Floyd Hayes—Birder and Ornithologist

Here?s a nice profile from the St. Helena (California) Star. Hayes is a biology professor at Pacific Union College and an intrepid birder.

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Florida Records of Ivory-billed Woodpecker Rejected

Meeting at the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida in Gainesville on January 27, 2007, members of the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC) voted 0-7 to NOT ACCEPT reports of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker along the lower Choctawhatchee River, 2005-2006.

The relevant portions of the FOSRC?s April 2007 report reads as follows:

RC 06-610. Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Campephilus principalis. 21 May 2005- 26 April 2006. Choctawhatchee River, Washington/Bay/Walton cos. A population of unknown size has been reported by a team from Auburn University from the lower Choctawhatchee River. There have been a few sightings but no photographs, some interesting recordings of ?kent? calls and of double rap drums, and photographs taken of cavities and bark scaling. These observations were made on the heels of the much-publicized ?rediscovery? of the species in Arkansas (Fitzpatrick et al 2005). The species had not been documented to occur since 1944. The video documentation of the bird(s) from Arkansas, however, has been debated by many, although the record was accepted by the Arkansas Bird Records Committee. Our Committee felt that given the controversy of the Arkansas evidence, the species is best considered still extinct. Therefore only evidence that undoubtedly showed a living bird would be considered sufficient to accept a report.

The last specimen taken in Florida was in 1925; there have been numerous sight reports of varying credibility since, and one record of a feather found in a nest cavity in 1968 that was identified as an Ivory-billed Woodpecker inner secondary by Alexander Wetmore.

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Black-footed Ferrets and Steamy Romance Novels

What could be more appropriate for Valentine?s Day than a discussion of romance novels, especially when that discussion involves plagiarism by a romance novelist of text from an article in a natural history magazine?

Our juicy tale begins with nature writer Paul Tolme?s revelation that significant portions of his story about Black-footed Ferrets, published in Defenders Magazine in summer 2005, subsequently appeared (without attribution) in a romance novel by Cassie Edwards called Shadow Bear, in which the main characters engage in some remarkably unromantic post-coital discussions about the lives of ferrets. A 17-minute interview with Tolme on NPR?s Talk of the Nation can be downloaded here.

Ms. Edwards?s egregious transgressions were first brought to light in a 5-part series by Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Books. PodBlack Cat later expanded upon this story to produce a fascinating essay about the psychology behind the massive romance novel genre. After briefly reviewing the incredible array of sexual behaviors found in the animal kingdom, she suggests that ?we should encourage more animal-related stories in general as material fit for encouraging a love of reading and science? er, as well as learning about how love is really a fascinating topic and not something to be fearful of discussing in a rational, informed way.?

For those of you eager for still more, a blogsearch reveals a ton more of stuff about this tawdry affair. What fun!

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Great Backyard Bird Count 2008

Today's the day, folks. The first day of the 2008 Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), an annual four-day citizen-science event to identify, count, tabulate, and map the birds frequenting backyards, neighborhoods, parks, and refuges across the continent. You don't have to be an expert birder to participate. The only qualification is that you have an interest in birds and some basic knowledge of bird identification and familiarity with the birds of your neighborhood. It's a great way to bring excitement to what could otherwise be a cold, snowy, and dreary February weekend. It's a great way to introduce your friends, spouse, or kids to the joys of gold old-fashioned bird watching. Need a little extra motivations? Just check out the GBBC Blog (new this year). That should get the adrenalin flowing. Then grab your binoculars and start counting the birds in your backyard! Oh yeah, don't forget to submit your results online at the end of the day.

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Ivory-billed Woodpecker Documentation in Arkansas

In November 2006, I expressed surprise that the Arkansas Bird Records Database (as then available, including records through December 2005) made no mention of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (IBWO). That apparent oversight has now been rectified.

The current version of the ABRD (as downloaded on 2/14/2008) includes one record for the IBWO that has been recognized as valid by the Arkansas Bird Records Committee (ABRC), that being the single bird observed by Tim Gallagher and Bobby Harrison at Bayou de View, Monroe County, on February 27, 2004. This report is assigned ?RecNo? 11744 and the ?Comment? column contains the following brief remark:

David Luneau submitted a Verifying Documentation written [emphasis added] on 4/25/04. Ver. Doc. #961.

