Vagrants, Vagabonds, and migrant Visitor birds

Sunday, August 23, 2009

LINK LIZARD SATURDAYS

LINK LIZARD- wHaT I fOuNd iNtErEsTiNg tHis wEeK

http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/Birds/

http://tinyurl.com/Whose-a-birdbrain

http://njkeepitgreen.org/

http://www.birdday.org/

Saturday, August 22, 2009

How many snooty birdwatchers are out there?

I hate to point out the white elephant in the room but the sport of bird watching has a problem. A fair amount of birders are arrogant and unforthcoming with information. I personally don’t see the point in not sharing the passion I have for birds and birding.

There are a number of “snooty” moments I have stored in the back of my brain. Early when I first started going places to see new birds I encountered this attitude of your not worthy. Maybe because I had an interest in birding in my 30’s and didn’t have the elitist binocular brands or clothing. Or was the attitude I was given on that Hawk watch platform up north, directed towards me having a 2year old in a back pack and a six year old tagging along. Who knows but I didn’t let it discourage me. It only altered my behavior, which I’m just realizing was because of that early experience of being snubbed.

My outlook on group events changed. I did not want or need to go on birding outings that I saw advertised in various media outlets. If I encountered a group along a New Jersey trail I would smile and walk by. This was a learned behavior there was no reward for engaging others in my passion. Now if every bird watching outing was a positive experience the learned response would be different.

I’m here to tell you the moral of the story. Avoid letting a few change your attitude and enthusiasm to share the Avian world with anyone and everyone. I can walk into any room and find something birdy to say or share with complete strangers. Or if I’m in the woods I feel that those in the woods with me are friends, and any information I have to expand their enjoyment of the woods I will share.

I still revert back to my earlier behavior from time to time. But for every bird snob out there, there are 2 passionate birders that yield that energy to all they come in contact with. Be a snob if you have to, but don’t expect me to look up to your stuck up nose!

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Purple Martin Festival 2009

If your old enough to remember the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds, than you can imagine the scene at the Mauricetown bridge in Dorchester, just west of Route 47. The birds in this real time movie are Purple Martins, by the 1,000’s. More than 60,000 by expert witnesses’ accounts.

My family was gracious enough to grant me a night out on the town Friday night. So I rushed home and we saddled up and road into South Jersey for the Purple Martin migration party. What a trip, the birds did not disappoint. We arrived around 6 p.m. and was greeted by volunteers from Citizens United and staff from New Jersey Audubon Society. My wife and two daughters were a little skeptical, the only birds in the sky were European starlings. I promised them an experience of extraordinary proportions, a sky full of gorgeous, sleek, and some say magical Purple Martins.

As the sunset the Purple Martins (Progne subis) came streaming overhead, one at time and than by the dozens. The show stopper was after 10,000’s arrived on the phragmities and would lift into the air as one massive cloud. The sky looked like a big scoop of Turkey Hill’s cookies n cream ice cream.

If you get a chance to go, tonight is the last night of the festival on the Maurice river but the birds will most likely be in the area for a few more weeks before the migration to South America begins.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

LINK LIZARD SATURDAYS

LINK LIZARD- wHaT I fOuNd iNtErEsTiNg tHis wEeK

http://tinyurl.com/goldeneagle-kill

http://tinyurl.com/pic-of-a-marvelous-spatuletail

http://tinyurl.com/northern-gannet-release-story

http://preview.tinyurl.com/Last-Birder-in-the-Woods

Sunday, June 14, 2009

A horse is a horse, of course, of course, unless it’s a horseshoe crab!

I apologize for not posting these past few weeks. My family and I have been under the weather for a portion of that time. I refused to go to the doctor after a 4 day fight with a flu bug. I know that was me being a bird brain. But I did it out of fear of being accused of fraternizing with pigs and birds of notorious nature. In addition to all of those accuses for not posting I also was away on business for a week in Lancaster.

After being kept inside for so long my wife insisted that we get outside. She really wanted to see the horseshoe crab and Red Knot phenomenon on the shores of New Jersey. So we took a weekend and headed down to Heislerville in southeastern Cumberland County.

It was a beautiful day and we scored tons of shorebirds.

At East Point the horseshoe crab mania was a delight for the wife and kids.

Kids will gravitate towards nature if you give them an opportunity to experience it.

We did our part and turned over the many stranded head over heals crabs on the shore.

This little guy was a surprise delight.

I picked up a really great and inspirational book on Saturday. The title of the book is Discovery by John K. Terres. I’m not sure if it is even in print anymore. I picked it up at a one of my favorite book stores, the Book Garden in Cream Ridge, N.J. I want to share a quote from one of the many great Naturalist stories contained in the book. Dr. Clarence Cottam said, “Nature is, itself, a great story book, continuously open for all to read and learn from, to discover and enjoy.” That my friends is the inspirational quote for the week. Remember to allow the time for your children to check out the the book of Nature, which inspires curiosity and healthy respect for the world.