Canada 400 (2025)
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Week 50 and Week 51 430!
After more days on the couch we finally ventured out for a short hike at the end of Week 50. A wintering Virginia Rail was found at F.W. Dickson just 5 minutes from home. The boardwalk is a favourite spot in the winter to hand feed the chickadees and nuthatches and a...
Week 48 and Week 49 Virus Attack
We started the week anticipating the possibility of Purple Sandpipers and decided to head to Niagara to catch up with the popular Black-throated Gray Warbler that had been hanging at Morgan's Point for a number of weeks. We added this species in BC but we only heard...
Week 46 and 47 Inching up…
We birded locally a few times the first week hitting spots that we have had Redpolls at in previous years and finally on Friday we had 3 fly over the backyard calling with the chich-chich call. No pictures but we hope to still see this bird before the year end. Bird...
Week 45 Cave Swallow Week
The Cave Swallows arrived! If you recall last year we saw them at Fifty Point after a few days of strong Southwesterly winds coming up all the way from Texas. This is generally a yearly phenomenon, and it helps that they are now on birders radar in the first week of...
Week 44 Short and Sweet
Monday instead of birding I stayed with Hannah who was home sick from school and Jerry had a doctor's appointment. There was a Purple Sandpiper that had been reported in St Catherines and we hoped to try and refind it Tuesday but sadly it became dinner for a Merlin...
Week 43 Rarity Week 2
We are watching reports for Boreal birds that we still need to add to our list and waiting for those numbers to increase so that we can plan a trip up north to see them, or for them to irrupt down here in Southern Ontario. It is difficult not to go and try and chase...
Week 42 Rarity Week
I ended last week by including Monday, the holiday, in the week so week 42 started on Tuesday morning. There was a Red Phalarope that had been reported in Hamilton on Saturday but with our family commitments we could not get in to see it. We already saw one out east...
Week 41 Caracara!
Just after I published my blog last Sunday Jerry suggested that maybe we should just go and get the Caracara. We discussed, checked the forecast, not great, but decided to chance it anyway. If we did not go on the Monday it would not be possible to go until Oct 16. So...
Week 40 Lake Watching
On Tuesday there were NE winds in Hamilton which are good for lake watching. We need two Jaeger species and Sabine's Gull so we planned to head in but made a stop in Dundas to see about getting a picture of a Nelson's Sparrow. We only heard Nelson's Sparrow in BC so...
Week 39 Heading Home
Monday we took the ferry back to Nova Scotia and did a sea watch for about 5 of the 7 hours. It was a beautiful day but we did not see many birds for the first few hours. Leaving Newfoundland We took a break and ate half of the subs we had bought before boarding and...
Week 38 Newfoundland 2
Trinity was lovely and picturesque, we loved grabbing a tea from the lodge and wandering the roads first thing in the morning before breakfast. We even did a bit of birding and had great views of Red Crossbills next to our Guesthouse. Red Crossbill Trinity Eco Lodge...
Week 37 A Spectacular Week! Ptarmigan and Sea Eagle!!!!
Monday we started our day going through photos that we were still trying to ID and I sent one to the Discord group to confirm a Jaeger species we had seen on the whale watch. The response was quick and affirmative for Pomarine Jaeger so we added another bird without...
Week 36 EAST and a FEAST of BIRDS
Monday we left at our usual 4:30 am and cruised through Toronto with little holiday traffic. We were headed into Quebec to chase three possible birds. A Common Ringed Plover had been found as well as a Ruff and a Purple Sandpiper. They were very close together but a...
Week 35 400!!! sort of…
On Tuesday we headed down to Long Point for the day. A report of a Buff-breasted Sandpiper had come in late Sunday and it was a long shot that it would still be around but it was a nice sunny day and there are always good birds at Long Point. We walked a lot of the...
Week 34 Lake Watch Time
On Monday the winds were still favourable for Jaegers so we planned to be there for the afternoon and Jerry suggested we check Niagara once more for the Black Vulture since we would be half-way there anyway. If you recall I had said I would not go back until the...
Week 32 and 33 Bird of the Year?
Week 32 ended up being a week without one checklist entered, not even from our backyard! The heat was still punishing and we had family things that took up our days and evenings so we just opted to take a break and regroup. I'm spending quite a lot of time every day...
