Non Birding Bill and I headed out to my favorite birding spot–Mr. Neil’s yard for some hang out time and a bee check. Since my travel schedule gets insane in spring Hans has taken over keeping the feeders full as he’s taking care of the yard. He does a great job, but sometimes the nectar [ Read More ]
Last year, I got some video of a goldfinch with a receding cap. It appears to be back with the same lackluster black cap: When I watched him all weekend, I didn’t see any females hanging out near his perch. I wonder if his mostly yellow cap could do with a little birdy Rogaine?
As part of my duties as a park ranger, we go out and rove in the park. Basically, we tote around a back pack with park info and you’re on hand to answer questions–it’s fun, it’s a bit like improv. I like to take my scope for birding of course, but it gives me a [ Read More ]
This post is more for my mom than bird related. Tonight we had some flash flooding. Fortunately, Non Birding Bill and I have lived here long enough (and learned the hard way the first year we lived here) that the intersection near our home is prone to flash flooding. Bless NBB’s heart, he tried clearing [ Read More ]
Team eBird has produced a visualization tool that allows you to see where birds have been seen along the Gulf Coast overlaid with a map of the current oil slick and forecasts for the next 72 hours from NOAA. The map highlights ten focal species of conservation concern that are being impacted by the current [ Read More ]
Non Birding Bill may not like to travel with me to go birding, but he knows how much I love it and when he sees a good deal, he lets me know. I’ve been muttering all spring that I’m jonesing for a trip to Harlingen, TX and have been kicking around the idea of meeting [ Read More ]
Just a heads up that right now is an excellent time for peregrine falcon viewing at Lock and Dam 1 in Minneapolis near Minnehaha Creek. I took the above photo of one of the chicks Saturday. Look at that baby peregrine–doesn’t it look like quite the thug? Here’s a screen capture of the dam from [ Read More ]
Ha! That kind of rhymes. Non Birding Bill just reminded me to put a note in the blog that there are some fun events this weekend. 1. Is a thing called Nerd Party which is going on all weekend. On Saturday at 6:30pm, they are having a nerd costume contest and I get to be [ Read More ]
My buddy Carrol Henderson has a knack for finding and capturing unusual wildlife circumstances. Note the great crested flycatcher below: Carrol was at Bob Farmes Pool road at the Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge on Sunday, June 6, 2010. He noted that this great crested flycatcher had an exceptional amount of aberrant yellow plumage over its [ Read More ]
Well thanks to the wonder that is the internet, I’ve seen the following clip. I got it from Tim Gallagher and it’s so weird, I have to share it. So here we go, a clip from the movie Isn’t It Shocking with Alan Alda and Louise Lasser discussing woodpeckers at the feeder:
