/24/13	The Cooper's Hawk Hard to See - 05/17/13
Cooperative Breeding - 05/10/13	Backyard Turkeys - 05/03/13
Moth Balls are Poison - 04/26/13	Pigeon Relationships - 04/19/13
Flashy Male Birds - 04/12/13	Brant Geese - 04/05/13
Appearance of Gull Sharks Put Cape Gulls in Jeopardy - 03/29/13
Redheads vs. Canvasbacks - 03/22/13	The Birds Movie Not Based on Facts - 03/15/13
Junco Species - 03/08/13	Bosque del Apache Refuge - 03/01/13
Where Are the Canvasbacks? -02/22/13	Black-bellied Whistling Ducks - 02/15/13
Attract Bluebirds During the Winter - 02/08/13	Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge - 02/01/13
Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge - 01/25/13	Why Owls Call to Each Other - 01/18/13
All About Scoters - 01/11/13	The Heaviest Flying Bird - 01/04/13
Crossbills Here in Flocks - 12/28/12	Christmas Tree Owl - 12/21/12
Red-Throated Loons - 12/14/12	California Quail - 12/07/12
Merlins - 11/30/12	The First Thanksgiving Bird - 11/23/12
Hand Feeding Birds - 11/16/12	Northern Lapwing - 11/07/12
Townsend's Solitaire - 11/02/12	Northern Wheatear - 10/26/12
Fall Birds to Look For - 10/19/12	Young Osprey May Leave Late - 10/12/12
Can Birds See At Night? - 10/05/12	The Swainson's Thrush - 09/28/12
New Zealand Kiwis - 09/21/12	The Nightly Heron Watch - 09/14/12
Common Nighthawks at Fenway - 09/07/12	Sizes of Hummingbirds - 08/31/12
Bluebirds Picky With Housing - 08/24/12	Past Questions Revisited - 08/17/12
Puerto Rican Tody - 08/10/12	How Snowy Egrets Fish - 08/03/12
Why Birds Puff Up - 07/27/12	Crows Like Moist Food - 07/20/12
Purple Martin Living Set Up - 07/13/12	Beavers Help Herons - 07/06/12
Purple Finches - 06/29/12	Sunflower Seeds - 06/22/12
Buying Binoculars - 06/15/12	Blue Rock Thrush - 06/08/12
Towhee/Oriole ID - 06/01/12	Confusing Brown Birds - 05/25/12
Springtime Questions - 05/18/12	A Bird's Crop Stores Food - 05/11/12
Caspian Terns - 05/04/12	Aurthur Cleveland Bent Life Guides - 04/27/12
White-throated Sparrow Call - 04/20/12	The Cardinal's Name - 04/13/12
Mallard Family Dynamics - 04/06/12	New Target Ship Brings Rare Birds - 03/30/12
Black-billed Magpies - 03/23/12	Common Ground-Doves - 03/16/12
Birds On Power Lines - 03/09/12	Leucistic Song Sparrow - 03/03/12
Lazuli Bunting on Cape Cod - 02/22/12	Turkey Facts & Trivia - 02/17/12
Woodpeckers Feed Upside Down - 02/10/12	The Northern Jacana - 02/03/12
Snowy Owls on Cape Cod - 01/27/12	Red-bellied Woodpeckers - 01/20/12
Java Sparrows - 01/13/12	Bonaparte's Gulls - 01/06/12
Eurasian Wigeons - 12/30/11	Birds Love Holly Berries - 12/23/11
Gyrfalcons - 12/16/11	Hooded Mergansers - 12/09/11
Kiskadees of Bermuda - 12/02/11	The Rooks of Ireland - 11/25/11
