2025 Christmas Bird Count

This year marked the 50th anniversary of the Wild River Audubon Christmas Bird Count.  The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the longest-running formal citizen science project in the nation having first been held on Christmas Day 1900.  Tom Anderson organized the first...

Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

By far, the most exciting bird activity in our yard for the past two weeks has been the small flock of fox sparrows that forages every day beneath our feeder near the back of the house. The feeder is adjacent to a fringe of brushy vegetation, something that attracts...

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

If I chose one species in our yard that is truly our neighbor, it would be the White-breasted Nuthatch. This species does not migrate and pairs remain territorial all year.  It is likely that the white-breasted nuthatches I saw nesting in May, accompanying fluffy...

2024 Christmas Bird Count

The 49th Wild River Audubon Christmas Bird Count was held on Saturday, December 21.  This year marked the 125th Anniversary of the first Christmas Bird Count, which is the longest-running formal citizen science project in the nation.  It was an overcast and cold day...

The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Thirteen years ago, a violent storm with a massive tornado tore through North Minneapolis, leaving a swath of destruction in its wake. Numerous people lost trees, had their roofs removed, or their homes destroyed. Walls were reduced to matchsticks. Among the...