Donna L. Long

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Category: Birding Basics

How to begin birding or improve your bird watching skills. Learn about the birding year, and identifying species, learn life cycle and behavior.

For beginning birders, what birders are doing, how they know things, and when to bird watch are mysteries. Hopefully, the information provided here can clear up those questions.

October 24November 30 Donna L. Long

Sassafras Trees for Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Moths

Mystery bird on the Atlantic Ocean. Photo by Donna L. Long.
September 30November 30 Donna L. Long

Mystery Bird in the Middle of the Atlantic Ocean

Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii)
February 22April 25 Donna L. Long

Spring Bird Migration for Beginning Birders

A collage of winter birds in my garden.
January 18June 10 Donna L. Long

A Winter Bird Feeding Guide: Attract Birds to Your Backyard (with Video)

Savannah Sparrow in winter
January 15March 27 Donna L. Long

Identifying Savannah and Song Sparrows

A female House Sparrow at a winter feeder in Philadelphia.
January 4March 27 Donna L. Long

Winter Birding: How to Master It (with video)

Northern Harrier ( ) Photo taken by Donna L. Long
November 13November 30 Donna L. Long

Secrets for Capturing Stunning Bird Photographs

Northern Harrier ( ) Photo taken by Donna L. Long
October 5November 30 Donna L. Long

Fall Raptor Migration: What You Need to Know (with video)

warbler rests during migration on the deck of a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
August 31June 10 Donna L. Long

Bird Migration Facts

American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla), male (Dover Publications)
May 18November 30 Donna L. Long

The Dawn Chorus

A female House Sparrow at a winter feeder in Philadelphia.
December 15October 13 Donna L. Long

Learn the Fall and Winter Plumage of these Common Birds

birds_cardinal_dark-eyed_junco
August 11November 30 Donna L. Long

An Easier Way to Draw Birds (video) — John Muir Laws

A male Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) feeding in the grass. Public domain photo courtesy Ken Thomas.
March 6November 30 Donna L. Long

Identifying Birds by Color: A Collection of Photo Galleries

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
February 16November 30 Donna L. Long

Blue Birds: Identifying Birds by Color (A Photo Gallery)

February 10April 13 Donna L. Long

Cavity Nesters: Birds that Use Holes in Trees

American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis). Photo by Donna L. Long.
November 28March 26 Donna L. Long

How and Why Birds Change their Plumage.

A male Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) feeding in the grass. Public domain photo courtesy Ken Thomas.
July 25February 10 Donna L. Long

Birds by Color: Orange Birds

ripe pokeberries in autumn are a favorite bird food. Photo by Donna L. Long
June 9November 30 Donna L. Long

The Relationship Between Birds, Berries and Fruit

A Shadbush tree in my garden.
June 6June 23 Donna L. Long

Attracting Birds with Fruit Trees and Berry Plants

Male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), in my garden
June 2June 10 Donna L. Long

How a Cardinal Makes His Red Feathers

Male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), in my garden
May 7February 3 Donna L. Long

Birds by Color: Red Birds

Dark-eyed Junco (junco hyemalis) in my garden.
February 24February 3 Donna L. Long

Birds by Color: Identifying Little Gray Birds

Blue jay at Fort Washington State Park
December 9November 30 Donna L. Long

Get Involved in the Christmas Bird Count

equipment_binoculars
November 18November 30 Donna L. Long

Choosing Binoculars for Nature Study

great spangled fritillary butterly
April 17November 30 Donna L. Long

Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Pollinators

Female Ruby-Throated hummingbird
April 1June 23 Donna L. Long

Spring Blooming Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds

Great Spangled Fritillary on Echinacea purpurea
March 24June 24 Donna L. Long

A Backyard Habitat Garden: What You Need to Start One

A cardinal feeds in my garden.
March 11November 30 Donna L. Long

How to Attract Birds to Your Garden

Nest in the Wissahickon Forest in Philadelphia
February 28November 30 Donna L. Long

Put out Nesting Materials and Nest Boxes March 1

Blue jay at Fort Washington State Park
February 25February 3 Donna L. Long

Winter Feeder Birds: Identifying Blue Birds

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Contents

Animals Attracting birds Autumn Backyard habitats Bird ID Birding Basics Butterfly ID Butterfly Watching Field Trips How Earth Works Land Ethics Native Plants Native Plant Sales Nature Almanac Nature and Garden Guides Nature Journal Basics Nature Journal Prompts Nature Photography News Philadelphia Natural Places Photo Galleries Seasons Spring Summer Sustainable Living Winter

Tips for Naturalists

  • Nature Journal Basics
  • Choosing a Hand Lens
  • Choosing Binoculars
  • Choosing Field Guides
  • Identifying Raptors: Choosing Field Guides
  • The Nature Journal
  • Nature Journal Prompts
  • Best Books for Nature Journal Keeping
  • Keeping a Life List
  • Simplicity for the Naturalists

My Latest Guide

cover nature journal prompts guide

A Guide to Butterfly Life

butterfly life cover color with border

For the Amateur Naturalist

cover_Grinnell Scientific Nature Journal
Grinnell Scientific Nature Journal

A Seasonal Gardener’s Guide

A Seasonal Gardener's Handbook, Revised edition by Donna L. Long.
A Seasonal Gardener's Handbook, Revised edition by Donna L. Long.

Top Posts & Pages

  • Identifying Backyard Mammals: A Photo Gallery
  • Fascinating Groundhog Facts
  • Black Swallowtail Larvae, Last of the Summer Butterflies
  • Choosing a Hand Lens for Nature Study
  • Using the Pleiades as a Natural Calendar (with video)
  • Cavity Nesters: Birds that Use Holes in Trees

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My motto

Don’t wait for the revolution. Live it.

Penstemon barbatus
Penstemon barbatus native utah to Mexico. Photo: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

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