Penguins Can't Fly - 11/18/11	The Plural of Titmouse - 11/11/11
Palm Warblers - 11/04/11	Blue Jays Hoard Seed - 10/28/11
The Big Year Movie - 10/21/11	Brown Creepers - 10/14/11
Sparrows Adapt to City Life - 10/07/11	Swarms of Swallows - 09/30/11
Counting Large Flocks - 09/23/11	Chimney Swifts - 09/16/11
Birds Deal With Hurricanes - 09/09/11	Learn Bird Songs - 09/02/11
Mute Swan Cygnets - 08/26/11	Laughing Gulls Eat Insects - 08/19/11
Corncrakes - 08/12/11	Hummingbirds Sing - 08/05/11
Barred Owls Call Day & Night - 07/29/11	Tree Frogs Use Birdhouses Too - 07/22/11
The Pomarine Jaeger - 07/15/11	Clean Your Birdhouses - 07/08/11
Singing Catbirds - 07/01/11	Fighting House Sparrows - 06/24/11
Prairie Warblers - 06/17/11	No Birds In June - 06/11/11
Where Birds Get Water - 06/03/11	Eurasian Collared-Doves - 05/27/11
Black-and-White Warblers - 05/20/11	Hummingbird Nests - 05/13/11
Central Park Birding - 05/06/11	Red Squirrels - 04/29/11
Crested Caracaras - 04/22/11	Saw-Whet Owl Calls - 04/15/11
How Woodpeckers Find Food - 04/08/11	Cape Cod Canal Draining - 04/01/11
Sandhill Cranes - 03/25/11	Hawks In Love - 03/18/11
Loons Use Nesting Platforms - 03/11/11	Varied Thrush Visits - 03/04/11
The Steller's Jay - 02/25/11	Nesting Box Preferences - 02/18/11
Blue Jays Eat Paint Chips - 02/11/11	Cooper's vs. Sharpie I.D. - 02/04/11
Peregrines Adapt to City Life - 01/28/11	Precocial Birds - 01/21/11
Start A Bird List For the New Year - 01/14/11	Dovekies - 01/07/11
Cold Weather Birds - 12/31/10	12 Days of Christmas - 12/24/10
Horned Grebes - 12/17/10	Duck Feet Do Not Freeze - 12/10/10
American Black Ducks - 12/03/10	A Rafter of Turkeys - 11/26/10
Evening Grosbeaks Visit - 11/19/10	Dunlins - 11/12/10
The Real James Bond - 11/05/10	Grackles Mass Up - 10/29/10
Woodpeckers Use Birdbaths - 10/22/10	Whooping Cranes - 10/15/10
Red-breasted Nuthatches - 10/08/10	Carolina Wrens - 10/01/10
Cattle Egrets - 09/24/10	Quail Family Dynamics - 09/17/10
Dove Wing Noise - 09/10/10	Tanagers Eat Bees - 09/03/10
PBS Hummingbird Show - 09/03/10	Many Birds Love Nectar - 08/27/10
Vermillion Flycatchers - 08/20/10	Swallows vs. Flycatchers - 08/13/10
The Declining Wood Thrush - 08/06/10	Sphinx Moth or Hummingbird? - 07/30/10
All About Whimbrels - 07/23/10	Confusing Juvenile Plumage - 07/16/10
House Sparrows Hate Fishing Line - 07/09/10	The Legend of Pale Male - 07/02/10
Willets - 06/25/10	The Introduced Chukar - 06/18/10
Hummingbirds Like Sprinklers - 06/11/10	Purple Gallinule In Eastham - 06/04/10
Where Are The Orioles? - 05/28/10	Eagles In The Movies - 05/21/10
Cardinal Courtship Behavior - 05/14/10	Brown Thrashers - 05/07/10
Attract Tree Swallows - 04/30/10	Swallow-tailed Kite - 04/23/10