Astute readers will recall that the Luneau video, Fitzpatrick et al.'s (2005) (.PDF) piece de resistance, was filmed on 4/25/04, the same date on which his ?verifying documentation? is said to have been written, but was not received by the ABRC to review until June 17, 2005. The news release announcing the decision of the ABRC to change the status of the IBWO in Arkansas from ?extirpated? to ?present? mentions review only of evidence gathered in the Cache River in April 2004. Which leaves me to wonder which record of the IBWO is it that the ABRC has accepted, Gallagher and Harrison?s February sighting or Luneau?s video? Am I being overly critical of the ABRC?s documentation, or are there inconsistencies with this record ("RecNo" 11744) that need to be explained in greater clarity?

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My Friday Great Backyard Bird Counts in West Virginia

I got out briefly today to conduct two counts in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The results follow:

Locality: 25401, Martinsburg, Berkeley County, WV
Observation Date: FEB 15, 2008
Start Time: 12:30 PM
Total Birding Time: 30 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: excellent
Weather: excellent
Snow Depth: Less than 2 in (5.1 cm)
Habitat(s):
- deciduous woods
- suburban
- freshwater
Number of Species: 8
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
- Wood Duck - 1
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 3
- American Crow - 1
- Tufted Titmouse - 4
- White-breasted Nuthatch - 3
- European Starling - 1
- Northern Cardinal - 2
- House Finch - 7
Comments:
- Site covered was War Memorial Park and adjacent
Tuscarora Creek.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Locality: 25401, Martinsburg, Berkeley County, WV
Observation Date: FEB 15, 2008
Start Time: 1:15 PM
Total Birding Time: 15 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: excellent
Weather: excellent
Snow Depth: Less than 2 in (5.1 cm)
Habitat(s):
- urban
- freshwater
Number of Species: 2
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
- Hooded Merganser - 8
- American Crow - 1
Comments:
- Site covered was an abandoned quarry now filled
with water.

In total, I tallied 31 individuals of 9 species. At the time I submitted the checklists in late afternoon, I had seen two species that had not yet been reported from West Virginia by other GBBC participants: Wood Duck and Hooded Merganser.

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Surrounded By Aliens

I did a quick Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) this morning in my very "weedy" (i.e., alien-infested) urban backyard in downtown Martinsburg, West Virginia. Here are the results:

Locality: 25401, Martinsburg, Berkeley County, WV
Observation Date: FEB 16, 2008
Start Time: 8:30 AM
Total Birding Time: 15 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: excellent
Weather: excellent
Snow Depth: No snow was present
Habitat(s):
- urban
Number of Species: 8
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
- Rock Pigeon - 25
- Mourning Dove - 2
- Blue Jay - 3
- Fish Crow - 1
- European Starling - 30
- Dark-eyed Junco - 1
- Northern Cardinal - 3
- House Sparrow - 20

I take solace in the fact that my lone Fish Crow is the first to be reported from West Virginia by GBBC participants as of 5:45 PM (EST). The Fish Crow has become a fairly common year-round resident in the Eastern Panhandle.

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Robins and the Great Backyard Bird Count

In recent years, it has dawned on me that the first American Robins (Turdus migratorius) of the year appear in my backyard sometime during President's Day weekend, coincident with the Great Backyard Bird Count. Is that merely because I spend more time in the backyard on the alert for whatever birds might be about, or does it reflect an actual influx of robins into the neighborhood. This graph from ebird (which shows the frequency with which American Robins are reported in West Virginia) indicates a major influx of birds into the State between mid-February and the first of March. This trend leads me conclude that these are not birds that have lingered undetected in the neighborhood all winter, but are in fact early-arriving migrants that have wintered further south.

