Bob Bell 🇨🇦
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thebirderbob.bsky.social
Bob Bell 🇨🇦
@thebirderbob.bsky.social
9.2K followers 1K following 2.6K 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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thebirderbob.bsky.social
Bob Bell 🇨🇦 @thebirderbob.bsky.social · Sep 18
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
thebirderbob.bsky.social
A small flock of Cedar Waxwings briefly visited my backyard a couple of days ago. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #waxwing
A Cedar Waxwing perched on a thin branch with nothing but gray sky behind it. Its back is to me, and it is looking off to the left.
November 10, 2025 at 11:42 AM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
One more shot of the Fox Sparrow, which, sadly, was just a one day wonder #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #birds #birding #foxsparrow #sparrow
A fox sparrow is perched in our miniature lilac bush, its body towards me (thus showing off its beautiful foxy brown chevrons on its white breast), looking over its shoulder to the left side of the image
November 9, 2025 at 4:49 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
A couple of days ago I saw my first American Tree Sparrows of the fall. Beautiful winter visitors!
#sparrow #Birds #birding #BirdOfTheDay
An American tree sparrow is perched on top of a broken branch, in profile view looking to the left. The background is blurred fall colours with a few red berries.
November 9, 2025 at 1:13 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
Happy #caturday to those who celebrate, like Loshi does every day!
Loshi is an all gray cat with green eyes. He's laying on a green wool sweater in front of our fireplace, looking directly into the camera.
November 8, 2025 at 4:04 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
My backyard keeps delivering! I'm over the moon excited to have had my favourite sparrow visit yesterday - and it has the boldest markings of any Fox Sparrow I've ever seen. There just might be a few more postings in the coming days. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #sparrow
A fox sparrow in profile view, standing under my feeders and looking upwards. The foxy brown chevrons on his breast and underparts are the boldest that I've ever seen
November 8, 2025 at 11:57 AM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
Yesterday I had the pleasure of seeing my first Winter Wren of the fall. A tiny bird with a BIG attitude! #birds #birding #wren #BirdOfTheDay
A tiny winter wren standing on a mossy log, looking to the left. They are very round "borbs" and carry their tail cocked up. The background is blurred out fall colours.
November 7, 2025 at 12:34 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
Owl season has begun, with sightings of Long-eared Owls being reported. Northern Saw-whets should be arriving as well. I took this photo of a Saw-whet back in February. #birds #birding #owls #BirdOfTheDay
A northern saw-whet owl, which is the size of a pop can, is perched in a spruce tree, looking off to the right
November 6, 2025 at 12:42 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
I took these photos of a White-crowned Sparrow in my yard last spring; I still haven't seen one passing through here this fall. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #BirdOfTheDay #sparrow
A white-crowned sparrow perched on my backyard fence, in profile view looking downwards, which shows his crown nicely A white-crowned sparrow perched in my spruce tree, in profile view looking to the left
November 5, 2025 at 1:11 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
This Cooper's Hawk has been regularly stalking (not stocking!) my feeders for the past two weeks. He or she is looking directly down at the feeders. #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #BirdOfTheDay #Coopershawk #birds #birding
A Cooper's Hawk is perched high in a maple tree directly above my feeders, looking down at them. Most of the leaves have fallen from the tree, but there are a few orange ones remaining. The sky is a cloudless blue behind the tree and bird.
November 4, 2025 at 12:31 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
From my archives, a closer up look at a gorgeous male Pine Grosbeak, taken at Algonquin Park a few winters ago. #pinegrosbeak #winterfinch #finch #birds #birding #Algonquin
A gorgeous male Pine Grosbeak, in profile view looking to the left. He's all pink, with some gray and brown on and around his wing, with white wing bars. He is perched in a pine tree, with some snow on the needles.
November 3, 2025 at 12:44 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
Following the Toronto Blue Jays' heartbreaking loss, I have to refocus my dreams - I'm hoping that this winter I get to see a flock of Pine Grosbeaks along with a few Redpolls like this! #birds #birding #pinegrosbeak #Algoma #BirdOfTheDay
A winter scene of a flock of birds on snow covered ground, eating sunflower seeds that have been scattered about
November 2, 2025 at 2:05 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
Some kings have bigger crowns than others. This Golden-crowned Kinglet is really rockin' his crown! #birds #birding #Algoma #BirdOfTheDay
A golden crowned kinglet facing me while perched on a thick, dead tree trunk running from bottom left to upper right. His orangish-yellow crown is standing up vertically. A golden-crowned kinglet on a lichen covered tree branch running from upper left to lower right. He's in profile view, looking left, and showing off his prominent yellow-orange crown
November 1, 2025 at 2:39 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
Loshi reacting like I did to last night's loss to the Dodgers. #caturday #baseball #worldseries #Iwantitall #bringithome
Our all gray cat Loshi on his window perch, curled up with one paw over his forehead and eyes
November 1, 2025 at 12:36 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
LET'S GO BLUEJAYS! #birds #bluejays #Baseball #worldseries
Two blue jays on my tray feeder. The one on the left is yelling at the one on the right.