Week 31 The Quiet Days of Summer
Monday we headed towards Rondeau to see if we could find a Dickcissel. They had been reported singing in a field outside of Blenheim. The Dickcissel is a striking, sparrow-like, grassland species that is generally found in the US but can be found in Southern Ontario...
Week 30 HOME!
Monday and Tuesday were long driving days with no time to stop for birds. We were anxious to get home having been gone for 7 weeks. A very early Pomarine Jaeger was being seen at Van Wagners Beach in Hamilton and we considered stopping on our way home to see if it was...
Week 29 Alberta
Monday morning was rainy and after the excitement of getting the Ptarmigan we decided we deserved a sleep in and breakfast in our little log cabin at Becker's Chalets. It is a lovely spot along the river and 5 minutes from Jasper. We had Elk feed on the lawn and...
Week 28 Mop-up and a Ptarmigan!
Monday we left Vancouver Island from Nanaimo after doing a last sea watch from Clover Point and McMicking Point. It was our last chance to add Heermann's Gull or Tufted Puffin but it was not to be and so those species that I thought were pretty much a "slam dunk" will...
Week 27 – Ucluelet and Tofino
After getting off the ferry in Victoria at 11:30pm and back to our hotel after midnight, we slept in on Monday. It was to be a bit of a non-birding day although we did plan on scoping the ocean at all our stops for possible gulls and seabirds. We drove up the west...
Week 26 We Head to the Coast
Monday was our last day in Grand Forks and we had Swifts on our mind. There are numerous reports of both species we still needed, Black and Vaux, but they are not always consistent and are most often seen in the early morning or evening. We had checked around Grand...
Week 25 Now it gets HARD!
Last week was the honeymoon week of sitting around drinking Margaritas and adding birds as they flew about my brother's backyard. This week we start to work on the 4th ranked birds - the tougher ones, the ones that require effort, sometimes lots of effort. We left...
Week 24 350 and beyond
After arriving in Grand Forks on Sunday, Monday was our "catch up on everything day". Laundry, pictures, video, blog, grocery shopping, car cleaning. We did it all and still managed a walk down the road and added 3 birds to the list. Jerry worked hard trying to get...
Week 23 Part 2 West is Best!!!
Wednesday we faced a long drive of 12 hours mostly because we opted to drive in Canada instead of heading into the US which would save us 3 hours. We had originally planned on birding in Manitoba but with wildfire smoke and time constraints we opted to drive through...
Week 23 Part 1-Rainy River Delivers!!!
As all our travels begin, we were up at 4am and on the road by 4:30. We love leaving early so the drive through Toronto is empty and fast. We were up in Sudbury by 9am and in Wawa by 3 with a few stops along the way to stretch legs, take a walk and check out birds. We...
Week 22 -Migration wind down
Early Monday morning we were out at Grass Lake again to see if we could here the tic-tic-tic of a Yellow Rail. A few other birders came out as well and so we had a bit of a social visit talking quietly while listening intently for the ticking. It was a pleasant way to...
Week 21 – 300!
We arrived home from Pelee Saturday at 2, did some laundry, ate a nice home-cooked meal and were awake at 4am Sunday to head to the Carden Alvar to help lead a hike with the Waterloo Naturalists. It was a drizzly, cold, windy morning, a stark contrast to the 28C at...
Week 20 Pelee second week
The days start to become a blur. It is a bit like the movie Groundhog Day, same thing repeated over and over - wake up way too early, head to the tip, disperse through the park, chase a few sightings, walk, scan, listen, walk, scan, listen, arrive back home just...
Week 19 Pelee!
Migration happened! When we arrived at the tip at 6:30 Monday morning there were warblers in the trees and birders were pointing binoculars and cameras in every direction. Multiple Northern Parulas, Cape May, Black-throated, Chestnut, Blackburnian, Yellow,...
Week 18 A Week that feels like a Month!
We started the day at the tip of Pelee National Park just after sunrise. Despite south winds overnight there did not appear to be any influx of birds. We stayed for a bit witnessing some reverse migration and added a few birds to the year list. I got a report that an...
Week 17 Pink Feet!
