Phantom of the Northern Forests
Great Gray Owls (Strix nebulosa) are like clouds as they dissolve into and appear from dense forests to hunt in open meadows. Their complex pattern of gray, brown and white feathers, enables our longest bodied owl to remain hidden against everything from aspen to pine to fir. You can learn more about Great Gray Owls in in two of my books, “Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls” and “Great Gray Owl: A Visual Natural History”. #eye_spy_birds #birdvibrance #best_birds_of_ig #owlayear #greatgrayowl #strixnebulosa
Woodpecker Wednesday: Nest Sanitation
Woodpeckers, like this male Black-backed keep their nests clean by removing waste throughout the nest cycle beginning. You can learn more about the woodpecker nest cycle in the book, “Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers”.
My Upcoming Festival Programs
Please join me for one of the following festivals in Wyoming, Alaska, Oregon, Arizona or Washington. For more information see /evevnts/ #eye_spy_birds #birdvibrance #best_birds_of_ig #woodpeckerayear #braidedriver #mountaineersbooks #jacksonholebirdingfestival #Yakutatternfestival #tucsonbirdalliance
Nest Boxes: Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa)
Several of our owl species will utilize humane-made nest boxes or platforms which can help in areas where appropriate snags. Great Gray, Great Horned, Long-eared, Western Screech, Eastern Screech, Elf and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are among the species that will utilize such structures. You can learn more about providing homes and managing habitat for owls in the award-winning book, “Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls”. #eye_spy_birds #birdvibrance #best_birds_of_ig #owlayear
Woodpecker Wednesday: Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)
Hairy Woodpecker’s woodpeckers in wet parts of the Pacific Northwest are darker, with white often replaced by a grayish wash. The red markings of the males in these areas are often more extensive as well.
You can learn more about Woodpeckers in the new book, “Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers.” #birdvibrance #best_birds_of_ig #picoidesvillosus #eye_spy_birds #woodpeckerayear #woodpeckersofinstagram
Most Adaptive Owl
Great Horned Owls can thrive from Arctic forests to Sonoran drylands and in most habitats in between provided they have cavities or platforms in/on which to nest and healthy small animal prey.
Note: Most young owls spend some time on the ground when they leave the nest, so resist the temptation to think they are in trouble.
You can learn more about the habitats of each North American species in the award-winning book, “Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls”. #birdvibrance #best_birds_of_ig #eye_spy_birds #owlayear #bubovirginianus
Woodpecker Wednesday: Fire
Most woodpeckers, including this Northern Flicker, benefit from fire as it helps create nest snags and drumming posts, attract insects and results in diverse habitats. Natural fire or prescribed burn is necessary to create the open habitat that Pine and Oak specialists require. You can learn more about this topic in the book, “Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers”.
#woodpeckerayear #birdvibrance #best_birds_of_ig
Interview premiering 4/24/26
Mr Paul Bannick is a long time Conservation Photographer | Author | Speaker
Paul Bannick is an award-winning wildlife photographer and author whose work serves as a powerful bridge between artistic expression and environmental advocacy. Specializing in the natural history of North America, Paul has dedicated his career to capturing the intimate lives of birds and the vital habitats they depend upon.
Through his evocative imagery and deep natural history knowledge, Paul goes beyond simple documentation; he tells the stories of North America’s most iconic and at-risk species. His lens focuses on the complex relationship between wildlife and the landscape, highlighting the delicate balance required to sustain biodiversity in an ever-changing world.
### A Voice for the Wild
As a sought-after speaker and a conservation-minded storyteller, Paul uses his photography to inspire a deeper connection to the natural world. His work has been recognized globally for its technical excellence and its ability to mobilize conservation efforts. Whether through his bestselling books or his captivating keynote presentations, he invites audiences to witness the majesty of the wilderness and join the mission to protect it. * **Expertise:** North American avian species, habitat conservation, and natural history. * **Mission:** To use visual storytelling as a catalyst for habitat preservation and wildlife protection.
Hiding in the Open
A Northern Pygmy-Owl's (Glaucidium gnoma) size and markings make it difficult to see. Owls are masters at hiding. Adaptations include “ear-tufts”, cryptic coloration matching bark or trees, utilization of hidden roosts and nests and even small size. You can learn more about the ways different species utilize these in the award-winning book, “Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls”. #owlayear #glaucidiumgnoma #eye_spy_birds #best_birds_of_ig #birdvibrance
Woodpecker Wednesday: Social Woodpeckers
The White Woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus) of South America often forages in groups of 5-8 individuals of their own species and even with members of the Colaptes woodpecker genus. In North America Acorn Woodpeckers have complex social structures related to breeding and Red-headed Woodpeckers, Lewis Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers have been known to forage and/or migrate with others of their own and other genera. You can learn more about the social behavior of North American Woodpecker in my most recent book, “Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers” #eye_spy_birds #birdvibrance #best_birds_of_ig #woodpeckerayear #melanerpes #whitewoodpecker
Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina)
Owls are often indicator species, whose presence attests to the health of an ecosystem. Most Northern Spotted Owls nest in trees that are at least 140-200 years old, require complex multi-canopied forest and require large territories. Unfortunately, these forest elements are in short supply and the invasive Barred Owl is threatening what populations remain. You can learn more about Spotted Owls in the book, “Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls. #spottedowl #northernspottedowl #strixoccidentalis #northernspottedowl #owlayear #best_birds_of_ig #birdvibrance #eye_spy_birds
Thanks to Skagit Audubon and the Mount Vernon Library for hosting my multimedia program “Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers” based upon my new book of the same name.
Thanks too for the 150 of you who joined me for my third program in the Skagit Valley this spring.
#skagitaudubon #braidedriver #mountaineersbooks #woodpeckerayear