Magpies Swooping Season - 04/16/10	Little Blue Herons - 04/09/10
Bluebird Housing - 04/02/10	White Storks On Cape Cod - 03/26/10
Some Birds Mate For Life - 03/19/10	Warblers That Use Birdhouses - 03/12/10
How Puffins Catch Fish - 03/05/10	King Eiders & Crow Issue - 02/26/10
England's Squirrel Wars - 02/19/10	Razorbills - 02/12/10
Brown-headed Nuthatches - 02/05/10	White-winged Dove - 01/29/10
A Special Birding Hotspot - 01/22/10	A Review of Past Topics - 01/15/10
Wild Chickens - 01/08/10	Fighting Crows - 01/01/10
Painted Bunting on Cape Cod - 12/25/09	Bufflehead ID - 12/18/09
Birding Gift Ideas - 12/11/09	Where to Find Marsh Wrens - 12/04/09
Starling Not Baby Flicker - 11/27/09	Cool Oilbirds - 11/20/09
All About Dickcissels - 11/13/09	Titmice Plan For Winter - 11/06/09
Owls and Halloween - 10/30/09	Winter Means Lots of Ducks - 10/23/09
Forked-Tailed Flycatcher - 10/16/09	Mobbing Behavior - 10/09/09
Barn Swallows Helpers - 10/02/09	Spotted Sandpipers - 09/25/09
Osprey Platform Repairs - 09/18/09	Turkey Vultures Honored - 09/11/09
Take A Cruise on Beautiful Nauset Marsh - 09/07/09
The Pyrrhuloxia - 08/28/09	Downy Identification - 08/21/09
Rats Prefer Dumpsters - 08/14/09	Praying Mantis Eats Hummers - 08/07/09
Shade-Grown Coffee Saves Vital Habitat For Birds - 07/31/09
Egg Collecting Banned - 07/24/09	Egg Dumping - 07/17/09
Which Yellowlegs? - 07/10/09	The Hoopoe - 07/03/09
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - 06/26/09	Pine Warbler I.D. - 06/19/09
The Hawaiian Nënë - 06/12/09	the Boreal Chickadee - 06/05/09
Orioles Love Jelly - 05/29/09	The Rough-wing Swallow - 05/22/09
Ruby Throat ID - 05/15/09	Fat Robins - 05/08/09
Bluebird Bullies - 05/01/09	Ospreys Defend Nest Sites - 04/24/09
Vireos Found High - 04/17/09	How Birds Hear - 04/10/09
Flying Squirrels Raid At Night - 04/03/09	Nautilus Ducks Hatching - 03/27/09
How Hummers Survive Cold - 03/20/09	Killdeer vs. Plovers - 03/13/09
Eye Disease in House Finches - 03/06/09	Pepper and Squirrels - 02/26/09
Getting Bluebirds - 02/20/09	Pine Siskins Fun - 02/13/09
Bird/Plane Collisions - 02/06/09	Ivory Gull Visitor - 01/30/09
The American Dipper - 01/23/09	Where Birds Sleep - 01/16/09
Year-End Wrap-Up - 01/09/09	Rotate Old Seed - 01/02/09
Raccoons Steal Stuff and Night - 12/26/08	Birdbath Heater Cost - 12/19/08
Carolina Parakeets Sad Story - 12/12/08	Juncos Arrive With Snow - 12/05/08
The Turkey For National Bird - 11/28/08	Pelicans vs. Gulls - 11/21/08
Do Owls Say Hoot? - 11/14/08	Morph Color Phases - 11/07/08
Bird Phobias - 10/31/08	Albino Birds - 10/24/08
Old Nests - 10/17/08	Acorn Woodpeckers - 10/10/08
White-tailed Tropicbird - 10/03/08	Owl Ear Tufts - 09/26/08
Terns Get the Most Sun - 09/19/08	The Case of the Missing Watch - 09/12/08
