PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: BIRDERS DON’T FORGET TO LOOK DOWN
I got the shot. Slipped by. No harm, no foul.
Read MoreTag: Olympus OMD EM1X
I ADMIT IT, I USE AUDIO PLAYBACK
It is judiciously, only when not banned at the birding site, and always within ethics guidelines published by National Audubon Society (https://www.audubon.org/news/how-use-birdcall-apps), American Birding Association (https://www.aba.org/aba-code-of-birding-ethics/), David Sibley, and other authoritative sources that I come across. To illustrate, here is how I applied guidelines to get the shots on this page. I do not use […]
Read MoreBUGS: NATURE’S BABY FOOD
There is an Eastern Towhee family in the shrubbery at the foot of a native dogwood (Atlanta’s iconic flowering tree) in our yard. I’ve seen this fledgling out begging her\his parents for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks between meals. Being one of the 96% of the songbird species that need almost exclusively insect protein to […]
Read MoreBarred Owl Fledglings are cute And Tough
When Barred Owls fledge they are not very good flyers. Their primary flight feathers have not grown in. This doesn’t stop them from getting out and exploring their new world. And as adolescents tend to do, they can take it a little too far. When they do they can end up on the ground after […]
Read MoreHappy Our-Little-Piece-Of-Earth Earth Day
Today’s (April 22, 2021) media will be full, and rightfully so, of proclamations calling for an urgent global response to the climate crisis. As you might suspect, one of my interests in these proclamations of goals and possible solutions is their impact on the impact of climate change on bird populations. Globally and my yard, […]
Read MoreI’M OK WITH ANTHROPOMORPHISM: Part 2
The “LoveOwls” were back in our yard. I’m thinking Parent’s Evening Out date.
Read MoreI’m OK With Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism, attributing human characteristics of thought, feeling and consciousness to non-humans, was long considered a scientific sin by animal behavior researchers. It still is by some. When considering cartoons or talking dog movies I can’t say I disagree, at least in degree. I don’t think there is any real harm and as a literary device, […]
Read MoreCelebrity Birds And Twitching
Every so often a rare or unusual bird will be sighted and showcased on social media. They become celebrities. Birders will come from far and near to share in the experience. This is especially true of twitchers. What is a twitcher”? A twitcher is a birder who seeks to build their life list with as […]
Read MoreBluebird of Happiness
Bluebirds have been symbols of happiness, good health and hope across cultures for ages. Chinese, Europeans, especially the French, Russians, indigenous Americans, and many other peoples have all included bluebirds in uplifting folklore, literature, music and images. Ranging from fairy tales in oral history traditions, to Maurice Maeterlinck’s play “The Bluebird” (one of the works for […]
Read More“Hawk Attacks and Eats Dog” (Not)
For ten months, I have been posting pictures to our neighborhood association’s Listserv of resident and migrating birds visiting our yard. My intentions have been fourfold: 1) To do something, hopefully meaningful, with my new-found free time from sheltering-in-place and moving my office to our front porch and avoiding Atlanta commute time. 2) For neighbors […]
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