Monday we decided to go to Pelee in the hopes we could add a substantial amount of birds in one place rather than traveling around from place to place adding 1-2 birds at a time. There was rain in the morning so we took our time and arrived at 10:30 just as the sun...
Week 16 – Half-way!
Monday we were out birding locally and then heading to Hamilton to meet with our tenants. After our usual checks at Grass Lake and Paris Plains Road we stopped into Pinehurst CA. We had not been in this year and it is often very good for spring birding. While Jerry...
Week 15 Caracara!
As per usual Sunday night at 9:17 a report came in that a Crested Caracara, a non-migrating vagrant (rarity) from Texas had been photographed near Amherstburg just at 6pm. We had already decided that we could not drive the car any distance and had booked a rental to...
Week 13 & 14 Finally! some birds!
Week 13 I found out late Sunday night that a rare Barnacle Goose had been reported in Quebec, just over the Ontario border. A crucial mistake on my part. I have been getting a daily list rather than an hourly needs list from Quebec. Had I set up hourly reports I would...
Week 12 Ummm, Spring? with a heap of Winter
Spring migrants trickled in the beginning of the week with continuing warm weather but by weeks end bone-chilling cold and wind returned. We took the opportunity to finish the condo work so we could post ads to rent it. We finally finished that job on Thursday! The...
Week 11 Slow and Steady
Another fairly slow week as we spent the first few days selling things from the condo and donating the rest to various local charities where we know the proceeds or items will help others. Since it was March Break we had 3 of our 4 grandchildren stay with us for 3...
Week 10 The Dregs of Winter
Tuesday we took a walk on our local trail not expecting to see anything much and that was exactly what happened from a bird perspective. We did, unfortunately, end up witnessing a young woman attacked and bitten by a dog and had an ugly confrontation with the dog...
Week 8 & 9 I Found Owls!
During week 8 we only birded in our backyard because of weather, illness and condo work. No new species came to the feeders and so our numbers remained the same. 161 for E, 162 for J The snow started melting the beginning of week 9 and on Monday we finally got out to...
Week 7 Backyard Birding
This week was birding by couch and mostly wearing pj's haha! With all the snow we spent most of the week hunkered down, or shoveling, as I assume many other birders did. It was fun to see the ebird lists from backyards and random addresses instead of the usual ebird...
Week 6 Frigid Vancouver
Monday we were expecting to wake up to snow and maybe have to hang around the hotel part of the day but there was nothing on the ground in Richmond. It was -8 though. We decided to head out to try for a lifer Gyrfalcon. These are a sensitive species so I cannot see...
Week 5 British Columbia Part 2
Thursday we started with an Ocean Watch at Cattle Point at Oak Bay. It was a calm morning and easy to view the waterfowl that was there, unfortunately there was not much to see but we scoped and checked out all along the rocks for those Turnstones and Surfbirds....
Week 5 British Columbia Part 1
I'm having some problems with adding video and pictures so I've opted to make this part 1 of the week and hopefully once I get it sorted out I'll post Part 2. Housekeeping - We are working hard to add pictures to the gallery but it has not happened yet. Maybe by the...
Week 4 Owl Week
A bone-chilling cold arrived this week with temps at -18 with a wind chill of -28. On Monday we just had time to do a drive locally through the fields on Paris Plains Church Road. It is a winter home to hundreds of Snow Buntings and usually there are a few Lapland...
Week 3 Duck, Duck, Goose
The strategy for these early weeks is much the same as last year in that we don't want to chase common species just to up our numbers quickly. There are birders that go full out in January and amass as many species as they can as fast as they can but the reality is...
Week 2
Monday we had to be in Hamilton so we went early to Fifty Point and try and do a bit of lake watching to get some common ducks but the winds were coming off the the lake so fast that it was next to impossible to see anything in the waves. So we opted to search some...
Week 1 Canada 400 Begins
We started 2025 in Kirkland Lake and headed out to see if we could get the Rosy-Finch for this years list. Each species is a "new" bird for the year and so the day is one little hit of dopamine after another LOL. There are lots of happy shouts - "Blue Jay, first of...
Canada 400 – The Plan
I've decided not to call this a Canada Big Year because we are not going to be in a position to fly all over trying to get rarities, nor try for the record that currently stands at a whopping 480. We simply want to visit all the provinces during the year and try to...
