Skywatch Friday – American White Pelican
June 19, 2009
Article in: Photography
Going through some photos and found this one from Horicon Marsh last month. Gotta love those Pelicans!!
See more Skywatch Friday photos!!
Phriday Photo – Dickcissel Singing at 800mm
June 19, 2009
Article in: Photography
Dickcissel {Spiza americana} 800mm [Canon 100-400 lens with 2x extender]
Learn more about Dickcissels at Cornell’s All About Birds
Birding Missouri – It Begins!
June 16, 2009
Article in: Birding
Veery has temporarily moved! The Birdfreak Team is partially split for the summer as Veery spends the summer working in Jefferson City, Missouri. Join in on her adventures through a new state and answers this question: How’s the birding in mid-Missouri?
Veery: The internship I will be starting is a GIS position and I will be working on digital maps for brownsite cleanup sites. I am nervous but excited to have such a wonderful opportunity!
I hope to do some birding, explore the area and write some separate posts about the experience. So, until I get settled in…good birding to everyone!
Marketing Monday: If Wrens Could Tweet
June 15, 2009
Article in: Bird Conservation
The House Wrens in our parent’s backyard chatter from pre-dawn to sundown. Their rattling and scolding barely subsides during a thunderstorm and when their voices return, it is a sure sign the rain has stopped.
If wrens could use Twitter they would not have too many followers. Their constant raukus would be overwhelming to even the most obsessed tweeter. The repitition would make it difficult to sift through the onslaught of information.
Tweeting often and about essentially pointless things is poor marketing.
If mockingbirds could use Twitter, they would constantly retweet other people’s messages, never finding a voice of their own. They would surely grab your attention but it would be short-lived as you grew tired of them.
Retweeting is fine, but overdone it is a bad thing. Giving props for others ideas is always a great idea. But coming up with your own spin or thought on a subject is even better.
If Scissor-tailed Flycatchers (or Great Crested Flycatchers in our area) could use Twitter, every tweet would be about themselves, their greatness, and how cool they are. Every detail of their life would be in the forefront.
Self promotion is necessary when using Twitter, but you can only say “Read my blog now” in so many ways before it loses its effect.
So what bird would represent the best tweeter? Perhaps a Prothonotary Warbler. Their eye-catching color would attract a lot of followers. Their subtle, yet strong voice would grab your attention. Their propencity to vanish, providing only fleeting glimpses would leave you hungry for more.
Tweet like a Prothonotary Warbler: be noticeable and unique but not overbearing. Be bold but not self-indulgent. Share your space with other warblers (Twitterers) by retweeting and give your audience a reason to come back for more.
What bird do you think identifies best with Twitter and could provide a better representation than the usual blue bird?
Look for upcoming tips on how to integrate twitter into your blog and make better use of this interesting web application. There are several websites fully dedicated to Twitter, but we’ll bring a focus on how the conservation community can benefit from this free service.
And don’t forget to follow us!!
Bird Photography Weekly #42
June 14, 2009
Article in: Bird Photography Weekly
Join in on the 42nd edition of Bird Photography Weekly
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Phriday Photo – Female Cape May Warbler
June 12, 2009
Article in: Photography
By herself, this bird would probably had gone on the unknown warbler list but her proximity to a bright male Cape May led us to believe she was indeed a Cape May Warbler (and possibly a pair).
Review of The Travails of Two Woodpeckers
June 9, 2009
Article in: Book Reviews
I have long held a fascination with extinct birds, such as the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker. Every bird book I had as a kid included plates of species such as this (and the Carolina Parakeet and others) but did not include a range map. Instead there would be a paragraph that speculated on the bird’s probable extinction. I was fascinated because the author didn’t want to say they were extinct because they hoped they were not.
The Travails of Two Woodpeckers: Ivory-Bills & Imperials, by Noel F.R. Snyder, David E. Brown, and Kevin B. Clark, is another offering amongst recent literature about the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker. What makes this book stand out is that it also covers the Imperial Woodpecker, an equally-fascinating yet less-researched species. The authors, like many others, assume these two species are extinct, despite reported sightings.
The authors set out to “present a reexamination of the causes of the historical decline of both species and to discuss the conservation of implications of these causes” (7). Although they rely heavily on the research James Tanner completed on the Ivory-Bill during the earlier part of last century, they also refute some of his claims. Specifically, they offer a differing view of what caused the Ivory-Bill’s decline. Tanner, and most others, believe that extensive logging of the woodpecker’s habitat led to the demise of the species. Snyder, et. al., suggest that “relentless depredations” by people have long contributed to the decline of the highly-visible and large bird (7). Sadly, no one has studied the Imperial Woodpecker to the extent that Tanner and others have studied the Ivory-Bill.
The first two chapters, one covering each species, include a concise and well-researched ornithological history. They provide an informative read for anyone interested in a historical look at these birds. The third chapter discusses conservation efforts and gives a new viewpoint to the issue. For instance, conservationists have applied Tanner’s research on the Ivory-Bill to the Imperial (due to a lack of research on the Imperial), which the authors of this book believe is a mistake. The authors argue that, by understanding the history of conservation efforts towards these two woodpeckers, conservationists will be better prepared as other species face similar problems.
The book includes many photographs interspersed throughout plus twenty-seven color plates, including the only known photograph of an Imperial Woodpecker. The appendix on known sightings of Imperials is interesting but confusing to the non-scientist.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has a avid interest in conservation and to anyone who is interested in learning more about two intriguing woodpeckers that they will most likely never get to see.
Time Has Run Out for More Trees for Birds
June 8, 2009
Article in: Birding
RIPT Apparel has a new shirt available for birders. But you only have to the end of today to buy it! Check it out now before you’re too late!!