Sanderling Behavior - 09/05/08	Molting Birds - 08/29/08
Hummingbird Low Down - 08/22/08	Quail Family Dynamics - 08/15/08
Nesting Mourning Doves - 08/08/08	Goldfinches & Flowers - 08/01/08
Herring Gulls & Dumps - 07/25/08	Herring Gull Life - 07/18/08
Keep off Grackles - 07/11/08	Summer-Safe Suet - 07/04/08
Common Yellowthroats - 06/27/08	Catbird Nesting Behavior - 06/20/08
Eagles Nesting - 06/13/08	Check Nest Boxes - 06/06/08
Female Grosbeaks - 05/30/08	Woodcock Families - 05/23/08
Nesting Materials - 05/16/08	Tern Update - 05/09/08
Blue Jay Nesting Habits - 05/02/08	Titmouse Behavior - 04/25/08
Common Swifts Don't Land - 04/18/08	Hairy Woodpecker Antics - 04/11/08
Oystercatchers - 04/04/08	Rare Fossil Find on Cape Cod - 03/28/08
Spring Things To Do - 03/21/08	Woodpecker Bully - 03/14/08
Owls Hit By Cars - 03/07/08	Roseate Spoonbills - 02/29/08
Keeping a Life List - 02/22/08	Mockingbirds' Calls - 02/15/08
Ptarmigans - 02/08/08	Kuckaburras - 02/01/08
Muscovy Ducks - 01/25/08	Bittersweet - Real vs. Imitation - 01/18/08
Orange-Crowned Warblers - 01/11/08	Yellow-Breasted Chats - 01/04/08
Avocets - 12/28/07	That Quail, Robert - 12/21/07
Albatross Take-Offs - 12/14/07	Millet Seed Popular - 12/07/07
Birdhouse Building - 11/30/07	Birds' Eyesight - 11/23/07
Bird's Nest Soup - 11/16/07	Passenger Pigeons Part 2 - 11/09/07
No Passenger Pigeons - 11/02/07	Bird Phobias - 10/26/07
Sandhills Nest in MA - 10/19/07	Dead Eiders - 10/12/07
Some Ducks Molt - 10/05/07	Owl Hooting Behavior - 09/28/07
Cats Kill Songbirds - 09/21/07	Cuckoo Nesting Behavior - 09/14/07
Hawk Dietary Habits - 09/07/07	Drinking Water - 08/31/07
Bobwhite Quail Families - 08/24/07	Homing Pigeons Get Lost - 08/17/07
Feeding Habits Vary - 08/10/07	Seabirds Migrate - 08/04/07
Birds & Power Lines - 07/27/07	South American Migration- 07/20/07
Black-bellied Plovers - 07/13/07	Snakes Raid Nests - 07/08/07
Enjoy Bird Feeding - 06/29/07	Some Birds Nest Twice - 06/22/07
Finches Love Nectar - 06/15/07	Birds Need Dead Trees - 06/08/07
Imprinting - 06/01/07	Osprey Platforms - 05/25/07
Bird Pee - 05/18/07	How Hummers Navigate - 05/11/07
Screech Owl Habits - 05/04/07	Attract Birds Without Seed - 04/27/07
Rising Seed Prices - 04/20/07	Red-crested Cardinal - 04/13/07
How Many Birds? - 04/06/07	Rheas of Cape Cod - 03/30/07
Leg Bands - 03/23/07	Same Birds, New Names - 03/16/07
Pretty Feeder Kills Bird - 03/09/07	Shoveler Bills - 03/02/07
Geese In a "V" - 02/23/07	Winter Wrens - 02/16/07
Suddenly Silent Birds - 02/09/07	Why No Goldfinches Now? - 02/02/07
Sapsuckers Make Orderly Holes - 01/26/07	Pelicans or Gannets? - 01/19/07
A Stuffed Gull - 01/12/07	Rough-Legged Hawks - 01/05/07
End of Year - 12/29/06	Turtle Doves - 12/22/06
