BirdCast Predictions For 9/11 Memorial

As migration is in full swing and most everyone I know in the US has thoughts of what happened on September 11, 2001 on their minds today, I can't help but think about the 2010 memorial. For people who may not be familiar with this story, in 2010, after a week of lousy weather for migration, the winds were favorable on September 11 and as the lights for the memorial were lit, literally thousands of birds that migrate at night and use the stars for navigation were caught in the beams. Here's a sample of the video: [youtube]http://youtu.be/EZAQSw0qCAI[/youtube]

The video and images found around the Internet are hypnotic. I always wondered what the skies would look like if we could see the thousands of warblers, vireos, thrushes and other species passing overhead on night migration and this gives us a glimpse of that.

What's hopeful about this situation is that Audubon's New York City Chapter was able to step in with organizers and they managed to turn off the memorial lights for a 15 minutes, encouraging the flocks of birds to move on. Otherwise, the birds would have circled the lights all night and lose valuable fat stores needed to continue the marathon south.

Apparently, the weather today could pose could migratory conditions for birds and a similar situation could happen. Hopefully, Audubon will be on hand again and if we get a crazy glimpse of night migration caught in the lights this year, the lights can be turned off for a few minutes, giving birds a chance to move on.

Obsessed Podcast & River City Revue

I have a couple of events going on this week: One is the River City Revue, a trip on the Mississippi River via one of the Padleford Boats with a variety of presenters on science, nature and art.  I think some of my former park ranger buddies will be there too and the view on the river should be beautiful.  That will be this Wednesday at 7pm.

And we've talked about this on the Birdchick Podcast, but I'll also be a guest on the Obsessed Podcast with Joseph Scrimshaw...talking about how I don't consider myself obsessed with birds. The show will be recorded live at the Bryant Lake Bowl this Saturday.  If you can't make it, you can download it later, but if you can, the BLB is a great time--have a drink and great food and laugh.  I believe John Moe will also be a guest on this episode too.

This Sparrow Is Driving Me Nuts

Last year on one of my bird surveys, I head the craziest sparrow, it sounded like a really groggy field sparrow and I wondered if it was a hybrid clay-colored/field sparrow (something has been documented before). Here's what it sounds like: http://youtu.be/Mdl8zHt6CaY

I tried like crazy to get a photo of the bird last year but wasn't able to.  I was only able to get video of it singing. On Monday I was in the same area and I heard it again on the same survey site. Alas, I've never been able to get a good view of the singing bird it's now on property that I'm not authorized to walk on for surveys and this vexing singer may have to remain one of Life's Great Mysteries.

Birdchick Podcast: #113 Hunting & Birding

A European government agency wants to trap hawks to allow more non native pheasants to breed so people can shoot them (and no, this story isn't from Florida). An interesting discussion about reporting rare ducks and how some hunters use bird listservs, bird blogs and rare bird hotlines to look for rare ducks to shoot.

OMG the most pretentious article/field guide review I've ever read...well, except maybe for that one time a bird book author totally dissed a competitors book and then in the same article touted how awesome his own book was.

Point Pelee Bird Fest

I regret to inform that due to a clerical error I will not be at the Point Pelee Bird Festival tomorrow, Saturday, May 11. I'm really steamed about this, it's a customs issue. The Fest is going to try and get me in for Sunday. I apologize for any inconvenience.

Birdchick Podcast #109: Ivory-bill In Texas, Meanwhile Teenagers Find Actual Rare Bird

Another whooping crane has been shot but this time not in Indiana, this time in South Dakota.  There's a $10,000 Reward. There's a hilarious story out of east Texas about a guy in a trailer park who found an ivory-billed woodpecker. Two stations covered it with footage they recorded. One got footage of a red-headed woodpecker, the other started with a red-headed woodpecker and then got footage of a pileated.

One station tried to hide their footage, the other did a follow up that maybe the bird wasn't an ivory-bill after all.

Meanwhile, a pair of teenagers found an actual rare bird, an elaenia.  Will we ever find out what species tho?