October 31, 2025 at 11:42 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
My backyard Purple Finch population has increased to three - two males and a female. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #BirdOfTheDay
A male purple finch perched in my backyard spruce tree, oriented away from me but looking back over his shoulder to the right. This view really shows off his lovely pinkish-purple colouring. A male purple finch perched in my backyard spruce tree, looking to the right. A female purple finch, perched in my redbud, in profile view looking to the left. A female purple finch perched in a backyard maple, looking to the left. Behind here there a blurred out orange leaves
October 31, 2025 at 12:26 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
I set up my backyard "stage" for winter bird photography, and it seems to have been well received by the birds already. Blue Jay, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch. Hoping for some winter finch! #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt
A blue jay looking in the window at me, while perched on a mossy old log that I saved as my winter "stage" A dark-eyed junco in profile view, looking to the right, while looking for seeds on a mossy old log that I saved as my winter "stage" A red breasted nuthatch, with its head down and back towards me, while looking for seeds on a mossy old log that I saved as my winter "stage" A white-breasted nuthatch in profile view, looking to the right, with a seed in its mouth, perched on a mossy old log that I saved as my winter "stage"
October 30, 2025 at 12:48 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
Another snap of my current favourite backyard bird, a male Purple Finch #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #birds #birding #Finch #purplefinch #BirdOfTheDay
A male purple finch perched on the arms of my tray feeder, looking off to the right. He has a seed in his mouth.
October 29, 2025 at 4:52 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
Here's a Great Egret that I saw a couple of weeks ago. #birds #birding #BirdOfTheDay #HamOnt #egret #heron
A large white bird with a bright orange beak, a great egret is wading in shallow, greenish coloured water due to reflections from the trees along the shoreline. It is in profile view looking to the left.
October 28, 2025 at 12:02 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
Look who dropped in yesterday! My first Purple Finch of the fall. Hoping he sticks around for at least a few days. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #purplefinch #finch
A purple finch in profile view, looking left, perched on the edge of a tray feeder. He has a seed in his mouth. His pinks and purples are looking a bit worn, duller than when in fresh breeding plumage in the spring.
October 27, 2025 at 12:21 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
We have lots of White-throated Sparrows around now, keeping the juncos company. #birds #birding #BirdOfTheDay #Ancaster #HamOnt #Bobsbackyard
A White-throated Sparrow perched on a bare branch running from the top left to the lower right, with the background completely blurred out soft fall colours. It's looking off to the right, showing well its name sake throat.
October 26, 2025 at 12:09 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
This 2022 photo remains one of my all time favourites. Thanks to a birding friend in N. Ontario, I was invited to watch his feeders after he'd identified a Boreal Chickadee coming to them. I got lucky and got this comparison shot of our regular Black-capped and the Boreal. #birds #birding #Algoma
A boreal chickadee perched on a bird feeder, in profile view looking to the left, while immediately below it is a black-capped chickadee, also looking to the left.
October 25, 2025 at 1:02 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
I'm sure lots of folks will be posting photos of Blue Jays today for the start of the World Series tonight. I'll stick with the blue theme and present a couple of more snaps of Indigo Buntings that I took at South Padre Island, Texas. #birds #birding #indigobunting #BirdOfTheDay
Three male Indigo Buntings perched in tall grass. They are all in profile view, one on the left side looking left and two on the right, looking to the right Four male Indigo Buntings in a water feature
October 24, 2025 at 11:55 AM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
What I call the paint-by-number ducks, a gorgeous Wood Duck with a female Mallard #birds #birding #woodduck
A male wood duck standing at the edge of the water on a sandy beach, in profile looking towards the left. His gorgeous colours contrast sharply with a female mallard on the right side of the image.
October 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
Baltimore Orioles and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks left about six weeks ago; here they are at my feeders in May. I miss them, even when they were squabbling. I hope they're having a great winter vacation. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #HamOnt #Ancaster
A rose-breasted grosbeak hanging upside down on the oriole feeder while a Baltimore Oriole yells at him "this is mine!"
October 22, 2025 at 12:02 PM
thebirderbob.bsky.social
That time the entire Blue Jays' lineup of 9 players visited my backyard. World Series bound! LET'S GO BLUE JAYS! #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #HamOnt #Ancaster #bluejays
A photo of my backyard feeding station with a wall of green trees behind it. On my large tray feeder there is one mourning dover and six blue jays, while on the hoops and rungs there are three more, giving an entire starting line up of Blue Jays baseball players!
October 21, 2025 at 2:10 PM