tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-176892542009-07-17T13:15:06.710-07:00WildBird on the Flytidbits about birds, birders and birding from WildBird's editorAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.comBlogger1065125WildbirdOnTheFlyhttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-54419511683677207522009-07-17T13:14:00.000-07:002009-07-17T13:15:06.917-07:00California Condors thriving at Oregon ZooOregon Zoo's condor breeding program recently took four California Condors to The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho. The three females -- Yak'Mo (#496), Ewauna (#481) and Kalak-ala (#487) -- and one male (Atfa'lai'i, #479) were hatched and raised at the zoo and will be released into different regions. Ewauna and Kalak-ala will be released along the California coast; Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-75064655098348945872009-07-16T15:51:00.000-07:002009-07-16T15:57:24.448-07:00Oregon birders explore another birding trailThe recent completion of the Willamette Valley birding trail adds a fifth element to the Oregon Birding Trail system. This trail includes 12 loops -- Columbia, Portland, Tualatin, Heritage, Yamhill, Willamette, Luckiamute, Alsea Falls, Santiam, Fern Ridge, McKenzie and Big River -- and details about each loops is available as a separate PDF.A species checklist notes more than 420 species observedAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-430647734084036532009-07-15T11:39:00.000-07:002009-07-15T11:46:34.857-07:0048 million birdwatchers put $36 billion into the 2006 economyA new report from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says one in five Americans watches birds, putting the number of birdwatchers at 48 million. The most recent economic data shows that birders contributed $36 billion to the U.S. economy."Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis," a 20-page addendum to the 2006 national survey of fishing, hunting and wildlife-watching Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-42947480140329372202009-07-06T12:29:00.000-07:002009-07-06T12:31:37.685-07:00Pratt/Sill exhibit highlights N.C. Arboretum's role in birding trailFrom Asheville Citizen-Times in North Carolina: The N.C. Arboretum, already a top destination for birding, recently officially joined the N.C. Birding Trail as the statewide guide program continued to expand.The N.C. Birding Trail last month launched its final trail guide, which includes 105 mountain region sites west of Interstate 77. The guide serves to link bird watching sites and birders withAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-83829831416368604032009-07-02T20:00:00.000-07:002009-07-02T20:36:43.045-07:00Birder of the Year: Costa Rica 4Background info: In each November/December issue, WildBird subscribers have the chance to crown one of their peers as Birder of the Year. The candidates appear as Forum Birders and Backyard Birders in each of the previous five issues. The contest is open to everyone who responds to the questions posed in the Birder’s Back Yard and Lister’s Forum departments in every issue.As 2008 Birder of the Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-71845898539363088452009-06-30T19:15:00.000-07:002009-06-30T19:53:42.177-07:00Birder of the Year: Costa Rica 3Background info: In each November/December issue, WildBird subscribers have the chance to crown one of their peers as Birder of the Year. The candidates appear as Forum Birders and Backyard Birders in each of the previous five issues. The contest is open to everyone who responds to the questions posed in the Birder’s Back Yard and Lister’s Forum departments in every issue. As 2008 Birder of the Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-18654009673606036472009-06-23T19:30:00.000-07:002009-06-23T19:37:00.053-07:00Birder of the Year: Costa Rica 2Background info: In each November/December issue, WildBird subscribers have the chance to crown one of their peers as Birder of the Year. The candidates appear as Forum Birders and Backyard Birders in each of the previous five issues. The contest is open to everyone who responds to the questions posed in the Birder’s Back Yard and Lister’s Forum departments in every issue. As 2008 Birder of the Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-77678163960845730882009-06-23T16:15:00.000-07:002009-06-23T18:03:22.633-07:00Birdseed tax to help wildlife habitat?Can a 10 percent tax on birdseed raise enough money to save sizable habitat for birds and the birders who enjoy watching/finding them? A recent article in Sherwood Gazette in Oregon discusses House Bill 3303, recently withdrawn but still considered a viable option by Rep. Chris Garrett and Scott Lukens, owner of multiple Backyard Bird Shops and former board member of Audubon Society of Portland. Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-29183392230946476282009-06-23T09:59:00.000-07:002009-06-23T10:15:04.067-07:00Outdoor cats and wild birds: a video discussionMany birders know that pet cats allowed to roam outdoors as well as feral cats often prey on wild birds. Information from various sources, such as National Audubon Society and American Bird Conservancy, reinforce the negative effect that outdoor cats have on native wildlife. The topic's been a lightning rod for decades and likely will remain so, because humans place different priorities on Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-47235324980500860652009-06-22T19:01:00.000-07:002009-06-22T19:34:37.228-07:00Birder of the Year: Costa Rica 1Background info: In each November/December issue, WildBird subscribers have the chance to crown one of their peers as Birder of the Year. The candidates appear as Forum Birders and Backyard Birders in each of the previous five issues. The contest is open to everyone who responds to the questions posed in the Birder’s Back Yard and Lister’s Forum departments in every issue. As 2008 Birder of the Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-73042655680250336982009-06-22T14:02:00.000-07:002009-06-22T14:08:51.145-07:00Is birding still under the radar as noteworthy ecotourism?This article in Florida Today -- "Ecotourism economics: Brevard's natural attraction comes cheap, but it sure boosts the economy" -- cites various ecotourism companies that lure visitors and their disposal income. View Larger MapThe article doesn't, however, appear to mention the only reason that I'm familiar with Brevard County: the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival. Attendees came from 37Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-15290983270282704662009-06-15T16:14:00.000-07:002009-06-15T16:23:25.469-07:00Why not allow airplane passengers to bring small beverages on board?Have you encountered this scenario? At the boarding gate in San Jose, Costa Rica, airport personnel conducted a second screening and prohibited liquids, such as coffee cups and water bottles. That's a first. It didn't make sense, as I had to discard a mocha and a bottle of water before walking onto the plane on Sunday morning.Today, I sent an inquiry to U.S. Airways customer relations staff and Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-58527941062500932272009-06-04T17:47:00.000-07:002009-06-04T17:47:49.005-07:00Ornithology world loses L.A. icon Kenneth E. StagerFrom Los Angeles Times:Kenneth E. Stager, emeritus senior curator of ornithology and mammalogy at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, has died. He was 94.Stager, a West Los Angeles resident, died of age-related causes May 13 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, said his wife, Erika. [Below, he holds a wombat.]"To me, it's like the end of an era in that he really personified the Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-60452992073746794392009-06-04T09:54:00.000-07:002009-06-04T10:07:59.785-07:00Do you write about a nearby birding festival for local media?Birding festivals do more than bring birders together for field trips and camaraderies. The events infuse the local economy with dollars spent on lodging, food and often gasoline. Festivals also give birders a chance to tout this hobby/sport/lifestyle to the mainstream public.View Larger MapThe Jamestown Sun ran two articles yesterday that mention the Potholes & Prairie Birding Festival, Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-30367462967566064382009-06-03T16:30:00.000-07:002009-06-03T16:33:50.000-07:00World Environment Day: June 5Every year on June 5, World Environment Day tries to focus attention on the environment while encouraging us to take action. On a personal level, you'll find Daily Do Something Tips that touch on your home, your commute to/from work and your workday habits.You'll also find 12 Steps to Unite to Combat Climate Change, an alphabet of tips and ideas, 17 videos and photo galleries that include Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-66889456944808058032009-06-01T15:13:00.000-07:002009-06-01T15:13:31.651-07:00Tufted Puffins return to Oregon nest siteFrom an Associated Press article:A pair of tufted puffins is nesting on Elephant Rock off Bandon for the first time since 2001. "Local puffin watchers are really excited to see these birds return," said Dave Ledig, South Coast refuge manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.It is unofficially thought of as Bandon's official bird. A local lounge is even named after it.More than a dozen pairsAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-61969777415074943652009-05-15T14:25:00.000-07:002009-05-15T14:27:55.788-07:00World Series of Birding: FridayFor many years, WildBird has sponsored a team in the annual World Series of Birding. Within 24 hours, birders compete with each