Birds - From Flora to Fauna

Nature Blog Turkey Vulture in flight, seen from below, wings spread, light gray colored flight feathers, dark brown almost black body and upper parts of wings

Turkey Vultures: Not-So-Cheery (but still amazing!) Harbingers of Spring

Seana Dowling / 24 March 2024 / Birds

As the snow melts and the days get longer, there’s another sign of spring that might not be as cheery as blossoming flowers or chirping birds: the return of Turkey Vultures. Often overlooked and sometimes even shunned for their scavenging habits, Turkey Vultures play a vital role in our ecosystems and have some fascinating traits […]

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Dark-Eyed Juncos: Cheery Harbingers of Winter

Getting to know these common winter visitors One of the surest signs of winter to me is the arrival of Dark-Eyed Juncos, those small, dusky grey and white birds who forage on the ground around feeders and then flit busily through the snow-covered bushes and pine boughs, calling cheerfully with their quick, high-pitched peeps or