Birdchick Podcast #66: Godwits, Bald Baby Penguin & Winter Finch Forecast

It's the special news report everyone is waiting for--The Winter Finch Forecast!  Will you see finches this winter? Operation Migration has a web cam that live streams flight training for young whooping cranes.  Check it out (in daylight hours).

NPR wants to tell us about a bird we've never heard of...though many birders have--the bar-tailed godwit.  It's a good story about migration and be sure to check out the matching cartoon.

3 words: Bald Baby Penguin.  Below is the before and after:

Screen shot 2011-09-25 at 7.58.13 PM
Screen shot 2011-09-25 at 7.58.13 PM

Full story here.

Want to run away from life this winter?  Check out this opportunity! For more bird jobs, go here.

JAMAICAN FIELD ASSISTANTS (6) Not looking forward to cold weather, 6 hours of light, and watching the bird feeder? We have the answer. Be a field assistant on research studying American Redstarts in Jamaica. Project begins approximately January 10th and continues until mid-April (~1-2 positions) to mid-May (~4-5 positions). Assistants can expect long hours in the field, six days per week, walking in mangrove forests inhabited by crocodiles and maneuvering through dense second growth scrub. Being flexible with working conditions, schedule, and living situation is absolutely key to success at this position. Competitive applicants will be very self-motivated, have the ability to re-sight and follow small (6g) color-banded birds, and extract songbirds quickly and safely from mist nets. Experience collecting foraging behavioral data on small songbirds and banding and bleeding experience are all preferred, but not required. This is an all-expenses paid volunteer position (i.e. no salary, but travel to and from Jamaica as well as home-cooked Jamaican food and comfortable sea-side lodging are provided). Send an email with the subject “Jamaican Field Assistant”, a cover letter, CV, and contact info for 3 references to NATHAN COOPER (EM: nathanwands AT hotmail.com).

Birdchick Podcast #66

Birdchick Podcast #62 Migration News, Bird Art & Bird Sunbathing

The "Happy Feet" penguin that swam up onto the New Zealand shore starving, underwent some wildlife rehab and was released with a satellite transmitter has disappeared. Go check out the Sunbathing Birds gallery at Bird Watching Magazine--the titmouse looks disturbing!

In really nice news, fewer migrating birds were trapped in the 911 Tribute of Lights.  Unlike last year when at least 10,000 migrating birds became trapped in the lights.

Wind tunnels reveals how birds stay hydrated during migration.  I'm so relieved I don't have to migrate.

Several common loons breeding in the Upper Midwest are sporting satellite transmitters in order for researchers to study the migration through the Great Lakes toward their southern winter homes. By using satellite tracking devices implanted in the loons from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Michigan Upper Peninsula, USGS scientists expect to learn information about avian botulism essential for managers to develop loon conservation strategies.

I had a guest post over on the Skepchick blog--I'm so honored!

Birdchick Podcast #62


Birdchick Podcast #55: Lost Penguin Gets A Ride Home

A penguin that was found WAY off course in New Zealand is getting a lift back towards its flock.  Here's a counter point to the story. Someone posted it on the Birdchick Facebook wall and I think didn't get the reaction from me he was expecting. More buzz is coming out about Big Year, this movie writer is not sure birdwatching can be funny.  Meanwhile, it looks like Fox has finally made their official movie page live.

An article about ptarmigan and how being faster makes you better at mating...glad I'm not married to a ptarmigan.

Popular Internet photos this week: Bald Blue Jay and albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Book I'm loving this week is Avian Architecture

Screen shot 2011-08-18 at 7.17.32 PM
Screen shot 2011-08-18 at 7.17.32 PM
Birdchick Podcast #55

Birdchick Podcast #42 Gulls, Penguins and Birding Trails

Mist net study finds that trapping birds is not as fatal as some people thought. Birding sites for people with limited mobility.  Are there other states doing this?

Lost Emperor Penguin that ended up in New Zealand taken in for veterinary care.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIu5B3Fsstg[/youtube]

Gull steals camera in France and flies with it while it is recording.

