Birdchick Podcast

Mom stories--"don't you know who my daughter is" or visiting NWR and it's closed. I was interviewed by a college newspaper and the article is just so darned cute. Love those college reporters. What bothers me most about the zombie genre is addressed in this article on Boing Boing. A brown booby in Buffalo. Alpine swifts are CRAZY flyers. How predatory sounds can affect an ecosystem. Record holding teen birder in the Chicago Tribune. Revisiting sexism in science and nature careers. A science writer is asked to write for Bio Online for free by an editor, she declines and gets called a whore by the editor. This is not acceptable as the now former Biology Online editor has learned. How many of these 13 essential outdoor experiences have you done? Cool photos you should check out: Bald eagle vs great blue heron over a fish and the 2013 Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners have been announced. I thought this noddy photo was the most intriguing: You can read about it here.  

We can't let Non Birding Bill know about this story. Family releases "baby bunny" and it lasts maybe 10 seconds in the wild. Here's a cleansing albino chickadee photo. Calcified bird photos by Nick Brandt. 9 leading causes of bird deaths in Canada. Crazy lady writes about...dinosaur "love." How not to handle criticism. Ducks Unlimited beard app fundraiser. NBB's other podcast. This is a picture of Kabuki, our cockatiel who you sometimes here in the podcast:      

I'm going to make fun of Birding Is Fun and their vest contest because I am adamantly opposed to birding vests and I never wear anything ridiculous ever. At all. Never. Ever.  By the way, here's my picture from the Midwest Birding Symposium 3k Fun Run: Speaking of cool, Luke Musher has 12 recommendations for being a "cooler bird" that are about 75% correct at Nemesis Bird. This is an interesting color test on how well you see color.  I'm wondering how this affects how people see birds? We both took it. Looks like we have documented evidence of a golden eagle grabbing a live deer, killing and eating it. Attempts by golden eagles have been captured before in Illinois and Wisconsin, but this is the first successful kill that has been documented. And then there's this series of photos of a golden eagle attacking wounded antelope (warning: graphic). Eagle with a GoPro Camera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3QrhdfLCO8 Accopian Bird Savers.  

Remember when I got the offer of a free camo bikini? I opted for a camo bedset instead, I actually really like it. And I learned that white vinegar makes a great fabric softener. Owl that was supposed to deliver wedding rings during ceremony, falls asleep instead. Once again migratory birds get caught in the 9/11 Tribute in Lights. Hawaiian petrel found dead in Arizona. We referenced this article in the last podcast but a report came out that 67 eagles have been killed in the last five years at wind turbines. Bird deaths are a cause for concern but considering all the other things that kill eagles, is that so bad? Walter Kitundu presents the most intimate photo of an oxpecker with a giraffe you will see all day. Punk Rock Big Year is test offering bird shirts. The initial design is a red-winged blackbird. 67 eagles killed at wind turbines in 5 years vs 7500 birds killed at one gas flare in Canada in one night.      

When you have breakfast in Sweden you can put any number of things on your toast like honey, mountain berry jam, cheese in a tube, reindeer meat in a tube or caviar in a tube: The Spy Stork Story Facebook bands birding ad for referring to juvenile boobies. Andrew Wallace sent a really cool link to the Birdchick Facebook page from Project Nightjar. It's a game and you click on photos where you think you see one roosting on the ground.  You can play as a mongoose or a monkey, it's very cool. People move to the woods...then complain about the animals. 23 things going on inside the mind of a birder. Story about wind farms killing 65 eagles (both golden and bald) in five years...not that much when you consider that cats kill 5 million birds a year. Principal vs. Deer from My Ordinary Life... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Et0a8fnuw

Incredible series of photos as an osprey attacks a great blue heron. I know, right? American Bird Conservancy is trying to save an Arizona Hummingbird Landmark. Hen Harriers on the brink of extinction in England. Woodpeckers and nuthatches benefit from emerald ash borer. Drinking one's way through the World Series of Birding. OK...I've seen a lot of weird birding things on the Internet...this is high on the list of weird. It's artistic, but it may not be safe for work for everyone, so careful following this link. Basically...it's butt birds. Take Cornell Lab of Ornithology classes online--Be A Better Birder.

Hey all, NBB here. I'm reposting this to try and take care of problems getting the podcast to show up on iTunes. --------- Are you going to the Midwest Birding Symposium? Jeff Gordon was on CBS this morning talking about the wood rail.  Fake Birds on film. We talked about some Camo Trading Company: Things you should check out camo bikinis, a camo thong  and we actually thought the black and white snow bedding was pretty cool but some of the names.  Not sure what it says to have bedding with the pattern "bone collector." Football stadium proposal has to include ways to prevent birds from hitting windows. Yes, you're going to want to watch this: http://youtu.be/XeFxdkaFzRA

Kestrels swallowing big things. House sparrow brick...house. Story from AgWeek about bird pest control...and the even more disturbing US Fish research on secondary poisoning. "De-extincting" the passenger pigeon. Link about Lynn Rogers "bear researcher." Did this raven ask for help? Foie Grois article. Feed the bears.

