It's only a coincidence that I start this blog on the International Day of Biodiversity. This is something I've been thinking about for a while. My suburban garden either contains or is surrounded by a mixture of trees - spruce, crab apple, maple, cedar, apple, cherry, to name a few. It also has two bird feeders, seed in one and fat blocks in the other. Combined with the plants, both intentional and incidental, it seems to attract a fair bit of life - butterflies, rabbits, raccoons, a possum or two, and lots of birds. I'm a bit obsessed with butterflies, so I'm sure I'll mention them on occasion, but it's the variety of birds, and when in the year I see them, that I want to explore here. My goal is to keep track, daily if possible, for a year, of the birds I see, even if I only post the lists weekly. Just to clarify, I won't be spending half the day every day staring out the window, usually just a few minutes, longer only if there's something really exciting. My sightings will be mostly in my own yard, and some from the bits of my neighbours' yards I can see from my own window or garden. If I find myself away from home, I'll try to note what I see wherever I am. You should also note that I am not an experienced birder, just a curious girl with a pair of binoculars and a guide to birds book.
