Wednesday, December 9, 2009
BirdsEye for iPhone
Apparently, we have a new iPhone app with birding in mind. There have actually been quite a few out of the 100k apple says are available on iTunes. Now, I haven't tried it out so this review of mine is pretty much completely uninformed. It combines GPS with a databases of what birds have been found in your area. I then ties into eBird for a field guide. There are some other little things in there like life list integration. I already have iBird Plus and LOVE it. BirdsEye is a compelling app to purchase for my phone, but not for $19.99. Get it down to $5 and I would try it.
Monday, October 12, 2009
God does it again...
In what is being described by advance marketing materials as "the first divine creation in more than 6,000 years," God Almighty, Our Lord Most High, introduced a brand-new species of bird into existence Monday.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Ealges Hunting Dogs?
But of all this, the best part is that Cybil, who lives in Annapolis, near Quiet Waters Park, said that her neighbors are now attributing vanishing cats to these Bald Eagles. Based on this article, no less.
Neighbors heard the barking but thought little of it. When Trubee got home, the racket was still going on. He went out back to find his dachshund Dicky in a rage, barking into the woods, and Moby, his Jack Russell, cowering on the ground, bleeding.
When Trubee probed the tree line to investigate, out hopped a young eagle that took flight for safety. The Jack Russell had more than 20 puncture wounds from repeated eagle attacks, Trubee said, and appears to owe its life to the brave dachshund that fought off the intruder.
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The eaglets weren't done marauding. A few weeks later, I'm told, folks down on the Heron Pond watched in horror as they snatched up a whole family of baby swans.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
NRA Lobbyist Speaks Up On FL State Bird
I love when people humanize the behavior of a non-human to rediculous levels.
NRA lobbyist shoots down rival birds
Whenever someone suggests changing the Florida state bird, the National Rifle Association takes aim at the new critter. Well, not really the NRA, but Marion Hammer, the group’s chief state lobbyist and a definite capital powerhouse.
This time the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission asked schoolchildren to pick a new bird. More than 20,000 voted for the osprey, a raptor also known as the fish hawk.
That didn’t impress Hammer, who loves mockingbirds. And the fact that they are willing to fight larger birds that threaten their nests. “They are very protective of their family and of their territory,” she said. Hammer notes that in this dispute, she is talking for herself, not the NRA, even if she does use NRA-sounding arguments.
In 1999, more than 10,000 schoolchildren signed a petition to change the state bird to the Florida scrub jay. Supporters boasted about how it will eat peanuts right out of a person’s hand.
Hammer was unmoved. “Begging for food isn’t sweet,” she testified in a committee hearing. “It’s lazy, and it’s a welfare mentality.” Scrub jays had lots of other bad habits that disqualified them to represent Florida, she contended. “They eat the eggs of other birds,” she told lawmakers. “That’s robbery and murder.”
Posted by John Chamless at 04:54:52 PM on September 8, 2009
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Monday, July 6, 2009
Is Sibley Wrong?
From The Onion
I don't understand it. How could it have happened a third time? They've had two opportunities to correct it. But there it is, once again. The Sibley Guide To Birds, third printing, page 488: "The dark-eyed junco, a familiar visitor to wintertime bird feeders throughout much of North America, is a species of the junco genus of American finches."
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Warblers at work
At the same time, the birds outside of the office, in woods that surround, were full of song. I couldn't help but take a peak with the binocs. So I found Common Yellowthroat, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Redstart, lots of Grey Catbirds. Also heard Red-eyed Vireo and Ovenbird.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
A New Way to Communicate
Of coarse I've known about Twitter for over a year now. Only recently does it seem to have matured in the sense that its moving beyond the Tech community into mainstream. After all, Oprah is using it.
I've been thinking that it would make a great replacement for the old Listserve of bird sightings. Today, I was playing with it on my iPhone. (I apoligive if this is sounds i-snob, but things work so well on my iphone.) So you make a sighting, post a tweet with a picture and location and BAM! Those that follow you or are part of the community can get it. Now pair that with the Bird guide app and you got something.
Twitter is been a great way to find the local parties for a while. Maybe we can find a use for the older crowd.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Birding while Perking
4/24 Outside of the Jugbay area, Lothian
Coopers Hawk
Chipping Sparrow
Common Yellowthroat
4/27 Fairview on the water
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Towhee
Osprey
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Cardinal
Northern Mockingbird
Blue Jay
Great Blue Heron
Spotted Sandpiper
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
4/28 Brooks Woods Rd, Lothian, Farm
Song Sparrow
Mourning Dove
Chipping Sparrow
American Goldfinch
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
American Robin
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Spring for the Herb home is finaly here
....yet another wasted winter.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Just thank Willie
Parrot honored for warning that girl was choking
Willie, a Quaker parrot, has been given the local Red Cross chapter's Animal Lifesaver Award.
In November, Willie's owner, Megan Howard, was baby-sitting for a toddler. Howard left the room to use the bathroom and the little girl, Hannah, started to choke on her breakfast.
Willie repeatedly yelled "Mama, baby" and flapped his wings, and Howard returned in time to find the girl already turning blue.
Howard saved Hannah by performing the Heimlich maneuver but said Willie "is the real hero."
"The part where she turned blue is always when my heart drops no matter how many times I've heard it," Hannah's mother, Samantha Kuusk, told KCNC-TV. "My heart drops in my stomach and I get all teary eyed."
Willie got his award during a "Breakfast of Champions" event Friday attended by Gov. Bill Ritter and Mayor John Hickenlooper.
As I read, so many thoughts ran through my brain...
Wow, what a wonderful story... what a wonderful bird!
Would our dog, Allegra, provide the same life saving service or would she just wag her tail and knock the choking child to the floor with her tail's massive force?
I wonder what the child was eating?
Perhaps, we need a bird?
Can parents/caregivers not even go to the bathroom without fear of causing death? Must we all have a parrot to ensure the safety of the next generation?
Is it any wonder, I am the distracted birder?
Despite my somewhat irrational thought process, I am always delighted to see a positive avian story make a headline.
Go, Willie!!!!!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
A Quick Look at Jug Bay
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Another wasted weekend
Monday, January 26, 2009
When can a bird sighting be counted?
Now, I've heard several people explain when you can count a bird sighting to your list. Life list or whatever. On a podcast, I've even heard a photographer, Scott Bourne, say that he doesn't count it unless photographed. So, does it require a certain amount of time in order that the bird can be clearly IDed?
I personally go with my own honor system. Though, I have been yelled at by others when I am driving and call out "Ptarmigan!" on the side of the road. Of coarse, I didn't stop driving and everyone was saying, "What", "Where", or "No you didn't". This is usually followed with a friendly name calling session.But, its with friends, so its OK.
I felt very certain that it was a White-tailed Ptarmigan from my quick look and considering we were in the alpine of the Rocky Mountain National Park.
I go back to my point of limited time / limited opportunity. At the time of this sighting, we were driving back to our cabin with a car full of 2 families. Including a 1 year old and two 4 year olds. In days past, it seemed less troublesome to quickly pull over and stalk back for the second look.
The "Distracted Birder" does the best he can with limited fuss.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Cedarhurst on the Bay
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The iPhone
More to come.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
NFL Birds
Sunday, January 4, 2009
House vs Purple Finch
Friday, January 2, 2009
The New Year
As I read and hear of others discussing the beginning of 2009 with bird sightings, I feel that I need to post.