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Sunday Great Backyard Bird Counting in West Virginia

I managed to get out for two counts today, with the following results:

Locality: 25401, Martinsburg, Berkeley County, WV
Observation Date: FEB 17, 2008
Start Time: 9:00 AM
Total Birding Time: 1 hour
Party Size: 1
Skill: excellent
Weather: excellent
Snow Depth: No snow was present
Habitat(s):
- deciduous woods
- scrub
- rural
- freshwater
Number of Species: 17
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
- Canada Goose - 6
- Mallard - 12
- Killdeer - 1
- Rock Pigeon - 3
- Mourning Dove - 5
- Belted Kingfisher - 1
- Downy Woodpecker - 1
- Hairy Woodpecker - 2
- American Crow - 5
- Carolina Chickadee - 2
- Tufted Titmouse - 1
- Carolina Wren - 2
- European Starling - 4
- White-throated Sparrow - 5
- Dark-eyed Junco - 1
- Red-winged Blackbird - 5
- Common Grackle - 1
Comment:
- Site was Poor House Farm Park.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Locality: 25401, Martinsburg, Berkeley County, WV
Observation Date: FEB 17, 2008
Start Time: 2:15 PM
Total Birding Time: 15 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: excellent
Weather: good
Snow Depth: No snow was present
Habitat(s):
- urban
Number of Species: 5
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
- Rock Pigeon - 39
- American Crow - 2
- Northern Mockingbird - 1
- European Starling - 1
- House Sparrow - 15
Comment:
- Site was my backyard.

All told, I tallied 115 individuals of 19 species. As of 10:15 PM (EST) my Belted Kingfisher is the first reported for Martinsburg by GBBC participants.

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Great Backyard Bird Counting in Michigan

I was looking forward to the opportunity of doing the GBBC in my new backyard in southwestern Michigan this year, but circumstances demanded that I return to West Virginia to attend to some personal affairs. Fortunately, best birding-buddy Marj was kind enough to do two counts for me. Here are her results:

Locality: 49107, Buchanan, Berrien County, MI
Observation Date: FEB 15, 2008
Start Time: 9:00 AM
Total Birding Time: 1 hour
Party Size: 1
Skill: fair
Weather: excellent
Snow Depth: 8 - 10 in (20.3 - 25.4 cm)
Habitat(s):
- deciduous woods
- suburban
- freshwater
Number of Species: 15
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
- Canada Goose - 5
- Downy Woodpecker - 2
- Blue Jay - 2
- Black-capped Chickadee - 6
- Tufted Titmouse - 2
- Red-breasted Nuthatch - 1
- White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
- American Tree Sparrow - 12
- Song Sparrow - 2
- Dark-eyed Junco - 30
- Northern Cardinal - 5
- Purple Finch - 2
- Common Redpoll - 30
- American Goldfinch - 4
- House Sparrow ? 2

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Locality: 49107, Buchanan, Berrien County, MI
Observation Date: FEB 16, 2008
Start Time: 8:30 AM
Total Birding Time: 1 hour
Party Size: 1
Skill: fair
Weather: excellent
Snow Depth: 8 - 10 in (20.3 - 25.4 cm)
Habitat(s):
- deciduous woods
- suburban
- freshwater
Number of Species: 14
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
- Cooper's Hawk - 1
- Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2
- Downy Woodpecker - 2
- Blue Jay - 2
- American Crow - 1
- Black-capped Chickadee - 5
- Tufted Titmouse - 2
- Red-breasted Nuthatch - 1
- American Tree Sparrow - 4
- Dark-eyed Junco - 8
- Northern Cardinal - 2
- Purple Finch - 2
- Common Redpoll - 5
- American Goldfinch ? 1

All together, a total of 144 individual of 18 species were recorded in our yard over the course of the two days, most of them visiting the feeders.

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The Other “C-Word”

Most of the mainstream news media were atwitter over Jane Fonda?s use of the "c-word "on NBC?s Today Show last week while explaining her involvement in a performance of The Vagina Monologues. More enlightened (and, I must say, much more interesting) commentaries are found here and here. And if you haven?t figured it out yet, the ?c-word? is a four-letter derogatory name for vagina.

This whole silly episode reminded me of the other ?c-word.? Cock is one of those intriguing words in the English language that, depending on the context in which it?s used, can be considered either acceptable or obscene. A quick check of any dictionary reveals that cock has many definitions.

Cock frequently crops up in the vernacular of birders, ornithologists, and wildlife biologists when referring to a male bird, especially one of the gallinaceous variety. For example, make reference to a cock pheasant in mixed company and no one is likely to raise an eyebrow. Cock also appears in the common English names of a few species (e.g., cocks-of-the-rock, snowcocks, and woodcocks).

There are many other acceptable uses of cock, such as ballcock, cockpit, cocksure, cocktail, cock-and-bull, cock-eyed, poppycock, and shuttlecock, to name but a few, and (most incredibly) as a surname.

