Birdchick Blog
Nope. No, Sir. I Don't Approve.
Okay, I have placed the shirt order and they should be printed next week. We're going ahead and taking orders. We're doing these shirts in batches: we based the first order off the replies in the comments section, with a few extra to be on the safe side. So, if you want a shirt by the holidays, be sure to order one now.
They should start shipping late next week.
Anyway, Frank Taylor sent over is final banding report for the 2006 Season and he included some great raptor head shots. So, can you identify all the raptor head shots in order? The prize is a Zeiss Lens Cloths and a Leupold Tote Bag (with a cool meadowlark graphic).
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Even if you can't identify all the birds in this contest, it's fun just to take in Frank's photos.
Remember a few weeks back when I posed the question of whether or not you would attach a tag to your binoculars to show off your Duck Stamp?
While in Texas, I had the pleasure of hanging out with conservation mover and shaker Paul Baicich who is helping to spearhead the movement of birders purchasing a Duck Stamp. He's the one that sent the photos for that entry. We hung out, had a great time and talked about shade-grown coffee. I was surprised that he had not brought up the Duck Stamp holder or just people purchasing it in general. Three hours into trip he asked:
"Hey, Sharon, have you heard any noise?"
"What?" I asked.
"Have you heard any clicking?" he said as he flashed his Duck Stamp tag on his binoculars.
I had not heard any sound from the tag on the bins--I didn't even notice it was there, I didn't think to look! He then gave me my very own tag to attach to my binoculars:
I did not have my stamp with me but went ahead and attached the tag anyway to test it out. Well, tie me up and call me Gomer, but the tag doesn't make any noise when you are wearing it. I'm in the habit of using my bins one handed and did have to switch the stamp holder to the left instead of the right, but I can see myself actually wearing this on my bins (it's still there).
One other thing, Paul would also prefer us refer to the Duck Stamp as the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp because it doesn't just benefit ducks--but all birds that use the same habitat. If you are looking for a gift for friends that not only helps save habitat, I can't recommend this stamp enough. You can also throw in a holder. Here's some info from Paul for ordering your own stamp holder:
To a dozen selected Stamp-supporters:
I've already given out 160 of the nifty Stamp-holders for the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation [Duck] Stamp. Yes, I'll be ordering some more holders.
I wanted to let you know that they are on sale from QTL: three bags of holders (20 key-ring holders in each bag) for the price of two bags. Each bag normally costs $8.90.
Note the correct model number: #92033
So......... if you want some of your own, they are available at a fairly reasonable price!
This entry is rated PG-13!
I dedicate this to Laura Erickson. Hm, kinda makes you wonder about her Colbert fetish.
I'm not sure if I've linked to this yet, I saw it right before I went to Texas. On the off chance anyone out there has a problem telling the difference between Birdchick Blog and Birder Blog, Laura Erickson has come up with a helpful how to guide.
And for the record, I do love nerdy men. That's not to say I can't appreciate the aesthetics of Daniel Craig. For proof of my love of nerdy men, here's my favorite picture of Non Birding Bill:
For the record, Amy of WildBird on the Fly is a fantastic baker. She almost always comes to bird festivals with fresh baked cookies. I love to eat them and many think I share rooms with her at bird festivals out of frugality or even because I enjoy her company, but really I'm just using her for cookies.
That said, sometimes birding gets the better of me and if I'm having a good birding moment, I might go to extreme measures to keep it going. Below is a video of the laughing gulls eating from my hand from the minivan window in South Padre Island. I think I originally called this wild birds on the fly eating WildBird on the Fly's cookies. The quality on Google Video isn't the best, but I don't have to pay for the bandwidth. It looks super cool and ethereal on my computer and I took it with a Nikon P4. It's about a minute and a half and it's incredible to watch how quickly they fly down and snarf the cookie bits.
