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Bob Bell 🇨🇦

@thebirderbob.bsky.social

9K followers 1K following 2.5K posts

Avid birder, Lyme patient, author of "Out of the Lyme Light and into the Sunlight" Read about my frustrating journey with Lyme, and how birding helps me cope with chronic pain. Photos all by me. #birds #cats #Lyme #naturetherapy #wellness #birding

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 20d

Proud to post this link to the article that I wrote in the September issue of @aba.org's Birding magazine - much easier to read than the scanned jpgs I posted earlier. Thank you ABA and @birdizlife.bsky.social! #birds #birding #Lyme #Lymedisease #wellness

www.aba.org/birding-and-...

Birding and Wellness - American Birding Association

After Lyme disease forced him into retirement, geologist Bob Bell found healing in birding, improving wellness, sharing knowledge, and inspiring people to connect with birds.

www.aba.org

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 5h

I love when the Hermit Thrushes arrive from their northern breeding grounds for a stopover to refuel before moving on. I spotted this one yesterday feeding on grape ivy growing on a spruce tree. #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt

A hermit thrush leaning forward, bent down to select the best looking grape

Hermit thrush giving a quick wing flap to regain its balance

Success! Hermit thrush with its prize, a deep blue coloured grape

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 16h

"Mayhem" .....perfect word!

Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 1d

Pileated Woodpeckers can sure do a lot of damage! #birds #birding #pileatedwoodpecker #Ancaster #HamOnt

A tree with a series of long, vertical holes drilled into by a Pileated Woodpecker. Zoomed in shot.

A tree with a series of long, vertical holes drilled into by a Pileated Woodpecker. Zoomed out shot.

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 1d

Vladdy!!!

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 2d

Purple Martins from back in the spring. The way the female is posing on the grass, she looks like a miniature falcon to me. #birds #birding

A female purple martin standing on grassy ground, looking over her shoulder to the left side of the image. This pose makes her look muscular, like a mini-falcon.

A male purple martin perched on the entrance to his condo, yelling at something!

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 3d

💯

Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 3d

🤣

Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 3d

Interesting spot for a Canada Goose. #birds #Birding #TommyThompsonpark #Toronto

A Canada Goose resting on top of thick, rusty pipe sticking vertically out of the water, with a sign attached to it.

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 3d

I'm sorry, I can't - this was at one of my neighbors, and he jury-rigged it so that it was supported from the bottom rather than from the top hook.

Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 4d

It was manufactured for Wild Birds Unlimited, hope that helps!

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 4d

Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird taken in late August #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt #hummingbird

A hummingbird perched on the edge of a nectar feeder, drinking, with her wings opened in a hover

A female hummingbird perched on the right side of a nectar feeder, drinking

A female hummingbird perched on the right side of a nectar feeder, sitting upright, with her head slightly cocked upwards

A female hummingbird perched on a bare branch, with her back to the camera, looking off to the right

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 5d

Loshi says thanks!

Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 5d

I bet, they are a beloved family members!

Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 5d

Happy #caturday to those who celebrate! Here's Loshi livin' the good life

Loshi curled up on his attachable window perch. He's all gray in colour.

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 5d

Common Loon family at camp back in August #birds #birding #loon #Algoma

Two soft brown baby loons floating to the left of one adult, with its red eye showing nicely

Distant shot of an adult loon with two youngsters, taken from the deck at camp, so there are blurred branches of hemlocks hanging down in the foreground

Loon family spread out on calm water, one adult on the left side of the image with a youngster next to it, and the other adult on the right side of the image with a youngster trailing behind it

Common loon family bunched up on the water - two adults and two youngsters all close together.

Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 6d

Good question! They sure are intense.

Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 6d

LOL!

Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 6d

I think this one was too hungry to be shy!

Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 6d

The hawk immediately turned around in a crouched position, like a cougar about to pounce (3rd photo) and then eventually just glared towards me (last photo). #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 6d

A few days ago a Cooper's Hawk swooped through my yard and landed in a neighbour's maple tree. It was perched with its back to me for a long time (first two photos), until some Mourning Doves at my feeders somehow became aware of it and took off in a panic. See more... #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard

A Cooper's hawk on a thick branch of a maple tree, surrounded by green leaves starting to turn. His back is to me. He's looking upwards at something

A Cooper's hawk on a thick branch of a maple tree, surrounded by green leaves starting to turn. His back is to me. He's turned his head and is looking over his shoulder to the left side of the photo

A Cooper's hawk on a thick branch of a maple tree, surrounded by green leaves starting to turn. He has swiveled around rapidly in response to the sound of a bunch of mourning doves taking off noisily. He's in a crouch as if ready to take off

A Cooper's hawk on a thick branch of a maple tree, surrounded by green leaves starting to turn. He's now sitting upright, looking directly at me with a bit of a glare

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 7d

In the past few days, lots of new birds have arrived. Ironically, while I was wrapping up my sparrow cage match, lots of Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows arrived. This morning they were joined by a large flock of Ruby-crowned Kinglets. #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 8d

There are still a few Swainson's Thrush enjoying a stopover at the woodlot next to our pond. Soon they'll continue their journey south to Central and South America for the winter. #birds #birding #thrush

A Swainson's thrush perched on a branch running diagonally from top left to bottom right, looking over its shoulder to the left. There are a few red leaves amongst the green ones, and some blue coloured berries on a vine.

A Swainson's thrush on a thick branch, with spruce boughs behind it. It is looking to the right, about to fly.

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 9d

Barry Coombs, the chair of our bird advocacy group
@birdsonghamilton.bsky.social, continues to do a great job of working with local councilors in sharing the importance of #birds!

Reposted by Bob Bell 🇨🇦

Birdsong Hamilton @birdsonghamilton.bsky.social · 12d

The @ward2hamilton team understand the importance of birds and their essential role in biodiversity. Plus, we had a blast!

Ward 2 Hamilton @ward2hamilton.bsky.social · 12d

Thanks to Barry from @birdsonghamilton.bsky.social for taking the Ward 2 Team birding this afternoon. We saw 29 species of birds at Bayfront Park (sorry, no telephoto lens). My favourite was definitely the Eastern Phoebe but there were lots of mockingbirds and yellow rumped warblers. #HamOnt

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Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · 9d

LOL, love it!