Guest Blogging Day 6: Holly

NBB here. Hope you all had a good weekend! We're back today with an entry from a young birder named Holly, who documents a familiar feeling to all birders: getting nooged, as Sharon puts it.

Hi! My name is Holly, I am 9 years old. Me and my dad, and my brother went looking for the Great Horned Owl of Dakota County. I was so excited; I hurried and grabbed my binoculars, my birding book, put on my coat and I was outta there!!

It took a long time to get there because we missed the exit; my dad got frustrated.

As we got back on track we found the spot, we parked and got outta the car. We had to climb a wall and step on a lamp post, then my dad helped me up.

I looked at the nest through my binoculars while my dad took three pictures.
He tried to take a picture of the nest with his cellphone using the binoculars; it was cool!!
We then crossed the street and went in the tall grass that went crunch, crunch. We went in until we were in front of the tree. I saw that the tree used to be an old treehouse. The nest was very high up.

We went back across the street and went in the car and left.

It was fun, but we did not find the Great Horned Owl, and that was fine with me!

Thanks for sharing your adventure with us, Holly. Learning to enjoy birding even when you don't see the bird is a big part of becoming a birder. Enjoying warmth and sleeping in, however, can lead to raging sanity. FYI.

Okay, we'll be back tomorrow!

Guest Blogging Day 5: Jeff Fischer

Welcome back for Day 5 of the Swarovski Optik Guest Blogging Contest. Sharon's checked in from Guatemala and wants you to know how thrilled she is with both the quality of the entries and all your comments. Today's guest Blogger is Jeff Fischer of Ecobirder.

Every year as winter engulfs North America many birders make like the birds and fly south for the winter. Many of them head to the big birding destinations down south, like Ding Darling, Brownsville or the Bosque del Apache, but for those birders that choose to don mukluks instead of flip flops and spread on lip balm instead of sun screen and brave the sub zero temps of Minnesota the reward can be great. While Minnesota may not have the variety of birds that can be found in the south, during the winter time, it does have some thing that many birders are looking to add to their life list, and that is winter owls.
The first owls to arrive each year seem to be the snowy owl. These ground nesters spend their summer up on the tundra of the arctic circle where they work to keep the lemming population in control. When winter comes young snowies, like the one pictured above, that do not yet have their own territory often venture south in search of food.

Since they are used to open spaces of the tundra they are typically drawn to farm fields, frozen lakes and airports. The international airport in Bloomington, MN has been a winter home for snowies for the past several years. This year there has been an irruption of snowies in Minnesota, Wisconsin and other northern states. Typically irruptions are due to a crash in the food supply but the thought this year is that it was such a good year for snowy reproduction that there were more snowies then the habitat up north could support during the winter. So more have headed south.

Soon after the snowies begin to pass through there are typically reports of northern hawk owls in the northern portions of Minnesota. These birds spend their summer up in Canada, Alaska and Siberia hunting mice and voles. Although they are a member of the owl family northern hawk owls are built very similarly to hawks with short wings and long tails.
Since they are diurnal, they hunt during the day, they are one of the easiest northern owls to find. there are currently reports of around 6 northern hawk owls in the Sax Zim Bog and Aitkins County area in Northern Minnesota.

One of the prized owls that many birders look for is the great gray owl. Even though their are a few nesting pair in northern Minnesota as well as those that migrate down looking for food these owls are much more difficult to find. They are adapt at camouflaging their two and a half foot form, which is the largest of the North American Owls.
Northern Minnesota became one of the highlight of the bird world in the winter of 2004 and 2005 when over 5000 great gray owls irrupted into northern Minnesota. While it was a great opportunity to see wild great grey owls it was also very sad. They came south in great numbers to find food when the vole population in Canada crashed. Many starved to death or where hit by cars as they hunted night and day to find food.

Probably the most difficult owl to find is the small secretive boreal owl. I have not yet seen one in the wild, this is Boreas our education boreal from The Raptor Center, even though each year typically a few are spotted in Northern Minnesota.

There are also our resident owls, like great horned, barred and eastern screech owl. Winter is a great time to find and photograph these owls because they usually begin nesting early in the year. Once they are on the nest they are much easier to find. It also allows you to observe some of their behavior.