Lapland Longspurs - 12/15/06	Stop Woodpecker Pecking - 12/08/06
Why Woodpeckers Peck - 12/01/06	Crows & Grackles - 11/24/06
Foxes Hide Eggs - 11/17/06	Loons in England - 11/10/06
New Feeder Blues - 11/03/06	Birds Expel Salt - 10/27/06
Highest Flying Bird - 10/20/06	Birds or Sheep, You Decide - 10/13/06
Last to Migrate - 10/06/06	Grit in Seed - 09/29/06
Yellow-headed Blackbird - 09/22/06	Great Egret or White Heron - 09/15/06
Mate Feeding - 09/08/06	Why Hawks Screech - 09/01/06
Black-Crowned Night-Heron ID - 08/25/06	Mosquitos & Birdbaths - 08/18/06
Anting with Mothballs - 08/11/06	Piping Plovers - 08/04/06
Friendly Gray Jays - 07/28/06	Gulls Are Omnivorous - 07/21/06
Flycatchers Are Cool - 07/14/06	Screamin' Peacocks - 07/07/06
Whale Watch & See Pelagics - 06/30/06	The Lonesome Dove - 06/23/06
Begging Bluebirds - 06/16/06	Finch Nesting Habits - 06/09/06
Oriole Nesting Behavior - 06/02/06	Burrowing Owls Need Prairie Dogs - 05/26/06
Mockingbird Flash - 05/19/06	Bird Calls - 05/12/06
Bird Flu Hype - 05/05/06	Spraying Trees Bad for Birds - 04/28/06
Budgerigars - 04/21/06	Spring Cleaning Time - 04/14/06
Pintails on Cape Cod - 04/07/06	Burrowing Owls in M.A. - 03/31/06
Where to see Nightingales - 03/24/06	Mr. Gobbles at Kendall Square - 03/17/06
Cardinal Flocks - 03/10/06	Surf Scoters - 03/03/06
Hermit Thrushes - 02/24/06	Crossbills - 02/17/06
Fox Sparrows - 02/10/06	Best Suet for Woodpeckers - 02/03/06
Anhingas Stick Fish - 01/27/06	Long-tail Ducks (aka Oldsquaws)
John James Audubon - 01/10/06	Pink Flamingos - 01/06/06
Brainy Chickadees - 12/30/05	Squirrels' Lifestyles - 12/23/05
Cliff Swallows of Capistrano - 12/16/05	European Goldfinch Sighting - 12/09/05
Pileated Woodpecker ID - 12/02/05	Finding Harlequins - 11/25/05
Red-Tail Hawk ID - 11/18/05	Cooper's Hawk Migration - 11/11/05
Who Eats Fiddler Crabs - 11/04/05	Screaming In The Night - 10/28/05
Imported Pheasants - 10/21/05	Pigeons in Guam - 10/14/05
No Birds in Guam - 10/07/05	Robin Defends Suet - 09/30/05
Crows Foul Birdbath - 09/23/05	Do Penguins Have Knees? - 09/16/05
Baldheaded Birds - 09/09/05	What Affects Hummer Migration - 09/02/05
Bees at Hummer Feeders - 08/26/05	Osprey Nests in August - 08/19/05
Removing Old Nests - 08/12/05	Emperor Penguins - 08/05/05
Proper Birding Attire - 07/29/05	Psycho Blue Jays - 07/22/05
Mynas in Kabul - 07/15/05	Cowbird Eggs - 07/08/05
The Puffins to See - 07/01/05	No Birds in June - 06/24/05
Mold In Hummer Feeders - 6/17/5	Choosing a Field Guide - 06/10/05
Wrens Kick Out Bluebirds - 06/03/05	Oranges & String - 05/27/05
Dripping Hummer Feeders - 05/20/05	Chickadee Nesting Habits - 05/13/05
The Ivory-Billed Lives - 05/06/05	Nuthatch Behavior - 04/29/05