430 Purple Sandpiper 429 Bohemian Waxwing 428 Redpoll 427 Cave Swallow 426 Black Vulture 425 Gray Kingbird 424 Western Cattle Egret 423 Purple Gallinule 422 Crested Caracara 421 Parasitic Jaeger 420 Northern Fulmar (LIFER) 419 Leach’s Storm-Petrel (LIFER) 418 Willow Ptarmigan 417 Steller’s Sea Eagle (LIFER) 416 Rock Ptarmigan (LIFER) 415 Black-headed Gull 414 Little Blue Heron 413 Pomarine Jaeger 412 Razorbill 411 Atlantic Puffin 410 South Polar Skua (LIFER) 409 Wood Stork 408 Great Shearwater 407 Laughing Gull 406 Red Phalarope 405 Northern Gannet 404 American Goshawk 403 Great Cormorant 402 Black Guillemot 401 Ruff 400 Buff-breasted Sandpiper 399 Spotted Redshank (LIFER) 398 Dickcissel 397 Hudsonian Godwit 396 Dusky Grouse (LIFER) 395 Boreal Chickadee 394 Baird’s Sandpiper 393 Stilt Sandpiper 392 Nelson’s Sparrow 391 Clark’s Grebe 390 American Three-toed Woodpecker 389 Black-backed Woodpecker 388 White-tailed Ptarmigan 387 Chukar 386 Western Screech-Owl (LIFER) 385 Acorn Woodpecker 384 Sooty Shearwater 383 Western Gull (LIFER) 382 Bar-tailed Godwit (LIFER) 381 Black-legged Kittiwake 380 Eurasian Skylark 379 Hutton’s Vireo 378 Band-tailed Pigeon 377 Black-throated Gray Warbler 376 Vaux’s Swift 375 Black Swift 374 Red-breasted Sapsucker 373 Sooty Grouse 372 Steller’s Jay 371 Flammulated Owl 370 Townsend’s Solitaire 369 Townsend’s Warbler 368 Sage Thrasher 367 Rufous Hummingbird 366 Western Flycatcher 365 Canyon Wren 364 Red-naped Sapsucker 363 Lewis’s Woodpecker 362 Bullock’s Oriole 361 White-throated Swift 360 Cassin’s Finch 359 Gray Flycatcher 358 MacGillivray’s Warbler 357 Cassin’s Vireo 356 Say’s Phoebe 355 Clark’s Nutcracker 354 Mountain Bluebird 353 Pygmy Nuthatch 352 Williamson’s Sapsucker 351 Common Poorwill (HO) 350 Black-headed Grosbeak 349 Dusky Flycatcher 348 Western Wood-Pewee 347 Lazuli Bunting 346 Western Bluebird 345 Black-chinned Hummingbird 344 Calliope Hummingbird 343 California Quail 342 Violet-green Swallow 341 Mountain Chickadee 340 Western Warbling Vireo 339 Hammond’s Flycatcher 338 Prairie Falcon 337 Cinnamon Teal 336 Thick-billed Longspur 335 Sprague’s Pipit 334 Ferruginous Hawk 333 Lark Sparrow 332 Rock Wren 331 Ring-necked Pheasant 330 Brewer’s Sparrow 329 Lark Bunting 328 Burrowing Owl 327 Long-billed Curlew 326 Gray Partridge 325 Piping Plover 324 White-faced Ibis 323 Black-necked Stilt 322 Baird’s Sparrow 321 Chestnut-collared Longspur 320 Loggerhead Shrike 319 Eared Grebe 318 California Gull 317 Franklin’s Gull 316 Red-necked Phalarope 315 American Avocet 314 Swainson’s Hawk 313 Great Gray Owl 312 Sharp-tailed Grouse 311 Connecticut Warbler (HO) 310 Spruce Grouse 309 Black-billed Magpie 308 Yellow Rail (HO) 307 LeConte’s Sparrow 306 Yellow-headed Blackbird 305 Western Tanager 304 Western Kingbird 303 Alder Flycatcher 302 Acadian Flycatcher 301 Mourning Warbler 300 Willow Flycatcher 299 Grasshopper Sparrow 298 Upland Sandpiper 297 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 296 Worm-eating Warbler 295 Common Nighthawk 294 Whimbrel 293 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 292 Gray-cheeked Thrush 291 Philadelphia Vireo 290 Iceland Gull 289 Hooded Warbler 288 Semipalmated