I usually get my best shots by looking around for dad. He usually is not to far from mom and the nest keeping a watchful eye out. If you look hard you are bound to find him. For more bird pics check out the Ecobirder blog.

Thanks, Jeff! We'll be back tomorrow!

Guest Blogging Day 4: Art Drauglis

Welcome to Day 4 of the Swarovski Optik Guest Blogging Contest. We've had a lot of fun entries so far, and our next one is from Art Drauglis, and is about one of those truly remarkable encounters you can have in nature.

Hawk vs. Turtle

Shortly after I started up the Powell Mountain Trail in Shenandoah National Park I noticed some movement off in the brush. At first I thought that I had flushed a Ruffed Grouse, but whatever it was had not gone very far. I moved up the trail a few feet and saw the bird again behind a tree. It was a juvenile Broad-Winged Hawk and it seemed to be injured or stuck. One foot was stuck inside of a trap or can. I took a few steps closer and saw that it was actually wedged into a box turtle. The prey had trapped the predator. The hawk had not yet learned that it was too small to lift something the size of a turtle. It was a Blue Ridge Mountain version of the Mexican Coat of Arms (an eagle battling a rattlesnake in a cactus). I have heard that some hawks will pick up turtles and drop them on rocks until their shells shatter; that was not going to happen today.

I thought that I might be able to assist the situation so I crouched down and moved to within three feet of the pair.

In order to free it I would have to use one hand to separate toe and turtle and the other to hold the hawk still. Not a recommended course of action. I thought that if I could go at the hawk from behind that the strategy might work, but if I got closer than three feet the hawk would roll back into a defensive posture. Not being able to get away, it was prepared to slash away with it's free foot and beak. Not only that, but every time it leaned away from me, the wedged toe bent at an unnatural angle.

I have learned that observing wildlife is much more healthy and satisfying when one pays attention to the cues and body language of the animal being observed and reacts accordingly. If I had had my welding gloves with me, I might have been able help more, but one seldom finds need for thick leather gloves on long hikes in the mountains. I had also never handled a raptor before and If something went wrong, I had a four miles of distance and 1800 feet of elevation to cover before I get help.

I backed away a few feet and then left them to their fate.

I wondered how long the turtle could keep itself boxed up, particularly if it was wounded. I imagined the toe stuck in there wagging around, stabbing and scratching.

If the hawk could not free itself by dusk it was doomed. It would be an easy picking for the first bobcat, coyote, fox, or bear to wander by. I should say a relatively easy picking; it would surely fight, but there would not be a chase.

As I walked away one thought went through my head -

What Would Birdchick do?

We had been introduced to Sharon via the Disapproving Rabbits page and two of our bunnies were in the DR book. When I wondered what I could have or should have done, she was the first person I thought to ask.

I was just hoping to get some thoughts or corrections about what I did or should have done or could do in the event I ever find a hawk with it's foot stuck in a turtle again.

The guidance she offered:

"First of all, officially and scientifically, you didn't do anything wrong to let nature take its course in this situation. However, there are loads of people who are happy to tell you the opposite. Pro turtle people will think you were cruel to leave it like that, hard core raptor enthusiasts will say you should have helped the hawk. And honestly, it's tough to say if both will survive or die from this altercation whether you helped either creature. Either the turtle or the hawk could get away from this and suffer from a fatal infection or they may go on to live several more years. Too many variables and something that happens all the time in the wild that few ever get the chance to witness. This is how first year birds learn how and what to hunt and one of the reasons why 75% of birds hatched this year don't live to see next year."

She also corrected my ID - since it was on the small side and in a forest, my first thought was Cooper's Hawk, but "The eye color is too dark and the shape in all of your photos is classic Buteo, not Accipiter." From that I was led to the correct ID - juvy Broad-Winged Hawk.

Thanks for the great entry, Art! We'll be back tomorrow with another entry in the blogging contest!

Guest Blogging Day 3: Allison Shock

And we're back for Day 3 of the Swarovski Optik Guest Blogging shindig. Glad to see that you're all enjoying it so far. Make sure to check out the blogs of our guest writers for more great entries.

Our blogger today is Allison Shock of Three Star Owl blog.

