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We all know the recuperative power birding can have, even if it’s a small experience that can turn a bad day into a good one. At eBird, Kelley Nunn and Robin Huff share some wonderful stories about how their own interest in birding, and eBirding, has kept them going through difficult time.
The neurologist I saw back in August 2014 who misdiagnosed me with cerebellar atrophy wasn’t on point with his diagnosis, but did give me some resounding advice on how to cope with chronic illness. As he was measuring my muscle strength, balance, and tremor, he told me a story about a violinist he had seen in concert who became so entranced in her music that she would sway and move with her instrument as though the rest of her world had just disappeared in the feeling of it all. After the concert, someone asked the woman what she felt while playing and she answered,“Bliss.” His advice to me was to find my “violin:” something that was so all-encompassing that it could make the “What’s wrong with me? Will I ever get better?” thoughts about my medical condition disappear. Lucky for me, I already had. Birding is my violin.
Cornell’s All About Birds is a great reference that all birders should appreciate, and Hugh Powell gives users the opportunity to preview a site redesign and offer suggestions on how to make it even more useful.
In early August we’re going to launch a new version of our All About Birds website. The new design focuses on improving our search engine and our article pages—to help you find information quickly and enjoy articles as you read them. Our widely used online species guide stays mostly the same in this redesign—it’s slated for a major overhaul in the coming year.
For the next 2 weeks, we’re inviting you to help us with beta testing the new site—in other words, we’d like you to take a look around the new site and tell us what you think.
The ubiquitous Sanderling, denizen of sandy beaches around the world, gets the literary treatment at Bourbon, Bastards, and Birds by Cassidy Gratton.
they are stitching the sand together. their beaks the needles, weaving together the endless worms. a great golden rug growing and unraveling is the coastline. bill bottomed out, their eye balls leaving faint, ephemeral dents in the sand. are their eyelids closed at moment of whisper impact? to violently stab with your face, forever.
And speaking of under-appreciated birds, Nick Lund at Audubon’s Sketch blog, tackles the lowly House Sparrow.
House Sparrows are very social creatures, feeding and roosting in large flocks. As any college freshman can attest, living in close quarters tends to bring out the worst in people, and the same principle applies to birds. Like rowdy undergrads, birds fight over food or the most desirable mates. But constant fighting isn’t good for anyone, animal or human, so many species develop hierarchies within social groups to avoid such conflicts.
Flammulated Owl is a bird of mystery. Diminutive with soul-piercing black eyes. Highly migratory but difficult to lay eyes on. All sides are on display on a sensational video by Tim Avery at Utah Birders.
There aren’t a lot of videos of Flammulated Owls out there, and despite having seen 100’s and photographed dozens, I have never tried to shoot video… until this week. I shot several short videos, the first of which I am posting here. The bird in question was less than 20′ away and super cooperative.
Join the American Birding Association at www.aba.org!