When I was coming back from Texas, word was spreading of a very light colored hawk in the southern end of the Twin Cities. Scott Shultz, inventor of the Squngee sent me photos of it the day before it broke on the birding nets:
Here's the beauty in flight. This is more than likely a Krider's red-tail--a light variation in plumage, but not a separate species.
Notice the striping on the tail?
Also, can you see the yellow eye--this is a passage bird (bird hatched this past spring. When it molts into adult plumage, the tail will probably be a cream color. We have a Krider's that you can see at The Raptor Center named Casper. I wish I had a cool photo to show you, but the bird is a tad high strung.
The bird has been seen around I 35W and Black Dog Lake and around the Mall of America.
Cool photos, Scott.
Went to see Casino Royale last night. I now have a new life goal: write a hit movie about birdwatchers starring this:
The new Bond movie totally rocks and not just for the obvious beefcake. Daniel Craig really is a very good actor. I would put this James Bond movie as my number two favorite. Hmm, I think I'll get to the birdwatching script right away. The first scene: Daniel Craig's character has chiggers and must be rubbed with Chigger Rid...
I wonder how many Sibley Guides he could carry all at once?
I just got this from Steve Moore:
I'm pretty sure I've mentioned to you one of my favorite NPR shows, What Do Ya Know with Michael Feldman.
I just noticed that Bobby Harrison is going to be his guest this Saturday. You can scroll down the page a bit to 11/18 for details.
Thoroughly enjoying your Texas posts. The butterfly is gorgeous, your feet are not. :)
Thanks, Steve. I think.
The fun thing for me when visiting another state is just enjoying birds that I don't normally see where I live, even if I have seen them before. On the lines we have large flocks of great-tailed grackles and starlings gathering to roost for the night. The grackles made so many strange clicks and whistles, they really remind me of dolphins. I really enjoyed seeing some different blackbirds.
Here the blackbirds are coming in for one last bathe for the day in this drainage ditch. When the starlings joined it, there were so many of them flipping water around it created almost a mist and you could barely make them out.
Blackbirds are well and good, but a fancy pants scissor-tailed flycatcher is fun to watch for on power lines too. This one was digiscoped the Swarovski scope and Nikon P4 camera. Here's what it looks like at a distance:
Even at a distance you can't help but notice that bird. I wonder what non birders from the East visiting the western United States think when they see these guys?
Neil appreciated being able to see these guys through the scope.
Here' s a bird that his more Mr. Neil's speed--a butcher bird aka loggerhead shrike! These predatory birds are different from raptors because they use their bill to catch and kill their prey and not their feet like a hawk or falcon would. Theses birds also impale their prey on thorns or barbs to make it easier to hack at and that's where their folk name comes from.
Another fun part of travel are just odd things, like this water tower proclaiming to be the home town of Freddy Fender. It was great to see the town of San Benito so proud of their native son with such prominent 1970s hair and handlebar mustache.
If you ever find yourself in Harlingen, Texas either for the RGV Bird Festival or just going on your own, I can't recommend this place enough. It's called Alicia's and I was introduced to it by the Eagle Optics staff. They are only open for breakfast and lunch and you get large portions for a small price. Think a whole Mexican style breakfast for $3.75. Another great place for lunch and dinner is Pepe's but be sure to specify that you want the hot salsa.
Part of Alicia's charm is the artwork on the wall. Check out all the deep inner meaning. I like how the loin cloth morphs into the mustache.
I had intended to do an entry about the kid's artwork at the festival, but WildBird on the Fly beat me to it so we'll talk about Alicia's art. It's not all religious, there's also interesting takes on the great masters:
The Mona Lisa bunny hands freaked me out at first, but then the growling dog behind her weirded me out more. Don't even get me started on the men in the mountains.
I must say, they had cooler hats at the festival. It's not often you see a black cap and then add such a striking green jay to it. Mr. Neil looked very smart with it on.
I think this brings the RGV coverage to a close at the moment. It was an awesome time and I hope to go again next year.