Cock is also a slang term for penis, of course, a usage which is considered an obscenity never to be used in polite company. Thus, unlike that other unsavory ?c-word,? cock is a word that can be socially acceptable or obscene, depending strictly on usage and context. Strange, eh?

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The Nature Blog Network—Popularity vs Quality

Billed as The Toplist for Every Species of Nature Blog, the Nature Blog Network (NBN) sees itself as ?a resource for the very best nature blogs on the net?based on actual page views.? Simply counting page views is a great way to indicate the popularity of a blog, but popularity does not necessarily correlate with quality.

My fear is that people who use the NBN will tend to focus only on the top blogs (i.e., those that appear at or near the top of the list), thereby missing blogs that may rival the top blogs in quality, but which for various reasons have not achieved the popularity of the ?toplist? blogs.

I pride myself in maintaining an extensive list of bird blogs on my blogroll. I currently feature some 313 active blogs (221 North American, 70 European, 13 Asian, 5 Australian, 3 African, and 2 South American). Of the 60 bird blogs listed on the NBN today, nearly half of them (29) are not now included on my blogroll (in most cases, because I was unaware of their existence).

My conclusion is that the NBN is a great resource for locating and accessing bird blogs, but if you just focus on those at the top of the list you?ll be missing out on some high-quality writing and photography. In reality, the NBN will never replace the Google blog search in utility (i.e., ability to readily access blog posts on topics of interest). And finally, your bird blog won?t appear in the NBN at all unless you take the time (just a few seconds, really) to join. So get busy!

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Hybrids or Distinct Species?

Christopher Taylor?s interesting review and commentary on Errol Fuller?s The lost birds of paradise (1995) ponders the difficulty of determining with certainty the taxonomic status of forms known from very few specimens.

As an aside, he offers this observation:

a major factor in the decline of popularity of plumes [in the U.S. fashion industry] was actually the rise in popularity of the motor-car - ornate plumed hats being decidedly impractical for wearing in open-topped cars.

Whether this is speculation on Taylor's part or is attributable to Fuller, I don't know, but I found it interesting as I don't believe I have ever before seen a claim made for this association. But it does seem to make logical sense.

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Melvin A. Traylor--Obituary

Noted ornithologist Melvin A. Traylor Jr. (1915-2008) has died at age 92. Traylor was long associated with the Chicago Field Museum, for whom he conducted collecting expeditions to Africa and Latin America. Traylor specialized in flycatchers of the family Tyrannidae.

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Forthcoming Book on Audubon

The book?scheduled for publication by the LSU Press in April?is A summer of birds: John James Audubon at Oakley House, by Danny Heitman.

As described by the LSU Press:

As the summer of 1821 began, John James Audubon's ambition to create a comprehensive pictorial record of American birds was still largely a dream. Then, out of economic necessity, Audubon came to Oakley Plantation, a sprawling estate in Louisiana's West Feliciana Parish. Teeming with what Audubon described as an "almost supernatural" abundance of birds, the woods of Oakley galvanized his sense of possibility for one of the most audacious undertakings in the annals of art.

In A Summer of Birds, journalist and essayist Danny Heitman sorts through the facts and romance of Audubon's summer at Oakley, a season that clearly shaped the destiny of the world's most famous bird artist. Heitman draws from a rich variety of sources?including Audubon's own extensive journals, more recent Audubon scholarship, and Robert Penn Warren's poetry?to create a stimulating excursion across time, linking the historical man Audubon to the present-day civic and cultural icon. He considers the financial straits that led to Audubon's employment at Oakley as a private tutor to fifteen-year-old Eliza Pirrie, Audubon's family history, his flamboyance as a master of self-invention, his naturalist and artistic techniques, and the possible reasons for his dismissal. Illustrations include photographs of Oakley House?now a state historic site?Audubon's paintings from his Oakley period, and portraits of the Pirrie family members.

A favorable combination of climate and geography made Oakley a birding haven, and Audubon completed or began at least twenty-three bird paintings?among his finest work?while staying there. A Summer of Birds will inform and delight readers in its exploration of this eventful but unsung 1821 interlude, a fascinating chapter in the life of America's foremost bird artists. It is an indispensable pleasure for birders, Audubon enthusiasts, and visitors to Oakley House.

