Like many of you, here at the beginning of spring (April 2020) I find myself alone more often than I’d like these days. I trust our scientists and epidemiologists when they tell us that physical distancing is the most effective way to slow the movement and ultimate impact of SARS-CoV 2, the virus that causes … Continue reading Alone in Springtime
A Lesson from the Playful Bird
Most people that have banded birds for any amount of time know the feeling of nervousness when you approach a mist net and find several young birds all clustered in a tangled mess. This usually means you’ve got a family of fledglings that flew into your banding net at the exact same time. For banders, … Continue reading A Lesson from the Playful Bird
A Migration, of my Own
Bittersweet, no doubt, it has come time to raise my orange snow shovel in surrender to the harsh winter weather of northwestern Pennsylvania, and fly south. As I’ve taught a course called Birds, Ecosystems, and People at Allegheny College over the past several years, one of the units that seems to truly impress and fascinate … Continue reading A Migration, of my Own
An All-Around Solid Bird
When I was young, growing up in North Carolina, the arrival of the Dark-Eyed Junco was a sure sign that winter was on the way. These inconspicuous sparrows breed throughout the high arctic boreal forests during the North American summer and make their way down to more hospitable climates once the fall sets in. They … Continue reading An All-Around Solid Bird
Songbird Sorrow? Do Birds Feel Sadness Too?
Hitting the news circuit just last week was the sobering revelation that songbird populations in North America have declined by 29% –nearly 3 billion birds - over the past fifty years. The news comes from one of the most robust and comprehensive reviews of the status of the avian community ever completed, led by several … Continue reading Songbird Sorrow? Do Birds Feel Sadness Too?
Blurry Binocular Vision
I am reminded each time that I get to teach my class on Birds, Ecosystems, and People that binocular use is not an innate skill for the homo sapiens species. Because I know it takes lots of practice to get the hang of the funky little magnifying contraptions, I try to introduce their use early … Continue reading Blurry Binocular Vision
Promise or Peril?
During the summer months in northwestern Pennsylvania, I spend a good bit of time in patches of forest where I manage a bird banding station for the Institute for Bird Populations MAPS (Mapping Avian Productivity and Survivability) research program. I’ve walked miles and miles through this landscape of maple, ash, and oak over the past … Continue reading Promise or Peril?
Pesky Gulls (and Doubts)
In certain parts of Alaska a confluence of ideal climate conditions, open water, and plentiful prey items support an abundance of America’s national bird - the bald eagle. In some spots bald eagles are so numerous that locals call them the pigeons of the north. Bald eagles amass in this part of the world in … Continue reading Pesky Gulls (and Doubts)
Not Always Blue
I have just returned from a memorable Alaskan adventure. My travel crew and I purposefully ventured to the 49th state in the height of summer, seeking to enhance our chances of favorable weather. The summer months bring plenty to this wild land – where near constant sunlight and warmer temperatures combine for a blooming bonanza … Continue reading Not Always Blue
Wonder
After a long stretch of cold and dreary winter days, spring has finally arrived in northwestern Pennsylvania, bringing with it a bounty of new life! Just the other day I was watching a family of mallard ducklings search for food among the aquatic vegetation in a nearby pond when, as occurs often this time of year, I … Continue reading Wonder
Wisdom on Wings 