MARIANA CROW REHABILITATION TECHNICIAN – 1 person needed for 5+ months to assist in the rehabilitation and daily care of critically endangered Mariana Crows on the island of Rota in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas. Duties include regular feeding of birds and cleaning and maintenance of outdoor aviaries. The technician may be responsible for providing basic medical care for current captive crows and any new crows that arrive at the facility in need of first aid attention. A working knowledge of wildlife rehabilitation for birds is a must. There will be opportunities to participate in nest searching and radio telemetry of wild Mariana Crows as well. Requirements: At least one year working with birds (preferably corvids) in rehabilitation situations. Strong interest in the conservation of endangered species. Demonstrated ability to provide exceptional care for rehabilitating birds without direct supervision. A willingness to work nights, sourcing native insects and reptiles for feeding the captive crows. An interest and aptitude for carpentry work (for the maintenance of current aviaries and construction of new aviaries) is desired. Experience monitoring the soft release of rehabilitated or captive raised birds is desirable. The island of Rota is very small and offers few amenities. Experience working in remote locations is preferred. Benefits include round trip airfare to Rota (reimbursed), housing and $1200-1500/month (un-taxed) depending on experience and length of stay. A minimum commitment of 5 months is required and longer commitments (7+ months) are strongly preferred. Send CV and three references to PHIL HANNON via email (EM: philliphannon13 AT yahoo.com). Deadline for applications: July 9th. Applications will be reviewed as submitted. Start date: Early August. For more information visit: http://depts.washington.edu/rabep/index.html In perhaps the avian photobomb of the decade and what is perhaps the first time a video was running when someone documented a brand spanking new US record, Matt Daws got a wood rail while trying to video a least bittern: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oem2RCUtDTs Jeff Gordon interviews our young record bird finder here (he's a handsome fella).   The initial response to the the rufous-necked wood rail: My costume at CONvergence. 5 Ways Science is Humiliating Birds (it's from Cracked, so be warned). Remember that swallows getting caught in the nets for that highway project, judged ruled that the highway project would keep going. OK...we mentioned during the last podcast that there was a rediscovery of the night parrot...well...a photo has been posted as proof...  

The national symbol causes 4th of July fireworks to be moved. Rumors abound that Australia's Night Parrot has been photographed. In Guam, spider populations explode as birds disappear. Why table sugar is ok for birds. The Thai version of Birdchick. It's the Digiscoper of the Year contest. It's the last push for my Digiscoping Big Half Year Fundraiser (but I'm going to do it all year). Here is the current list of photos. If you order a PhoneSkope adapter, make sure to use the code I give you in the Podcast!      

OK Jonathan Franzen wrote a very depressing but incredibly important article for National Geographic about the horrors birds go through migrating between Africa and Europe. It is a must read. I know it's hard, but it's important. A writer asks via the American Birding Association blog: why aren't women in more positions of power in birding? Where did the bird penises go ? Some dude in Indiana finds a fledging bald eagle and decides to take it home to his apartment...and post pictures of it on Facebook.  

Proof I made it in to Canada in 2013. Also in this photo Kelly Blackledge (one of the organizers of the Detroit Lakes Festival of Birds) and Erik Bruhnke--awesome bird guide and an excellent wing man when  you need to block a drunk. Magellanic Woodpecker job. Waterfowl job. Sheepdogs guard Little Penguins from foxes--awesome! Puffins in decline. Good news for the Red Knot. CBS Sunday morning birding segment. Sir Patrick Stewart found a baby bird here is a handy graphic for you:   Not safe for work but HILARIOUS--President Obama vs the National Audubon Society. Via the Onion.  

The LA Times had a jaw dropping headline: Companies Won't Face Charges In Condor Deaths...but how accurate is the reporting? A cat credit for wind farms? Red-winged blackbird riding a red-tailed hawk. Bald eagle foreplay gets out of hand. Alaska eagle party. 6 year old reinstated as Jr Duck Stamp winner. Eye-rolling bird watching article (at least for me).

So. Much. News. Non Birding Bill and I are about to head to Biggest Week in Birding, will we run into you?  We'll both be there the first weekend and just me the second.  If you see us on the boardwalk, please say "hi."   CRAZY migration fallout happened in Texas at South Padre Island. The above is not a weird shaggy vine on a painted palm tree...those are all chimney swifts.  Here's another photo. Check out this photo of a hoard of dickcissel and a lone indigo bunting or this one of orioles. The Jr Duck Stamp was just a mess this year. From the Associated Press having to print a correction to the prize being revoked from the 6 year old. Dude fights off grizzly bear with his spotting scope. Cool photo gallery of hummingbird nests. You must look. Crazy, beautiful red-winged blackbird with some pigment issues. 15 products to prevent birds from hitting windows. A TED talk on duck homosexual necrophilia. I know, right?   The house where Alfred Hitchcock wrote "The Birds" is up for sale.

A California Condor section of sorts. Raptor Center is asking for a little extra help this spring after an influx of injured owls that have been admitted. Holy cow! Thousands of misdirected grebes saved by volunteers in Utah. We gotta pay more attention to pesticides. A very bitter blog from Birdist about state birds. A study  by the National Park Service and the US Geological Survey found that feral cats are directly responsible for killing endangered petrels.