Non Birding Bill's reference to an octopus that steals underwater camera:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5DyBkYKqnM[/youtube]

Birdchick Podcast #42



Birdchick Podcast #20: Pranks, Pelicans & Penguins

Non Birding Bill and I are going to experiment with a longer podcast this week.  We are opening a show that is a paroday of The Love Boat at the Bryant Lake Bowl this week and chances are good we will not be able to keep up with doing three shows this week.  Let us know if you would like this to be shorter and more often or once a week and longer. You can follow me on Twitter @Birdchick (ask me bird questions) and you can follow NBB @bstiteler (do NOT ask him bird questions).  You can always email me sharon at birdchick dot com or connect with me via Facebook here.

Non Birding Bill's great horned owl butt he took holding his iPhone up to my Swarovski ELs:

Screen shot 2011-04-03 at 7.03.06 PM
Screen shot 2011-04-03 at 7.03.06 PM

Speaking of Swarovski Optik, have you seen Pete Dunne's review of their new 10x50 and 12x50 ELs.  He loves 'em!

Bird Blogs:

In today's podcast, we talk about some of my favorite online birding pranks for April 1, 2011 as well as one of my all time favorite bird pranks--that still gets traffic today.

This year's top pranks:

I think Non Birding Bill will love this: Discount Bird Calls

American Birding Association Checklist Changes

Earth, Wind and Water Blog announces plans for ESPN8 to host American Birding Big Day tv show (I totally fell for this one)

Win a Free birding trip to Thailand with David Sibley and ABA President Jeff Gordon at 10,000 Birds

A prank I aided in pulling with another blogger who wishes to remain anonymous (but if you buy me a single malt scotch at a Birds and Beers, I'll gladly verbally out this person) about the "rediscovery" of a Carolina Parakeet.

Bird News:

This unfortunately is  not a prank.  An Arkansas Delta flight hit a flock of birds.  They were not identifiable according to the news article, but I think many birders can see from the photos (WARNING GRAPHIC) that they are American white pelicans based on the upper bill, yellow skin in front of the bill and black wing tips.

We mentioned the oil spill threatening rockhopper penguins on an island chain located halfway between Africa and Argentina in the podcast a couple of weeks ago and in more hopeful news, there are at least 5000 penguins that have been gathered for rescue. The death toll so far appears to be 300 penguins but it sounds like state officials and local volunteers are working as hard as they can to help this breeding colony.  Here's a great video of one of the first people on the scene...it's sad to note that the penguins are not the only ones affected by the spill.  If you want to help, send money to International Bird Rescue Research Center.

Dacorah Live Bald Eagle Cam gets so much traffic with chick hatching that it crashes the siteHere are highlights of the hatching.  Early on  you can see the beaks "pipping" out of the eggs and by the end there's a floofy eaglet.  You can try and watch the live cam here...if it's not too overloaded with traffic.  It is nice to have on as background to your work day--it's excellent video quality and the sounds of surrounding birds is awesome.  Here's a screen shot from Sunday night and you can see quite the buffet: rabbit feet, crow and a fish:

Screen shot 2011-04-03 at 6.31.13 PM
Screen shot 2011-04-03 at 6.31.13 PM

Who knew bald eagles were fast enough to catch a crow?  Thanks to BosqueBill for pointing it out on Twitter.

Spring Migration is seriously on! Check out this animated RADAR from BadBirdz from Saturday night.  Get the latest updates here.  Did you see any new birds on Sunday or Monday?

Feathers are in the news twice:

Using chicken feathers as a basis for plastics?

Pigeons with darker feathers are healthier than pigeons with light feathers.

Upcoming Birding Event:

American Birding Association young birder camps.  One in Colorado and one in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas.  They seriously need to offer these to adults.

You can subscribe to the Birdchick podcast on iTunes

Birdchick Podcast #20

Metaphor For Marriage?

Below is a relative approximation of me getting out of bed to go birding while Non Birding Bill is still sleeping.  I'm the gentoo penguin and bill would be the seal: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdPGXClOE5g&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]