Vertical Napping Bark: it’s hard to see an owl

My friend Kate McKinnon recently posted that she has a hard time seeing owls in the wild, and she takes it personally. Well she should, because an owl’s Primary Goal other than to eat something, is to escape detection, by you, by me, by a thoughtless human with a crossbow, by the other bigger owl, by sharp-eyed prey, and by Kate McKinnon. We are all of us intended to Not See Owls.

Owls have many tools for escaping detection: cryptic coloration, shifting outline often modified with cranial feather tufts, motionless roosting, self-effacing habits, and nearly silent flight. They are chromosomally adept at Hiding in Plain Sight.

Seeing an owl is a lightning bolt, a mistake, a gift, a shock, a plot by crabby song birds. A sighting is usually because someone who knows where an owl day-roosts points it out, or we hear one call and get a glimpse as it glides across a dark sky, or because wrens and chickadees and jays fink it out. If the owl is seen, a small owl will shrink or stretch, and squint to hide its telltale eyes; a big owl might merely turn its head, or not, because though it prefers to not be seen, it isn’t too worried since you cannot fly. If you spot an owl don’t point or wave the hands, it might make it flee. If you remain still and quiet, they often will too, allowing a few photos, especially if they are rock stars like certain Mexican spotted owls in southeastern Arizona, who frequently host googly-eyed camera-toting visitors like me in their woods.

Here are some things to do if you wish to see an owl: put up a nest box; go on an owl prowl (check Audubon groups and raptor education outfits in your area); keep your ears open; look for owl pellets and whitewash under horizontal boughs close to the trunk; inspect the tops of saguaros at dusk; look in every tree/cactus hole you know of that’s above head height; go into the woods at night; watch the news (urban owls often wind up on TV, like the famous Scottsdale Safeway Urn-nesting Great horned owls); make secret offerings to the Great Owly Entity. But remember, owls’ desire to escape detection is greater than our ability to find them. Good luck, and Good Owling.

photos by A. Shock: Great horned owl with downy chick manifesting as barkless tree skin, San Pedro River, AZ; Mexican Spotted owl pair manifesting as dappled sunlight through branches, Huachuca Mountains, AZ.

Thanks, Allison! As a reminder, you can click on these pictures to enlarge them, and I definitely recommend that with this entry. We'll be back tomorrow with another entry!

Guest Blogging Day 2: Lynnanne Fager

And we're back for Day Two of the Swarovski Guest Blogging Contest. This entry, from Lynnanne Fager, is about a very unusual visitor to her backyard.

Results of a Backyard Bird Bordello

Spring is in the air and that only means one thing in my backyard: sex. At least for the birds, that is.

We hang cute little boxes, put out their favorite foods, all in an effort to coax the feathered sex fiends into the yard. We make sure the nest boxes have the right size holes for the bird we’re trying to attract. We put ventilation in, so the poor things don’t overheat. Sometimes, we even go so far as to put guttering on to catch the rain. We do all this just to invite sex into the back yard.

These birds don’t need any instruction, any sex manuals, doctor’s visits, or prenatal exams. Or do they?

It would seem our chickadees are out of control. They have no sense of dignity. At least one of our chickadees has been caught foolin’ around with the titmice. It seems we’ve created a backyard bird bordello.

This is what I found at my feeders one day in October, 2006.

Hybrid Chickadee x Tufted titmouse, north central Indiana (photo by Lynnanne Fager, 2006)

As far as I was concerned, there was only one thing it could be: a chick-a-mouse. (There are several word combos that one could put on this bird, but we won’t go there now!)

I put an email out to Cornell, minus the photo, explaining the bird I had and requesting any documentation on chickadee x tufted titmouse hybrids. I received a response that basically told me I didn’t know what I was talking about – and that if I had a photo, this gal would try to explain to me what it was I was seeing.

I sent the photo to her and moved on.

I put out a call and sent the above photo to master bander Dr. Ron Weiss who made swift plans to get this bird banded.

He did some research on the hybridization of these two birds and posted it on his website.

Ron arrived one Sunday, set up his nets and opened his banding station. This bird did nothing but tease us the entire morning flying into the feeding area, up and around the nets, that is until Indiana Wesleyan University Professor Steve Conrad showed up (Steve is working on a sub-banding permit, on the hybridization of the black-capped and Carolina chickadee. We joked and said the bird was waiting just for him).