Plover 287 Canada Warbler 286 Golden-winged Warbler 285 Black-billed Cuckoo 284 Red Knot 283 Blackpoll Warbler 282 Red-eyed Vireo 281 Semipalmated Sandpiper 280 White-rumped Sandpiper 279 Black Tern 278 Bay-breasted Warbler 277 Short-billed Dowitcher 276 Tennessee Warbler 275 Prothonotary Warbler 274 Eastern Whip-poor-will (HO) 273 Chuck-will’s-widow 272 Glossy Ibis 271 Clay-colored Sparrow 270 Yellow-throated Warbler 269 Blackburnian Warbler 268 Snowy Egret 267 Wilson’s Phalarope 266 Prairie Warbler 265 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 264 Magnolia Warbler 263 Northern Parula 262 American Redstart 261 Ruddy Turnstone 260 American Golden-Plover 259 Cape May Warbler 258 Wilson’s Warbler 257 Cerulean Warbler 256 Orchard Oriole 255 Swainson’s Thrush 254 Yellow-throated Vireo 253 Sora 252 Wood Thrush 251 Black-throated Blue Warbler 250 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 249 Summer Tanager 248 Scarlet Tanager 247 Chestnut-sided Warbler 246 Blue-winged Warbler 245 Bobolink 244 Veery 243 Sedge Wren 242 Least Flycatcher 241 Eastern Wood Pewee 240 Willet 239 Chimney Swift 238 American Pipit 237 Ovenbird 236 Indigo Bunting 235 Baltimore Oriole 234 Gray Catbird 233 Olive-sided Flycatcher 232 Kentucky Warbler 231 Nashville Warbler 230 Northern Waterthrush 229 Yellow-breasted Chat 228 Pink-footed Goose (LIFER) 227 Bank Swallow 226 Least Bittern 225 Blue Grosbeak 224 Louisiana Waterthrush 223 Black-and-white Warbler 222 Black-crowned Night Heron 221 Solitary Sandpiper 220 Virginia Rail 219 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 218 Black-throated Green Warbler 217 Palm Warbler 216 Yellow Warbler 215 Common Yellowthroat 214 Orange-crowned Warbler 213 Eastern Towhee 212 Northern House Wren 211 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 210 Warbling Vireo 209 Blue-headed Vireo 208 White-eyed Vireo 207 Eastern Kingbird 206 Great Crested Flycatcher 205 Green Heron 204 Common Tern 203 Spotted Sandpiper 202 Broad-winged Hawk 201 Pectoral Sandpiper 200 Marsh Wren 199 American Bittern 198 Common Gallinule 197 Brown Thrasher 196 Cliff Swallow 195 Neotropic Cormorant 194 Pine Warbler 193 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 192 Forster’s Tern 191 Swamp Sparrow 190 Lapland Longspur 189 Rusty Blackbird 188 Purple Martin 187 American White Pelican 186 Caspian Tern 185 Osprey 184 Vesper Sparrow 183 Lesser Black-backed Gull 182 Barnacle Goose 181 Field Sparrow 180 Lesser Yellowlegs 179 Great Egret 178 Chipping Sparrow 177 Eastern Phoebe 176 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 175 Cedar Waxwing 174 Blue-winged Teal 173 Tree Swallow 172 Fish Crow 171 Eastern Meadowlark 170 American Woodcock 169 Red-headed Woodpecker 168 Red-throated Loon 167 Little Gull 166 Red-shouldered Hawk 165 Sharp-shinned Hawk 164 Eastern Bluebird 163 Sandhill Crane 162 Ross’s Goose 161 King Eider 160 Merlin 159 Marbled Godwit 158 Northern Hawk Owl 157 Long-billed Dowitcher 156 Barrow’s Goldeneye 155 Wood Duck 154 Wilson’s Snipe 153 Western Sandpiper 152 Least Sandpiper 151 Killdeer 150 Western Meadowlark 149 Sanderling 148 Hermit Thrush 147 Bewick’s Wren 146 Greater Yellowlegs 