Hi, I’m Mike – a birder and amateur photographer who loves capturing birds doing their thing in the wild. My photos aren’t perfect, but each one represents hours spent learning, failing, and occasionally getting lucky. I’ll admit I sometimes go overboard in Lightroom – photography is a constant learning process for me.
For fellow photography nerds, I include all the technical details with each shot – camera settings, location, and what I was trying (often failing) to accomplish. Maybe my trial-and-error can help others too. One caveat, all photos in albums and galleries taken are by me, however I sometimes use demonstration images and synthetic media for scientific and illustrative purposes on several pages. All photos not taken by me are licensed from Pixabay.
As a Harry Potter fan, I named this site after Fawkes the phoenix because birds amaze me with their resilience and spirit. These images are free to enjoy, but please respect the copyright – they’re my personal work, not stock photos. If you share them, credit is appreciated. Love the pics? Consider supporting bird conservation at Cornell Ornithology!
I write at least one article per day in my Birding Guide so check back often! If you need help identifying a bird you can also use my handy Bird ID App.
Happy birding,
-Mike
Bird Photography ⬇
Birding Articles
Ever stared at a turkey or a rooster and wondered about that weird flap of bare, sometimes flashy skin hanging from their neck or face? That’s called a wattle. Bird wattles help birds release excess heat and also play a role in attracting mates by making them look bigger or more colorful when it counts.…
Continue Reading What Are Bird Wattles For? Purpose, Function, and Examples
Birds have a wild range of behaviors, but how they pick and stick with their mates is honestly one of the coolest. Some species form bonds that last, well, as long as they both survive. They’ll return to each other year after year, which is kind of sweet if you think about it. Learning about…
Continue Reading 10 Birds that Mate for Life: Species That Form Lasting Pairs
Every U.S. state has picked an official state bird that reflects its natural beauty and cultural roots. These birds usually say something about the landscape or the story of each state. This article gives you a quick, alphabetical list of all 50 official state birds, so you can spot each state’s symbol without much fuss.…
The passenger pigeon once filled North American skies with flocks so big they seemed endless, but this remarkable bird is now completely gone because of relentless hunting and habitat loss. In just a matter of decades, their numbers crashed from billions to zero, a disappearance so sudden that it still shocks scientists and bird lovers…
Continue Reading Why Did the Passenger Pigeon Go Extinct? Causes and Consequences
The water cycle keeps water moving around our planet, and condensation is a key part of how water returns from the air to the ground. As water vapor cools, it turns into tiny droplets, forming clouds that eventually bring rain or snow. Without condensation, the water cycle would stall and life would have a tough…
Continue Reading Water Cycle and Condensation Diagram: How Birds Interact with Earth’s Water System
Quick Facts FeatureDetailsScientific NameOtidiphaps insularisCommon NamesBlack-naped Pheasant-Pigeon, AuwoHabitatFergusson Island, D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago, Papua New GuineaFirst Described1882Rediscovered2022Conservation StatusCritically EndangeredKey FeaturesLarge, ground-dwelling, pheasant-like tail https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o8jPd_kwrc Overview of the Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeon The Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeon, or Otidiphaps insularis, is a large, elusive ground-dwelling bird found only on Fergusson Island in Papua New Guinea. It’s about chicken-sized, with a broad, flattened…
Continue Reading Black-naped pheasant-pigeon rediscovery and conservation status
