Cornell Lab eNews

Level Up Your Birding This Spring

As spring creeps into the Northern Hemisphere, anticipation ratchets up: each day brings the chance for first-of-the-year birds and sweet songs not heard in many months. The Cornell Lab has free resources to help birders of all levels maximize their enjoyment and connection with the natural world. Here are just a few ways we can help you connect with birds this spring:

Birding Basics: Get familiar with the basic skills experienced birders use, and check out our field guide recommendations.

Merlin Bird ID: The world's premier free app for identifying birds by sight, sound, or photo.

BirdCast: When and where is bird migration ramping up in your area? BirdCast has answers.

NestWatch: Learn how to attract, find, and monitor birds that nest near you this spring.

Spring Means Red-tailed Hawk Home Improvements

It might not be an "extreme home makeover," but over the course of 10 minutes last Thursday, the Red-tailed Hawk Cam caught Big Red and Arthur making substantial renovations to the nest they've used for the past few years. This pair usually starts incubating eggs in mid- to late March, and this activity is a good sign that they are intending to use this nest site again. The female, Big Red, was banded as a hatchling in 2003, meaning this year she will be celebrating her 20th birthday! Watch the clip.

Watch Live: The red-tail renovations have been continuing each day, multiple times a day. Check out the action in real time—tune in to the Red-tailed Hawks cam or any of our other cams.

Which Species Is This?

In early spring this large shorebird often sounds its ringing three-part call from aloft—and with some mental gymnastics, you can hear its common name in the last part of that call. Two distinct populations migrate toward their breeding grounds beginning in March. In the East, the birds mostly stick to the coast for nesting. In the West, they use a variety of sparsely covered wetlands and grasslands. Look for a thick (for a shorebird) bill and bold white stripes extending across the wings, visible only when the wings are extended. Can you name this species?

Field of View & Close Focus: A Deeper Dive into Binocular Specs

Many birdwatchers rank field of view among the most important specifications for binoculars, and if you are into looking at insects or birds hiding in nearby bushes, bins with good close focus are a must. But how much field of view do you need in a pair of binoculars? How close is close enough? On the heels of our latest optics review, our interactive field of view and close focus articles will tell you all you need to know.