After dancing a few jigs on top of the mist nets, our bird finally flew into the net.
Ron flew out the door, contained the bird and brought it into the house and closed the door behind him. He wasn’t taking any chances.

All the proper measurements were taken and recorded; the bracelet was secured around its leg. Ron checked the skull, and patterns on the tail feathers, noting it was a hatch year bird.
He collected DNA and plucked a few feathers, while I took quite a few photos. He then went outside, took GPS coordinates and released the bird.

Team Chick-a-mouse from left: Ron Weiss (holding the bird), Steve Conrad,
Lynnanne Fager, Tom Barker and Nancy Barker (photo by Jenna Fager, 2006)

The gal at Cornell wrote back a few weeks later with a sweet apology and included an ID from one of their top ornithologists stating that he thought it looked like a hybrid titmouse x chickadee. He suggested I contact Ohio State, but it was too late. Ron already had the bird. To date, the DNA cells are still in process (If there’s another lab out there who is interested in crunching this bird’s cells, contact me – I have rights to half of the DNA collected.)
The bird hung around our yard for a few months, until the sub-zero February winds blew through, carrying our strange little bird away with it.

Since then, I am constantly looking for a touch of unique in my yard birds. I find myself paying close attention, especially to those chickadees and titmice, and am always on the lookout for another strange creation from my backyard.

Guest Blogging Day 1: Amy Haran

Hello all, NBB here. Sharon is well on her way to Guatemala, where it's sunny and 80°, which means that it's time to begin Swarovski Optik Guest Blogging event. Our first entry is a fun one from Amy Haran of Your Bird of the Week.

What Kind of Bird Are You?

Which member of the avian world are you most like? It's a question every cool person asks at some point, for sure. So, I've composed my very own Cosmo-esque personality quiz to help you find out.

Please select the statements below that most closely represent you in regards to fashion, food, friends, conflict and communication. Then, scroll down to see what kind of bird you are and why.

It’s all very scientific, I assure you. OK, maybe not.

Fashion
A. My mantra: when in doubt, wear black.
B. I prefer to pair classic neutrals with rich, eye-popping color.
C. It doesn’t matter what I wear. My size and striking eyes make people sit up and take notice.
D. I’m not flashy, but I always look nice. Honestly, I prefer not to call attention to myself.
E. I’m pretty practical when it comes to clothes. I wear what’s best for getting my job done, whether it looks good or not.

Food
A. I’ll eat just about anything. Meat? Good. Vegetables? Good. Bread? Good.
B. I eat on the go, so fast food is my friend.
C. Give me meat! A well-cut steak, roasted chicken, fresh sushi, grilled pork chops—it all makes me drool.
D. I found the Atkins diet horribly offensive. It’s all about the carbs for me.
E. I love leftovers. If it’s good at dinner, it will be even better warmed up the next day.
Family/Friends
A. I’ve got many acquaintances, but I prefer to hang out with family.
B. The more the merrier. A crowded house is a happy house.
C. Leave me alone unless sex is involved.
D. Every meal is made better by sharing it with others, especially when it’s at the local watering hole.
E. People assume I’m solitary, but they would be surprised to see the number of friends who might show up for my holiday parties.

Conflict
A. When attacked by others, I rely on the strength of my family and friends.
B. I’m rarely aggressive except when it comes to matters of love. Then, watch out!
C. I seem tough, but you’d be surprised how little it takes to scare me off.
D. I hate confrontation! If things look rough, I beat a hasty retreat.
E. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, I won’t do to defend myself. Choose to mess with me, and you may not like the consequences.

Communication
A. I like to talk, and people usually hear me when I do.
B. My sweet voice masks a darker side.
C. I’m largely quiet except when frightened or turned on.
D. I chatter away all day. Who wouldn’t with a cheerful voice like mine?
E. I’m pretty quiet, but I do hiss when I get upset.

Now, add up your answers, and find the letter you picked most. Then scroll down to see what kind of bird you are. Don’t be surprised if you’re a mutty mix of birds.

Mostly A's: You are an American Crow

A medium-sized black bird, you eat whatever you can get—from road kill to fruit to insects to grain. You are close to your family, living with your parents for many years and helping them raise your younger brothers and sisters. You call on that close family when feeling threatened, and every crow within hearing of your harsh, cawing call will come to your defense!

