Articles written by Bob Hamblin
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Technology advances methods for tracking bird migrations
In the 1950s bird migration information was sketchy without a good format. Most banding research was done with metal tags as leg bands on waterfowl. Not much information was useful. The leg bands counted birds killed in the field by hunters. Passerin...
Bird migration and nesting patterns
We almost always assume everything will be the same. That is not true for humans or birds. Climate change in California is affecting birds more so than people. Thirty percent of California forests have burned in the last decade. This does not...
Bird births, lives, longevity and mortality
The wandering albatross has the longest wingspan of all living birds at over nine feet. This species may live to be 40 years old and start breeding at eight years old. They only lay one egg every two years and it can take up to two years to raise a...
Larger birds at your backyard feeders
Here are ways to identify larger birds visiting your backyard and property. Every year or so some evening grosbeaks visit a feeder for sunflower seed. They are robin sized but more heavily built. They usually show up in small flocks vocalizing with...
A variety of facts about crows
Crows as a group are somewhat territorial. Some groups are highly aggressive and don’t leave their area in search of food. They have fixed borders that they defend against other crow clans. Intruders are attacked and driven off by the owners. The...
Wrens winter here and southern migrations
The house wren is a scrappy little critter. During nesting season, it fills cavity nesting holes with sticks even if the current owner has a nest with young or egg present. Fights may break out with the owner and that bird may lose because of the...
Identifying species with similar traits
Identifying a species of bird is usually based on color patterns, size and its movements, but occasionally it becomes more complex and can lead to dead ends. Sometimes actions overlap and size doesn’t help. I’ve spent some time hiking the dike...
Orchid wasps, grasshoppers, Vaux's swifts and honey bees
There was some interesting action on the dike path at Hayton Farms Game Range at summer's end. The large territorial grasshoppers have been digging holes to lay eggs in the top gravel. This has drawn...
Deception Pass Christmas bird count 2021
I saved a seat next to me in my car so you could go with me to the Audubon Christmas bird count in the Skagit and Island County area., figuratively speaking. This is our contribution to the national...
Low bird and animal counts at Wylie a result of dry summer
I am back at the Wylie Game Range, where I take regular walks for exercise as well as to assess the changing environment. Each time there are different animal participants. In mid-September I was...
Ecological niches and their importance everywhere
I have a science background and love to compare environmental systems. Some systems may mirror others to some extent but many have unique relationships. Some people have a handle on what are called key species or perhaps apex predators. These...
RV camping: The new twilight zone
I received positive feedback from readers from recounting a Texas trip, including jail time, while doing bird photography. The state of Texas has proved to be interesting RV-wise, too. On US Hwy 10 in west Texas going east you could almost go to...
A bird’s eye view of habitat and migration
Birds migrating in the fall may go as far south as Mexico or even South America. They may start as early as August or as late as November. Southerly migration may be slower because more food is available in northern reaches. Some species take two to...
Bird migration diversity throughout the year
Some species migrate south in late summer and fall. On a clear or partly cloudy night about a half an hour to an hour after sunset the Swanson’s thrush, a local nesting bird, will take flight going south. It will reach a height of up to 500 feet...