This book would appear be of interest to all Audubonophiles.

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I and the Bird #69

The 69th edition of the I and the Bird carnival is now available, hosted by Grrlscientist at Living the Scientific Life. Take the quiz and you might win a free book.

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My February BiGBY List

This report continues my monthly tally of species observed on a BiGBY (Big Green Big Year) being conducted in Buchanan, Michigan. It consists of species seen from my house or yard or while engaged in Walking or other modes of Self-Propelled transportation that originated from my house (i.e., no fossil fuels were burned in recording any of the species on this list). In the following list, species recorded for the first time this month are indicated by an asterisk (*), while those not seen in or from the house or yard are italicized:

Canada Goose
Great Blue Heron
Cooper's Hawk
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker*
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker*
Northern Flicker*
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tufted Titmouse
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Eastern Bluebird*
European Starling
Northern Cardinal
SPOTTED TOWHEE (5th Michigan record)
American Tree Sparrow
Song Sparrow*
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Common Redpoll
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

February BiGBY List = 27 species.
February Yard List = 25 soecies.
2008 BiGBY List = 30 species.
2008 Yard List = 27 species.

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Migrant Waterfowl

The following message was posted to the listserv of the Berrien Birding Club on Friday, March 7th:

About an hour ago [i.e., about 11:30 am], I stopped to check some open water at the outlet of Pike Lake, which is located on the south side of U.S. 12 about 1 mile east of Dayton Lake in southern Berrien County [Michigan].

Amongst the numerous resident Canada Geese and Mallards, I found about a half-dozen Wood Ducks, a pair of Northern Shovelers, a pair of American Wigeon, at least one [American] Black Duck, and a Mute Swan.

Of special note was a "Canada-type" goose that appeared no larger than the nearby Mallards. It would behoove someone with a decent spotting scope to check this bird more closely for the possibility of Cackling Goose.

The Early Spring 2008 (Volume 12, No. 1) issue of The Berrien Bird Observer, the newsletter of the Berrien Birding Club notes that five Cackling Geese were recorded on the Niles Christmas Bird Count. Niles is located about 5-7 miles east of Pike Lake.

When I check the outflow this afternoon, only the resident Canada Geese, the pair of Northern Shovelers, and the Mute Swan were present. The amount of open water available was much reduced from yesterday.

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Peenting and Winnowing

The first known occurrence of the American Woodcock (Philohela minor) in Berrien County, Michigan, in spring 2008 was a bird reported by Dick Schinkel (via the Berrien Birding Club listserv) that was heard peenting briefly behind his house at 8:15 pm on Sunday, April March 9.

Monday, April March 10, saw temperatures warm into the mid 40's, melting most of the snow that had remained in open areas. Prompted by Dick's report, Marj and I took a late-evening crepuscular walk down the top of the earthen dam (and abandoned right-of-way of the New York Central Lines) that forms Crescent Lake. We left the house at 8 pm, by which time temperatures were hovering around 32 degrees. The clear skies gave us nice views of a smiling crescent moon and stars, but the hoped-for woodcock and owls did not materialize in the half-hour we spent outside.

Tuesday evening, April March 11, was uncomfortably cold with a stiff, raw wind blowing, affording little likelihood of hearing woodcocks or owls.

Wednesday evening, April March 12, was warm (with temperatures hovering around 40 degrees at 8 pm) and calm. A perfect evening for listening for night birds. This night, we decided to carry folding lawn chairs a couple of hundred yards to a shrubby area on the edge of a swamp that I thought had much potential for woodcocks. We enjoyed the calls of late-departing Canada Geese and Ring-billed Gulls as they flew over in the fading light, and marvelled at the silhouettes of the scraggly and misshapen branches of scraggly shrubs against the dark-blue night sky, but we again struck out on hearing woodcocks. Chilled, we walked back to the house at 8:30 pm.

Thursday evening, April March 13 was perfect, with an 8 pm temperature of about 50 degrees and virtually no wind. After two strikeouts, I decided to listen for woodcocks this evening from the comfort of our own deck. Eureka! At about 8:10 pm, I heard a woodcock peenting in a brushy area not too far behind the barn. I quietly walked to the far corner of the barn. From that vantage point, I could also faintly hear the winnowing sound made by air rushing through the bird's feathers as it tumbled slowly back to the ground after reaching the apex of it's flight display. The bird continued peenting and winnowing until about 8:25 pm. How cool to hear a displaying woodcock from the convenience of our own deck!