Mostly B's: You are a Barn Swallow

A small bird with an iridescent blue back, caramel-colored body, and forked tail, you eat flies on the fly. You roost with often thousands of other barn swallows, building your own nest out of mud and grass on highway overpasses, bridges, barns, and parking garages. You’re little, but can be aggressive in matters of mating. Unmated male barn swallows are known to kill another pair’s nestlings in order to “break up” the couple and mate with the female. Meanwhile, females select males based on how long and symmetrical their tail is. This questionable behavior is masked by a sweet, warbling call.

Mostly Cs: You are a Red-tailed Hawk

A brown raptor with a brick-colored tail, you eat meat, including mice, squirrels, rabbits, fish, small birds, and even insects. Like most birds of prey, you’re largely a solitary animal, but you are believed to mate for life. While you are a large predator, everyone from song birds to crows will gang up on you and chase you out of their area. When this happens, you usually give up and go find less obnoxious hunting grounds. You are a quiet bird, but you use your piercing shriek to warn predators away from your nest and to attract mates.

Mostly Ds: You are a Chipping Sparrow

A small sparrow with a black and brown back, gray body, and rusty red cap, you prefer seeds above any other food. You are known for your highly social behavior, welcoming the company of other chipping sparrows and even the occasional quiet human being. Like all sparrows, you use rapid retreat to good cover to protect yourself from cats, hawks, and other predators. You are named after your happy little “chip, chip, chip” call. It’s not beautiful, but it’s a constant, comforting sound in gardens and parks.

Mostly Es: You are a Turkey Vulture

A large, blackish-brown bird with an unfeathered red face, you use your incredible sense of smell to find carrion. (Your unfeathered face comes in handy when diving into a rotting animal carcass.) Although often seen flying alone, you’re actually fairly social, roosting with other turkey vultures and gathering at smelly carcasses for an intimate meal. Predators be warned: You aren’t afraid of vomiting partially digested roadkill to warn others away and will even aim for the eyes if something gets too close. It’s all accompanied by a warning hiss that you learned as an ugly, little vulture chick.

Sources:
The Birds of North American Online
All About Birds

All photos taken from Wikimedia Commons:
American Crow
Barn Swallow
Red-tailed Hawk
Chipping Sparrow
Turkey Vulture

Thanks, Amy! Come back tomorrow for our next guest entry!

Swarovski Guest Blogging Contest

I'm going to Guatemala in a couple of weeks and I'm told that between the rigorous itinerary and the uncertainty of Internet access, I need some help covering the blog. So what do you do when you are the sole writer of a blog and you need some time off? I've used a guest blogger, like the trusty Non Birding Bill and, before she had her own blog, Julie Zickefoose covered for me while I was in Arkansas looking for a certain woodpecker for two weeks. Julie now has her own blog and well NBB only has so much interest in covering for me, so I came up with a plan.

I talked with Swarovski Optik and asked if they would help me host a guest blogger contest. So I bring you the Swarovski Guest Blogging Contest--you could be a writer for my blog! If you already have a blog and would like to get a larger readership, this is an opportunity to show off your content to my readers. If you're not sure you can do a blog but have an adventure to share, I have a great audience willing to read it.

You can submit a blog entry for my blog. Non Birding Bill and I will read through them and select 10. We will post one blog entry a day while I'm gone (it will be ten days starting on February 18). If your blog entry is one of the ten published, you win...

...a Swarovski Cleaning Kit ( $39.95 value) for your optics. At the end of the 10 days, there will be a poll up for the ten entries for readers to vote on. Whichever entry gets the most votes wins...

A pair of Swarovski Crystal Pocket Binoculars (a $900 value)!!!! They're pocket binos, but made with Swarovski glass and coatings so they're awesome and they're covered in swag. I love these! These are hand down the snazziest pocket binoculars you have ever seen. I got to play with these in Cape Cod last year and fell in love!

Rules:

1. ANYONE CAN ENTER: If you already have a blog you can enter. If you have never blogged at all, you can still enter. If you do already have a blog and your entry gets selected, I will link back to your site with your entry.

