September/October 2020

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Bird Watcher's Digest

September/October 2020

There's a lot to love in the September/October issue of BWD. Our cover story features the trumpeter swan, which nearly went extinct in the early twentieth century, but reintroduction efforts have succeeded beyond expectation. Also, purchasing your first spotting scope can be intimidating, but optics experts Michael and Diane Porter are here to help with an explanation of a scope’s important features. Their overview of nine scopes under $1,000 includes various sizes, magnification ranges, and focusing solutions so you can determine which one is right for you. And, expect the unexpected, advises BWD’s in-house professional photographer, Bruce Wunderlich. Bruce shares the camera checklist he uses to ensure he is always prepared to capture an image. Find all this and more in the September/October issue of BWD!

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About This Issue

Issue Features

The Inaccessible: Island Rail: Rare and Fascinating Flightless Bird by Ross G. Cooper

Bird-safe Libations: How to Choose Your Drink to Benefit Wild Birds by Bryony Angell

Optics Review: Entry-level Spotting Scopes by Michael and Diane Porter

James Bond: Bird Watcher or Spy? by Hank Weber

Do not assume that a wine is bird-friendly because it has a bird on the label or is named for a bird. Contributor Bryony Angell explains how to determine which libations nurture wildlife and the environment. Photo by Adobe stock.

In the Backyard

Saved by Crows by John C. Weil

Rogue Robin by Joan Cwi

BWD contributor John C. Weil shares observations of avian intelligence in crows and other species. Photo by Bruce Wunderlich.

Columns & Departments

Letters from Readers

Migrations: Blame It on the Birds by Scott Weidensaul

Cover Species: The Amazing Return of the Trumpeter Swan by G. Cope Schellhorn

Identify Yourself: Orange-crowned Warblers: I Don’t See the Orange! by Alvaro Jaramillo

I Wanted to Have a Chat with a Chat by Al Batt

My Way: Toilet Paper That’s for the Birds! by Linda Coulter

BirdTography: Be Prepared by Bruce Wunderlich

Birders Question Mark by Mark S. Garland

Spotlight on Indiana

True Nature: Return of the Redtail by Julie Zickefoose

Bird Behavior: Reader Questions Answered by David M. Bird

Far Afield: Kilauea Point: A Refuge for the Birds by Tom Simpson

Book Notes

Redstart Birding

The world’s largest swan nearly went extinct in the early twentieth century, but reintroduction efforts have succeeded beyond expectation, and the majestic trumpeter swan is returning to its old breeding territories. Trumpeter Swan Photo by Seney Natural History Association / Wikimedia.