Addendum: It appears that the early switch to Daylight Savings Time, in concert with unseasonably warm and sunny weather, lured me into thinking that we had jumped ahead to April!

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Way Too Easy for a Life Bird

The directions to the Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus), as posted on the Berrien Birding Club listserv, read something like this (and I paraphrase):

From Three Oaks [Berrien County, Michigan] drive north on Three Oaks Road about three miles to the Riverside Cemetery. Turn right at the second (northernmost) entrance to the cemetery, turn right at the first crossroad, look for the water spigot on the right-hand side of the road and pull over at that point. Look for the orange traffic cone on your right. Walk about 20 feet to the orange traffic cone on your right [which had been conveniently place there by Kirk Schrader, who made the original discovery], stop at that point, and look straight up about 10 feet.

And it was that incredibly easy! Roosting there in the lower-most branches of an ancient conifer at about 1:30 pm on Friday, March 14, was a sleepy-eyed Northern Saw-whet Owl. This little owl has been using this roost site for some time judging from the accumulation of droppings and pellets on the ground. And don't dare ask me what number this species is on my life list, 'cause I have no idea. Does this make me a bad birder? No, just a lackadaisical one.

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Crescent View Chronicles--March 18, 2008

This is the first of what I hope will be a continuing series of articles chronicling seasonal changes in the wildlife of Crescent View neighborhood and adjacent areas (i.e., Crescent Lake, deciduous woodlands, marshes, and scrubby habitats) of Buchanan Township, Berrien County, Michigan.

For the first time in a while, nighttime temperatures failed to dip below freezing. We awakened to fog, overcast skies, and light mist. Crescent Lake remains mostly frozen, save for a narrow fringe of open water around the perimeter. A somewhat more extensive area of open water exists at the extreme southern (presumably shallower) end of the lake.

There, I witnessed the first major waterfowl flight (more like grounding?) of the year on Crescent Lake, or at least the first that I have witnessed). In addition to the birds that have been present off and on throughout the winter--Mute Swans (2 counted today), resident Canada Geese (28 counted today, including four pairs staking out prospective nesting territories), and Mallards (a pair noted today)--there was a nice mixed-flock of Lesser Scaup and Ring-necked Ducks (10 scaup and 17 ring-necks) and a lone American Coot, all first-of-the-year sightings for the lake. I also heard a Belted Kingfisher chattering. Other waterbirds noted on the lake this month include Great Blue Heron (on the 16th) and Killdeer (on the 13th).

Addendum: A second hike to the south end of Cresent Lake at about 5 pm produced two additional species: a pair of Wood Ducks and a male Hooded Merganser, both first-of-the-year sightings for the lake.

I also neglected to mention the daily presence of Ring-billed Gulls over the lake enroute to and from a nearby sanaitary landfill. This evening, an unending string of gulls flew over the lake in a northerly direction between 5:15 and 5:30 pm.

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"Why Don't We Do it in the Road"

We were reminded of these lyrics from the Beatle's song of the same title this afternoon when, coming over a rise on Second Street Road heading west out of Galien, Michigan, we spotted several free-ranging Domestic Chickens crossing the secondary road. When we then noticed some wild flapping of wings directly ahead of us in the roadway, we realized, we realized that a rooster was, well, doing "it" with one of the hens. Right there in the middle of the road! That was preposterous enough, but when then he was reluctant to yield to our approaching car, instead puffing out his chest as if to say, "This is my territory, and I'll defend it against anyone or anything that intrudes on it, no matter how big." It is the season, after all, but this kind of behavior is not conducive to passing on the gene pool.

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Penguins Can Fly? Say It Ain't So!

Watch the incredible video footage here!

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Ducks' Revenge

A funny commercial for Woodpecker Beer (or is it a cider?), an Australian brew:

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Economics of Ivory-billed Woodpecker Recovery

An old, but still relevant, item posted by Tim Haab (a professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics at Ohio State University) on the Environmental Economics blog questions the economic soundness of spending $27 million on recovery efforts for a species whose continued existence is still in doubt. Also be sure to read the comments.