2. BLOG ENTRY MUST FIT THEME OF THIS BLOG: I'm not going to say that you have to write about wild birds for the contest, but do keep in mind what the themes for my blog are - mostly wild bird related (watching, feeding, rehabbing, banding) with some pet rabbits, other wildlife, and honey bees. NBB and I will choose blog entries that are not only great, but fit in the overall theme of this blog. Our decision is final.

3. Content must be emailed to birdchick at gmail dot com by Monday, February 16th at 5 p.m. CST. It can include text, photos (web appropriate size) and links to videos. We may not proof read so if you your entry has typos, chances are good it'll go up that way. Make it look good before we get it. You, obviously, agree to let us post your material in the blog by sending it to us.

4. The email entry with your blog submission MUST include your full name and mailing address. These will not be published in the blog entry, but we need them for the prizes. Also, be sure to include how you would like to be credited in the blog entry. Do you prefer that we put up your actual name or your user name and a link to your website.

5. Content must be original--your own content that you wrote. If you have a blog and you want to recycle and old blog entry from your own blog, that is your choice. If it is discovered that you use someone else's content without credit or pass off someone else's photos as your own, not only will you be disqualified, but it will be blogged. One entry per person.

Skywatch Friday

Between the excitement of Peregrine 568s recovery and getting ready for tomorrow's book signing, I almost forgot that today is Skywatch Friday. You create a blog with photos of sky and then you add your link to the Skywatch site. While there, you should check out everyone's photos of sky. Some of my favorites this week are at Desert Observer, Jim's Little Photo Place, and Shimmy Mom.

My entry for this week takes us back to Cape Cod for the Swarovski Blogging Event. While we were getting photos of shorebirds, we could see fog approaching us. See the low darker clouds on the horizon?

The fog never overtook the beach, but seemed a sinister dream land just off the shore. It was strange to see it just sit there out of reach of the surf.

It crept in and touched the beach, the sky coming in to touch the sand. Gulls were loafing just inside the mist.

I tried to digiscope them and the black-backed gulls sat in the fog and looked a tad expectant. What were they waiting for? Or perhaps they wondered about the group of humans on the edge of the mist observing them, wonder what it was all about.

New Swarovski ELs & Contest

One of the things I wasn't able to talk about right away from the Swarovski Blogger Event (or Swarblogski as Non Birding Bill calls it) was that we got to see the new Swarovski ELs. They just debuted them at Bird Fair so now I'm allowed to talk. Honestly, I wasn't expecting that much of a change. Swarovskis are really great binoculars and I'm incredibly grateful for all the support they give my blog and I LOVE my 8x32s. Even when I worked for Eagle Optics and people would come up and ask me what the best bino is, I would say that if I were a woman of unlimited means, it would be the 8x32 EL. Optics are subjective and what works for me, may not work for everyone, but the clarity, ergonomics, and light weight of Swarovski really works for me.

The biggest difference that you can see besides the slightly different design is that the eye piece lenses are bigger--and the edge to edge clarity is superior to the current ELs (not that it's that bad anyway). Swarovski has also greatly improved the close focus ability of the binoculars. I was able to focus within about 5 and a half feet with the new ELs. They are coming out with new ELs in the 8.5x42 and 10x42 models, not the 8x32s or 10x32s. They will be available in the US early next year. They'll probalby be at Bird Watch America in January 2009. What does this mean for you? If you're probably going to see current models of ELs going on sale in the US (just in time for the holidays). So, if you've been saving for a great pair of bins, you have a choice: get the current model at a discount or keep saving and going for the new ones. I don't have exact pricing on what they're going to be at the moment.

I also got to hold the new 80mm scope--it's lighter than the current model. There's also a new eyepiece coming, a 25-50 zoom. I currently use a 20 - 60 zoom. I'm curious to play with that for digiscoping.

Also, Clay was telling me how surprised he was that not more people in the US entered Swarovski's Digiscoper of the Year Contest. Here are what the winners get:

The three entrants chosen as “Digiscoper of the Year” will receive the following products from Swarovski Optik as their prize:

1st	Swarovski Optik ATS or STS telescope and eyepiece of the winner’s choice
2nd	Swarovski Optik binocular EL 8.5x42
3rd	Swarovski Optik binocular SLC 8x30

The best 20 images (places 1 to 20) will be published with the photographer’s name in the Swarovski Optik Digiscoping Yearbook 2009. This will attract a publication fee of EUR 300 (that's like $600 in the US).