Purple Martins - 04/22/05	Roadrunners - 04/15/05
Mute Swans - 04/08/05	Ancient Murrelets - 04/01/05
Gulls In Vermont - 03/25/05	Jersey Chickadees - 03/18/05
Dead Birds Were Fashion - 03/11/05	First Bird of Spring - 03/04/05
Birds In a Blizzard - 02/25/05	What Seed Birds Like - 02/16/05
Robin & Bluebird Food - 02/11/05	Wintering Carolina Wrens - 02/04/05
Red-Breasted Mergansers - 01/28/05	Goldeneye Behavior - 01/21/05
Improve Your Life With Birding - 1/14/05	Crashing Into Windows - 01/07/05
Year-End Questions - 12/31/04	Orioles Go South - 12/24/04
White Pelicans Flyby - 12/17/04	Real Crows - 12/10/04
Roosting Behavior - 12/5/04	Wintering Loons Call - 11/26/04
Crow Mobbing Behavior - 11/16/04	Coots - 11/12/04
Beaks - 11/05/04	The Speed of Birds - 10/29/04
Ludlow Griscom - 10/22/04	Meadowlarks - 10/15/04
Spirit of the Great Auk - 10/08/04	Squirrels & Feeders - 10/01/04
Migration Part Two- 09/24/04	Migration - 09/17/04
Swallow Migration - 09/10/04	Juvenile Harriers - 09/03/04
Local Cormorants - 08/27/04	Red Footed Falcon - 08/20/04
Young Birds - 08/13/04	Cooper's Hawks - 08/06/04
Golden Eagles - 07/30/04	Ovenbirds - 07/23/04
Blue Jays Get Bad Rap - 07/16/04	Flickers Eat Ants - 07/09/04
Bobolinks - 07/02/04	Wood Pewees - 06/25/04
Nests In Planters - 06/18/04	Nest Building - 06/11/04
Goldfinches - 06/04/04	Robins - 05/28/04
Scarlet Tanagers - 05/21/04	Wood Ducks - 05/14/04
Indigo Buntings - 05/07/04	Where Are The Hummingbirds - 04/30/04
Foxy Fox Sparrows - 04/23/04	Faithful Phoebes - 04/16/04
Attracting Bluebirds - 04/09/04	Flickers on Chimnies - 04/02/04
Ivory-Billed Sighting - 03/26/04	Eiders Eat Mussels - 03/19/04
Survival by Feathers - 03/12/04	Finding Feeders - 03/05/04
Chimney-Eating Finches - 02/27/04	Bananaquits - 02/20/04
Yellow-Rumps in Winter - 02/13/04	Backyard Feeding Okay - 02/06/04
Redpolls Are Around - 01/30/04	It's No Bird Season Again - 01/23/04
More Mallards - 01/16/04	Mallards - 01/09/04
Christmas Count - 01/02/04
Red-Breasted Nuthatches - 12/26/03	Choosing Feeders - 12/19/03
Snow Geese - 12/12/03	Scissor Tailed Flycatcher - 12/05/03
Rice at Weddings - 11/28/03	Flocking Pigeons - 11/21/03
Flocking Sparrows - 11/14/03	Wrens Favorite Too - 11/07/03
Is Bread Bad for Birds? - 10/31/03	Hooting Great Horns - 10/24/03
Northern Harriers - 10/16/03	Downies Excavating in Fall - 10/10/03
Favorite Bird - 10/03/03	Where are the Kestrels? - 09/26/03
Birds in a Storm - 09/19/03	Doves on a Wire - 09/12/03
Buggy Seed - 09/05/03	Cranes vs. Herons - 08/29/03
Finding Sandpipers - 08/22/03	Standing on One Leg/Hearing - 08/15/03
Bald Eagles on Cape Cod - 08/08/03	Singing Birds - 08/01/03
Green Herons - 07/25/03	Attracting Catbirds - 07/18/03