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Field Notes from the Past #5

Being a continuation of field-journal entries from the springs of 1962 and 1963 when I was a budding ornithologist of just 15 or 16 growing up in the rural village of Galien in Berrien County, Michigan.

April 12 [1963], Good Friday

Got out of school at 11:30 A.M. and went bird-watching in the afternoon. The first Brown Thrasher of the year was seen, a singing male. I added the Common [=Wilson's] Snipe and the Pied-billed Grebe to my life list bringing it to a total of 110 species. I believe I have seen the Common Snipe before but misidentified [it] as a [American] Woodcock, a similar species. Because of this, my records of the Woodcock should not be recognized as accurate.

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Five Years Ago in Birds Etcetera

Some "gems" from April 12, 2003:

A Murder of Fish Crows

Cormorants for Sale on eBay

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Field Notes from the Past #6

Being a continuation of field-journal entries from the springs of 1962 and 1963 when I was a budding ornithologist of just 15 or 16 growing up in the rural village of Galien in Berrien County, Michigan.

April 13 [1962], Friday

When I woke up this morning, there was two inches of snow on the ground, and it was nearly a blizzard outside. However, it soon stopped snowing and before dark, there was barely a trace of snow on the ground.

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Field Notes from the Past #7

Being a continuation of field-journal entries from the springs of 1962 and 1963 when I was a budding ornithologist of just 15 or 16 growing up in the rural village of Galien in Berrien County, Michigan.

April 13 [1963], Saturday

Worked all day in the [IGA Grocery] store. Walking home at 8:00 PM I thought I heard in the distance what sounded like the barking of a chorus of dogs. Upon listening closer, I recognized it as the "honking" of [Canada] Geese. It was almost pitch dark but I could make out a large flock of geese as [it] flew almost directly overhead on it's way north. I had always thought of geese as migrating only during the day. This is the first time I had ever heard the honking of geese at such close range and it's a sound I shall never forget. It is certainly a call of the wild and must [be] unforgetable [sic] when heard in the wilderness.

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One Year Ago in Birds Etcetera

Some "gems" from April 13, 2007:

Birder Indicted for Killing Cat

The Way Things Used to Be: Passenger Pigeons

Bird Watching With Children

T-rex in the Hen House?

Some Really Fine Blogs Out There!

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Field Notes from the Past #8

Being a continuation of field-journal entries from the springs of 1962 and 1963 when I was a budding ornithologist of just 15 or 16 growing up in the rural village of Galien in Berrien County, Michigan.

April 14 [1963], Easter Sunday

Went bird-watching early in the morning and set out one bluebird house along the railroad tracks [east of Galien]. I collected some minute organizms [sic] from a small pond on the floor of the woods. In the evening I examined them under a microscope. I saw organisms which resembled a small clam, a transparent ball, and one which I swear was a spider. It was round in shape and bright red with four pairs of legs. I also observed "wigglers", the larvae of the mosquitoe [sic]. I saw the first migrant Brown Creeper and added the Hermit Thrush to my [life] list, number 111.

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One Year Ago in Birds Etcetera - 4/14/07

A "gem" from April 14, 2007:

Rampalicious

Ducks' Revenge

A funny commercial for Woodpecker Beer (or is it a cider?), an Australian brew:

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Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker, originally uploaded by Abraham Lincoln's Photography.

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Starling with Leucism

Starling with Leucism, originally uploaded by Abraham Lincoln's Photography.

Leucism (occasionally spelled leukism) is a general term for the phenotype resulting from defects in pigment cell differentiation and/or migration from the neural crest to skin, hair or feathers during development. This results in either the entire surfac

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Starling couple

Starling couple, originally uploaded by oldmanlincoln 2010.

Looks like a Christmas card. I really don't mind starlings after having studied them for about 30 years. I also like Grackles.

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Brown Thrasher

720_brownthrasher_042707_10, originally uploaded by oldmanlincoln 2010.

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Downy Woodpecker

720_2806, originally uploaded by oldmanlincoln 2010.

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White-throated Sparrow

white-throated_sparrow_1293, originally uploaded by oldmanlincoln 2010.

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Eastern Towhee

555-eastern-towhee_5181, originally uploaded by oldmanlincoln 2010.

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Baltimore Oriole

baltimore-oriole_0903, originally uploaded by oldmanlincoln 2010.

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