145 Snow Goose 144 Pine Siskin 143 Red Crossbill 142 Varied Thrush 141 American Dipper 140 Ancient Murrelet (LIFER) 139 Red-winged Blackbird 138 Barn Swallow 137 Western Grebe 136 Rock Sandpiper (LIFER) 135 Black-bellied Plover 134 Brewer’s Blackbird 133 Marbled Murrelet 132 Eurasian Collared-Dove 131 Pelagic Cormorant 130 Surfbird (LIFER) 129 Black Turnstone (LIFER) 128 Bushtit 127 Purple Finch 126 Pacific Wren 125 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 124 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 123 Spotted Towhee 122 Green-tailed Towhee 121 Golden-crowned Sparrow 120 Anna’s Hummingbird 119 Pacific Loon 118 Bonaparte’s Gull 117 Rhinoceros Auklet 116 Brandt’s Cormorant 115 Common Murre 114 Pigeon Guillemot 113 Red-necked Grebe 112 Glaucous-winged Gull 111 Short-billed Gull 110 Dunlin 109 Black Oystercatcher 108 Harlequin Duck 107 Eurasian Wigeon 106 Brant 105 Savannah Sparrow 104 Fox Sparrow 103 California Scrub-Jay (LIFER) 102 Lincoln’s Sparrow 101 White-crowned Sparrow 100 House Finch ( British Columbia) 99 American Robin 98 Short-eared Owl 97 Eastern Screech-Owl 96 Snowy Owl 95 Common Eider 94 Northern Saw-whet Owl 93 Black Scoter 92 Surf Scoter 91 Greater White-fronted Goose 90 Ruddy Duck 89 Northern Pintail 88 American Wigeon 87 Peregrine Falcon 86 Glaucous Gull 85 Winter Wren 84 Redhead 83 Song Sparrow 82 Pileated Woodpecker 81 Long-eared Owl 80 Turkey Vulture 79 Wild Turkey 78 Cackling Goose 77 Northern Mockingbird 76 Horned Grebe 75 Double-crested Cormorant 74 Pied-billed Grebe 73 Ring-necked Duck 72 Green-winged Teal 71 Northern Shoveler 70 Great Black-backed Gull 69 Common Loon 68 American Coot 67 Canvasback 66 American Black Duck 65 White-winged Scoter 64 Long-tailed Duck 63 Lesser Scaup 62 Greater Scaup 61 Tufted Duck 60 Yellow-rumped Warbler 59 Great Blue Heron 58 Northern Flicker 57 Barred Owl 56 American Kestrel 55 Ring-billed Gull 54 Red-breasted Merganser 53 Bufflehead 52 Gadwall 51 Tundra Swan 50 Mute Swan 49 Eurasian Tree Sparrow 48 Rough-legged Hawk 47 Northern Harrier 46 Golden Eagle 45 American Herring Gull 44 Hooded Merganser 43 Red-breasted Nuthatch 42 Snow Bunting 41 Tufted Titmouse 40 House Sparrow 39 Horned Lark 38 Carolina Wren 37 Brown Creeper 36 Golden-crowned Kinglet 35 Belted Kingfisher 34 Common Merganser 33 Common Goldeneye 32 Mallard 31 Trumpeter Swan 30 Cooper’s Hawk 29 Northern Cardinal 28 Brown-headed Cowbird 27 American Crow 26 Red-bellied Woodpecker 25 Great Horned Owl 24 Canada Goose 23 Red-tailed Hawk 22 White-throated Sparrow 21 Harris’s Sparrow 20 Dark-eyed Junco 19 American Tree Sparrow 18 American Goldfinch 17 White-breasted Nuthatch 16 Mourning Dove 15 Northern Shrike 14 Bald Eagle 13 Common Grackle 12 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch 11 Pine Grosbeak 10 Evening Grosbeak 9 European Starling 8 Black-capped Chickadee 7 Blue Jay 6 Canada Jay 5 Hairy Woodpecker 4 Downy Woodpecker 3 Rock Pigeon 2 Common Raven 1 Ruffed Grouse
About me
We caught the birding bug in 2013 and decided in 2023 to embark on three consecutive Big Years, 200 Brant County, 300 Ontario and 400 Canada. The Ovenbird Blog was set up to record our adventures.