Ospreys Wildwide - 07/11/03	Attracting Barn Swallows - 07/04/03
West Nile Virus - -6/27/03	Plantings for Birds - 06/20/03
Clean Feeders - -6/13/03	Lots of Orchard Orioles Around - 06/06/03
Whip-poor-wills - 05/30/03	White Throated Sparrows - 05/23/03
Beech Forest - 05/16/03	Laughing Gulls - 05/09/03
Wintering Juncos - 05/02/03	Turkey Family - 04/18/03
Screech Owls - 04/11/03	Turkey Vultures - 04/04/03
Water Park vs. Wood Ducks - 03/28/03	No Barred Owls on Cape Cod - 03/21/03
Peanut Feeders - 03/14/03	Red-Wings Back - 03/07/03
Surviving Winter: Heron - 02/28/03	Surviving Winter: Quail - 02/21/03
Heath Hens - 02/14/03	Monk Parakeets - 02/07/03
Cool Crows - 01/27/03	Shrikes - 01/24/03
Wintering Bluebirds - 01/17/03	Wallstreet Journal - 01/10/03
Luring Woodpeckers - 01/03/03	New Feeder Placement - 12/27/02
Enduring the Deep Freeze - 12/20/02	Song Sparrows Fun - 12/13/02
Lots of Gannets Here - 12/06/02	Horned Larks are Native - 11/29/02
Flamingos - 11/22/02	Nuthatch Strategy - 11/15/02
Hummer Beaks Do Open - 11/08/02	Energized Kinglets - 11/01/02
Ruffed Grouse Are Here - 10/25/02	"Sea Gull" Hero in Utah - 10/18/02
Red-Headed Woodpeckers - 10/11/02	Grebes - 10/04/02
Nighthawks are Not Hawks - 09/27/02	Woodpecker Lookalikes - 09/20/02
Frigatebird Sighting - 09/13/02	More & Last Hummingbird Info - 09/06/02
Fighting Hummers - 08/30/02	Bugs in Bird Seed - 08/30/02
Snoozing Birds - 08/23/02
A Screech in the Night - 08/16/02	Cowbirds - 08/09/02
Rufous-Sided Towhees - 08/02/02	Sandpiper Migration - 07/26/02
Broad-Winged Hawks - 07/19/02	The Wonder of Bird Droppings - 07/12/02
Black Skimmers - 06/28/02	Cuckoos - 07/05/02
Flycatcher Habits - 06/21/02	Killdeer Habitat - 06/14/02
Chipping Sparrows - 06/07/02
Choosing Binoculars - 05/24/02	The Second Number - 05/24/02
Fly Away Grosbeaks - 05/17/02	Ravens? - 05/17/02
Grackle Overpopulation - 05/03/02	Birds of Paradise - 05/09/02
Woodpecker Headaches - 04/26/02	Returning Hummers - 04/26/02
Do the Pigeon Walk - 04/19/02	The "Cape Caaahhd" Bird Call - 04/19/02
The Dove Singles Bar - 04/12/02	Where are the Females? - 04/12/02
Controlling Canada Geese - 04/05/02
Golden Eagles on Cape Cod - 03/29/02	Canada Goose Landscaping - 03/22/02
Birdhouse Direction - 03/15/02	Birdhouse Height - 03/15/02
Where are the House Finches? - 03/08/02
Getting Juncos - 03/01/02	"Mourning" Doves - 03/01/02
Ostrich Truth - 02/15/02	Turkey Vultures - 02/22/02
Cedar Waxwings - 02/08/02
Getting Bluebirds - 02/01/02	Sleeping Gull - 02/01/02
Small Dogs in Danger? - 01/25/02	Big Hawks - 01/25/02
Winter Redwings - 01/11/02	Winter Mockingbird - 01/11/02
Snowy Owls - 01/04/02
Christmas Surprise - 12/21/01	It's "No-Birds" Season Again - 12/28/01
Freezing Feet - 11/30/01	Melange Bicolore - 12/07/01
