View the December Nature Friend Study Guide
Sparrows
Building a Weight-triggered Perch
View the December Nature Friend Study Guide Chipping Sparrow. Photo © Austin Vinar. When trying to photograph skittish birds at my feeder, I’ve often thought, Wouldn’t it be nice to have a trail...
Sparrow Scramble
View the November 2022 Nature Friend Magazine
Big Day Birding
Canada Warbler. Photo © Dogwood Ridge. On May 13, 2022, my brother and I, along with five others, joined my grandfather on a big day birding trip. My grandfather, Andrew Troyer, keeps an annual big...
A Week by the Creek
Stream and wild lupines. Photo © Dreamstime.com. With a last cautious effort, the sun finally peeked over the eastern horizon. Gaining confidence, it rose fully, flooding the earth with its warmth...
Acquiring Photographic Inspiration: Focus Illustrated and Favorite Focus, September 2022
The Day and the Crown
Spring Migration Bird Contest 1st Place
My Half-hour Hike…
Henslow's Sparrow. Photo © Dreamstime.com. I was in a hurry because I wanted to go on a hike before dinner, and I had only half an hour of free time. I could not expect to see much of anything in...
Favorite Focus, May 2022
Focus Illustrated and Favorite Focus, April 2022
Focus Illustrated, March 2022
Our Birding Day
Sunday dawned a beautiful morning. The first birds I saw were cardinals—male and female. There were Chipping, English, and House Sparrows at the feeder. Out the kitchen window I saw a Junco and a...
My Day With the Birds
Red-tailed Hawk. Photo © Julian Kreider. When I was looking through the September Nature Friend, I saw the Birding with Friends Contest. I thought it would be interesting to try. I decided to make...
Favorite Focus, February 2022
Snowbirds
Dark-eyed Junco. Photo © Kris MacLeod. It’s a crisp, bright winter morning. Snow sparkles on the spruce boughs, and my footsteps leave a deep trail to the feeders. The hoppers and trays are filled...