National Winners:
National winners will also be chosen from the five countries with the largest number of entrants (the number of images does not count). The five national winners will receive an award of EUR 200 for publication in the Swarovski Optik Digiscoping Yearbook 2009 in addition to the publication fee referred to above.

You don't have to be a Swarovski customer either. Check out the rules:

Cameras:
Any digital camera format - from a compact digital camera to a bridge or digital single lens reflex camera - may be used.

Field Spotting Scopes:
Any commercially available spotting scopes and eyepieces may be used, with or without an adapter.

The contest closes on September 30, 2008. Read the full rules here. I've seen some of the winning entries from last year, and there are some awesome digiscopers in the US that could totally win the contest. If you digiscope, go for it.

Getting To 499

Hey, on Monday at 3pm, I'll be on Twin Cities Live talking about attracting birds to your yard and the City Birds/Country Birds book signing on August 23, 2008 at Cardinal Corner:

August 23, 2008: Cardinal Corner in West St. Paul Store (651-455-6556) 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Cardinal Corner in Newport (651-459-3880) 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Don't forget, Cinnamon fans, the Queen of Disapproval will also come and hang out at the signing too.

Okay, so I think I'm going to finally finish up my Swarovski Blogging Event posts...oh wait, no, I just realized there's one more thing I can talk about after this, but I have to wait a few days longer before I actually talk about what we got to play with. But back to Cape Cod birding--I gotta a couple more lifers bringing my list to 499. So close to 500, yet so far away.

One was a roseate tern--this very light colored tern with a mostly black bill. That was pretty exciting. Terns are amazing creatures. If I ever transition from point and shoot camera digiscoping to SLR digiscoping, I want to try and capture terns fishing. Terns are such dainty and elegant birds in flight and when they dive into the ocean, it's like watching a delicate piece of origami smacking onto the surface of the water. Loves 'em.

Nice scope posture there, Corey! Corey and I each had a few lifers to catch up on. We both needed roseate tern and we also needed arctic tern. The group watched for them, but at the same time we loved getting photos of all the birds on the beach--dead or alive. I was standing with Corey and Ben from 600 Birds. They had spotted something dead further down the beach. It first glance, we got the impression that it was a dead black-backed gull...but when you looked through the scope, the bill looked all wrong. I wondered if it was a dead gannet. All three of use lit up with excitement and hurried off towards the carcass. As we closed in, Clay called from off in the distance, "Aaaaaaaaartic tern!"

Corey and I stopped, Ben who already had an arctic tern said, "Uh-oh."

Corey and I wavered, we were so close to the gannet, could we get photos of the gannet and make it back in time for the tern, or would the tern take off.

Ben, sensing our indecision said, "Gotta make a choice, dead bird? Life bird? Dead bird? Life Bird? Dead Bird? Life Bird?"

Corey and I finally made a rational decision that between the two birds, the dead gannet was guaranteed to stay in one spot, while the tern was not.

So, here is an arctic tern (masked in some major heat shimmer and non breeding plumage). This is an intense little bird if you think about it. This species breeds around the Arctic Ocean--as far north as Greenland and then winters on pack ice in Antarctica. This bird is about the length of a blue jay and flies pole to pole--that's over 24,000 miles round trip. Then when you look at things like banding records and find that in ten oldest birds found on record--the arctic tern comes in at number seven--a bird documented to have lived for 34 years! Imagine living 34 years and making that trip every single year--that's insane. This may be a small somewhat blurry photo, but the amazing potential in this bird deserves a little attention and was well worth abandoning a dead gannet. It was a good thing too. Not long after Corey and I joined the group, a family coming down the beach frightened the flock of terns and the arctic tern disappeared from view.

And then we hightailed it back to the dead gannet. Based on plumage, it looks like a first year bid. You just can't get close to gannets--they're amazing to watch in flight, but this dead bird was a treat to really look at some of its features up close.

The feet were incredible. They were webbed like a duck but had large white claws on the tips--they nest on ledges of cliffs, in the direction of prevailing winds, perhaps that's why they need the claws for gripping?

Who knows how this bird died: disease, poor hunting, poisoning, eating plastic--tough to say but I appreciated the chance to admire that long, tough bill.