other to identify as many species as possible by sight and sound within New Jersey state lines. Some teams, such as WildBird's team, restrict their scavenger hunt to a limited geographic area. Zen Zugunruhe, our four-man team, sticks to Cape Island, south of the Cape MayAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-40183306627378210412009-05-13T14:53:00.000-07:002009-05-13T14:57:47.201-07:00Award-winning bird photog's exhibit in Corpus ChristiUntil May 29, birders can enjoy "The Birds of Corpus Christi" in the Kucera Gallery at The Art Center of Corpus Christi. Juan E. Bahamon showcases the beauty of birds along Texas' Gulf Coast, such as these Roseate Spoonbills.The art center's address: 100 Shoreline Boulevard.Bahamon won the grand prize in WildBird's 2004 photo contest with an image of a Bald Eagle in flight near Homer, Alaska. He Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-16577725708215097682009-04-30T17:49:00.000-07:002009-04-30T17:53:55.903-07:00Want a Bolsa Chica bird calendar?The wetlands in Huntington Beach, Calif. -- officially called Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and located next to Pacific Coast Highway and Bolsa Chica State Beach -- draw birds and birders from around the country. I know birders from New York who gladly will spend hours at Bolsa Chica, which hosts nesting, endangered Least Terns among many other species.Have you visited Bolsa Chica? Would you Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-52750833868815586862009-04-29T15:39:00.000-07:002009-04-29T15:40:38.388-07:00Is birding a team sport?Are birdwatchers truly different than other hobbyists, always sharing details of birds' locations? Do all birders help strangers while participating in this avian scavenger hunt? How often have you encountered reticent birders?In Morning Sentinel, George Smith writes:Birders themselves are a very special breed. We would sidle up to a couple of obvious birding experience (judging by clothes and Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-8194145534759483262009-04-27T17:41:00.000-07:002009-04-27T17:44:58.047-07:00Bird coverage on OdyseeTVAnimal Fund announced the launch of OdyseeTV, an online-only television station that focuses on conservation organizations and individuals around the world. Among the station's many 10-minute programs are six that focus on birds: "The Eagle Has Landed" (birds of prey), "Stand Vigilant" (cranes), "Losing Ground" (Burrowing Owls), "A Penguin Project" (Falkland Islands penguins), "Pirating the Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-23293407735285939262009-04-25T11:30:00.000-07:002009-04-25T11:38:36.496-07:00The Federal Aviation Administration opened a database of bird strike records yesterday. Will the data spur more innovation and efforts to reduce bird populations near airports?From CNN.comNationwide, there were 98,328 reports of aircraft striking birds or other wildlife since January of 1990, although the actual numbers probably are far higher. The Federal Aviation Administration said only 20 Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-7924078835529490272009-04-23T10:11:00.000-07:002009-04-23T10:18:19.641-07:00Bird-strike database to debut on FridayPerhaps some birders and ornithologists fall into the group of independent researchers, cited below, that wants to look at all available data.From CNN.com:After getting pelted by criticism from everyone from airline passengers to federal accident investigators, the Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday reversed course and said it will publicly reveal its records on bird strikes.The FAA Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-49004847266276055532009-04-21T08:45:00.000-07:002009-04-21T08:45:00.085-07:00Birding map in central Iowa highlights 22 trailsFrom the Des Moines Register: Bird-watchers are not just eccentrics wearing funny hats. They are increasing in number faster than bald eagles and spend plenty of money.Wildlife officials aim to lure more birders to Central Iowa with a new bird trail map and posted signs at each location listed in the guide."It's happening all over the country; we're now approaching 400 U.S. bird trails," said Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17689254.post-85573487218498780132009-04-20T16:29:00.000-07:002009-04-20T16:33:03.699-07:00New raptor center, wetlands center open in KansasBarton County, Kan., now offers two sites likely to attract more birders: Kansas Raptor Center at Great Bend Zoo and Kansas Wetlands Education Center. Zoo Director Mike Cargill said injured raptors that come to the center go through a step-by-step process. They are rehabilitated in the center's intensive care unit and then go to a critical care unit outside on the zoo grounds.After that, they Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13301129176775790365noreply@blogger.com0