Inconsistent Grosbeaks - 11/16/01	Vickie Alden - 11/23/01
Uncommon Chats - 11/09/01	Cardinal Feathers - 11/09/01
Jeepers Creepers - 11/02/01
The Pumpkin Mystery - 10/26/01	Swallow Swarm - 10/19/01
Chickadee Strategy - 10/12/01	Cape Cod Turkeys - 10/05/01
American Bitterns - 09/28/01	Hummers at Suet - 09/28/01
Baby Delivery - 09/21/01
Strange Bird at Rock Harbor- 09/14/01
Hummers at Birdbaths - 09/07/01	Fixed-Focused Binos - 09/07/01
Fighting Goldfinches - 08/10/01
Downies at Hummer Feeders - 08/03/01	Bobwhites Calling - 08/03/01
Birds at Fenway - 07/27/01	Chip Calls - 07/27/01
Night Singing - 07/20/01	Algae - 07/20/01
Clean Boxes - 07/13/01	Lazy Grackles - 07/13/01
Clean Feeders - 07/06/01	Worms - 07/06/01
Flexible Tongues - 06/29/01	Red Dye - 06/29/01
Kingfishers - 06/22/01	Leaving the Nest - 06/22/01
Wrens - 05/18/01	Leave Feeders Out II - 05/18/01
Hawk Mobbing - 05/11/01	Long Answers - 05/11/01
Hummer/Oriole Feeders - 05/04/01	Leave Feeders Out - 05/04/01
Nesting in Wreath - 04/27/01	Clarkie Does the Drawings? - 04/27/01
Woodcock Display - 04/20/01
The Easter Bunny - 04/13/01
Cardinals - 04/06/01
Penguins & Puffins on Cape Cod - 03/30/01
Molting Goldfinches - 03/23/01	Hole Size for Bluebirds - 03/23/01
Birdhouses - 03/16/01	Chickadee Mating Call - 03/16/01
Mockingbirds - 03/09/01
Red-Bellied Woodpeckers - 03/02/01	Peanut Butter - 03/02/01
Starlings - 02/23/01
Hooting Owls - 02/16/01	Duck or Goose? - 02/16/01
Weird Creatures - 02/09/01	Sign of Spring - 02/09/01
Swans - 02/02/01
Drunk Robins - 01/19/01	Birds' Knees - 01/19/01
Winter Robins - 01/12/01
Snow Buntings - 01/05/01	Water in Winter - 01/05/01
Christmas Trees - 12/29/00	Electricity Safe - 12/29/00
Sharpies - 12/15/00	Bird Treats - 12/22/00
Critter ID - 12/08/00	Where'd the birds go? - 12/08/00
Geese ID - 11/17/00	Late Hummer - 11/17/00
Empty Shells - 11/10/00	Wallace Bailey - 11/10/00
Hawks on Poles - 11/03/00	Missing Suet - 11/03/00
Bobwhite Quail - 10/19/00	Woodpeckers Pecking Houses- 10/19/00
Blue Jays at Feeders - 10/13/00	Bird Names Capitalized - 10/13/00
Night Bird Calls - 10/06/00	Fearless Chickadees - 10/06/00
Lost Male Goldfinches - 09/29/00	Black Birds at Feeders - 09/29/00
Night Fliers - 09/22/00	Window Feeders - 09/22/00
Sandpipers - 09/01/00	Eating Like Pigs - 09/01/00
Weird Looking Birds - 08/18/00	Calling Crows - 08/18/00
Goofy Birds - 08/11/00	Loon Sightings - 08/11/00
Wild Care - 07/14/00	Thistle Socks - 07/14/00
Best Seed - 07/07/00
Summer Feeding - 06/23/00	New Birdbath - 06/23/00

Illustrations by Catherine Clark

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Bird Watcher's General Store * 36 Rt. 6A, Orleans, MA 02653
toll-free: 1-800-562-1512