Hawai'i ʻElepaio * One of the most beautiful endemic birds to Hawai'i, the ʻElepaio is an extremely curious bird that will often follow you out of curiousity. These monarch flycatchers are by far one of my favorite sightings visiting the island. 🌺🪶

Pronghorn * Sometimes while birding you run into perfect moments and this was one of those moments. A beautiful Pronghorn, breaking the horizon. This is the fastest land mammal in North America with one of the longest migrations. 🌼

Myself and a fantastic team of researchers recently published our article on birders' perceptions of the American Ornithological Association eponymous bird renaming initiative. Check it out at the link 🪶

Birds of many feathers? Examining perceptions among US birders following the American Ornithological Society's eponymous renaming decision

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

*Ladder-backed Woodpecker* * These birds live in the Southwestern United States and I've never been able to get a good picture of one until NOW! Just look at their little amber eye!

I don't think most birders understand how crucial Great Salt Lake is to North American birds. -12 million migratory birds rely on the lake annually -50-90% of the Eared Grebe population visit to molt and feed -Over 1/3rd of the world's Wilson's Phalarope population gathers here annually (1/3)

Red-faced Warbler * One of the most beautiful warbler species in North America. This bird was extremely high on our list of birds that we wanted to see. Luckily we got to see several of these little guys while hiking in Arizona. 🌵🪶

Western Diamondback * I always try to pay attention to the other wildlife while I’m out birding. Luckily it paid off this time as we came across this rattlesnake right in the middle of the path! 👀🪶

Gila Woodpecker * One of the specialty woodpeckers found throughout Southern Arizona. All I wanted was a picture of a bird on a Saguaro and fortunately this one posed perfectly 🤩

Coppery-tailed Trogon * The most coveted bird in Southeastern Arizona. The views we got of this bird were a dream come true. 🪶

Broad-billed Hummingbird * This bird quickly became my new favorite hummingbird as I observed it throughout Southeastern Arizona. They're so beautiful with their bluish green plumage and bright bills. 🪶

Rosy-faced Lovebird * We spent all afternoon tracking this lil guy down but once we found them they couldn't help but show off for us. 🪶

Rosy-faced Lovebirds * Not native to Phoenix, these birds have slowly built up a population of over 2,000 birds and thrived thanks to the similar desert climate of their homeland. 🪶

Arizona was the most incredible birding experience I’ve had so far. The birds were absolutely mesmerizing. My favorite part of the trip however, was spending time with these wonderful friends. There’s nothing like sharing the joy of birding with those around you. 🌵🏜️🪶 @hawkinthelens.bsky.social

With the abundance of AI birds being circulated around social media, I compiled a list of birds that AI could NEVER replicate.

15 Birds That AI Could NEVER Replicate

YouTube video by Bright-Eyed Birding Learn

youtu.be

Mallard 🦆 * This bird possesses so much beauty and yet, it’s often overlooked due to how common it is. 🪶

•Western Screech-owl• I’m always amazed at how small these owls are. Barely bigger than my hand, they blend seamlessly into the bark that surrounds them 🪶

Redheads • The most photogenic Redheads I’ve ever ran into. Local parks really bring out the attention seeking ducks 🪶

I had a blast participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count! Join me on this adventure as we explore backyard birds up close, play a game of Wingspan, and go search for two local rarities 🪶

I Counted Every Bird in My Backyard for a Day...

YouTube video by Bright-Eyed Birding

youtu.be

Green-winged Teal * I love the light in this photo. It's smooth and vibey. It's so fun when you get close up views on some of these more skiddish ducks. 🪶

Frankly, a TON of state birds absolutely SUCK. So I gave each state bird a rating and fixed them! 🪶

Your State Bird Deserves Better (So I Fixed It)

YouTube video by Bright-Eyed Birding Learn

youtu.be

Check out my new article about the Dark-eyed Junco and what makes this abundant North American sparrow so fascinating! 🪶

Meet the Dark-eyed Junco: Winter's Feathered Friend

Dark-Eyed Juncos are a small sparrow species with a ton of variation. They are also thought to be the harbingers of Winter, but is this actually true? Let’s dive in!

open.substack.com

Rough-legged Hawk * These Winter visitors are so fun to run into every year. These little guys have feathers that cover their legs all the way to their feet. Awesome! 🪶

Want to improve your bird identification skills? Check out this video where I compile some of the BEST resources and tools to be able to do so. There are definitely some hidden gems in here that you don't want to miss! 🪶

How to Identify Birds: The Best Tools & Tricks

YouTube video by Bright-Eyed Birding Learn

youtu.be

Redhead * Ducks in general are one of my favorite group of birds. It was a privilege to capture this stunning Redhead at one of my local parks. Definitely have more of these photos to come ✨🪶

California Gull * * The state bird of Utah! I’ve been focusing on capturing some of the more common birds lately! 🪶

Phainopepla * The perfect photo to end 2025. I have some awesome adventures planned for 2026 so stay tuned 👀 🪶

I found 12 different species for my annual Birdmas challenge! 🎄 AND a brand NEW bird for the channel! 🪶

12 Days of Birdmas Birding Challenge! (NEW Species)

YouTube video by Bright-Eyed Birding

youtu.be

White-throated Sparrow * * These Eastern sparrows are a rare annual visitor to the Western US. I absolutely love running into them. 🪶

After two years I FINALLY found this bird in Utah!! ✅ 🪶

Black-capped Chickadee * * I love photographing chickadees. They’re so curious, that when you make whispy sounds with your lips they can’t help but come right up to you out of curiosity. 🪶