Birding and Business

It never occurred to me that there might be skills or strategies employed by top birders that could be adapted by successful business executives to improve the success of their businesses, but the Harvard Business Review claims there are. In 2002, the HBR published an articled entitled Spotting Patterns on the Fly: A Conversation with Birders David Sibley and Julia Yoshida which is still available for purchase. More recently, John Michl of the Thinking Analytically blog has published a series of short posts examining these skill sets, with pattern recognition and randomness being just two of them. I don’t suppose there would be something in here that would help bail out Wall Street?

Birds May Pick Up Chemical Cues from Insect-Damaged Trees

New research out of Finland suggests, not surprisingly, that insectivorous birds are attracted to herbivorous insect-damaged trees. What is surprising is that the birds may be attracted to insect-infested trees not so much by the presence of the insects themselves, as they are by the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) given off by the trees as a protection against insect herbivory.

2008 Blogger BioBlitz—My Results

Damn! I missed the Blogger BioBlitz—for the second year in a row! Either it wasn’t well publicized or I’ve not been keeping up on things, but most likely it was the latter. Luckily, not all is lost. The official dates for the 2008 Blogger BioBlitz were September 20-28. As it happened, I conducted standardized bird counts on seven days during that period, September 20-26, using a protocol defined by eBird as an “area count.” The area that I surveyed included my yard, adjoining Crescent Lake, adjacent scrubby areas, and a hardwoods forest on the opposite side of the lake. Between 1 and 2 hours were devoted to the daily counts.



Rather than submitting my results in the form of a “datasheet download,” I chose to provide a written summary here. I recorded a total of 55 species (min/day: 14, med: 26, max: 42) and a minimum of 1,874 individuals, or 268/day (min: 69, med: 205, max: 595); 17 species were observed just once during the 7 days, while 21 species were observed on 4 or more days. A detailed species list follows:

Canada Goose – 7 days, min. of 152 birds* (30.4/day); max: 65 on 24th

Mute Swan – 6 days, 12 birds (2/day, a resident pair)

Wood Duck – 6 days, 31 birds (5.2/day); min: 1, med: 5, max: 11 on 21st

Mallard – 3 days, 16 birds (5.3/day); max: 7 on 24th

Pied-billed Grebe – 1 bird on 25th

Double-crested Cormorant – 1 bird on 26th (I watched as this bird flew into and landed on Crescent Lake and then began feeding immediately)

Great Blue Heron – 1 bird on each of 4 days (1/day)

Great Egret – 1 bird on each of 2 days (25th & 26th)

Turkey Vulture – 3 days, 6 birds (2/day); max: 3 on 22nd

Red-shouldered Hawk – 3 days, 5 birds (1.7/day); max: 3 on 25th

American Coot – 1 bird on 26th

Ring-billed Gull – 6 days, 453 birds (75.5/day); min: 1, med: 39.5, max 313 on 25th

Mourning Dove – 6 days, 19 birds (3.2/day); min: 2, med: 3.5, max 4 (4 different days)

Eastern Screech-Owl – 2 days, 2 birds (1/day, heard calling)

Great Horned Owl – 1 bird heard calling on 21st

Chimney Swift – 4 days, 35 birds (8.8/day); max: 17 on 24th

Ruby-throated Hummingbird – 1 bird on 24th

Belted Kingfisher – 1 bird on 26th

Red-bellied Woodpecker – 5 days, 11 birds (2.2/day); min: 1, med: 1, max: 6 on 26th

Downy Woodpecker – 6 days, 11 birds (2.2/day); min: 1, med: 2, max: 3 on 26th

Northern Flicker – 3 days, 16 birds (5.3/day); max: 10 on 26th

Olive-sided Flycatcher – 1 bird on 24th

Alder Flycatcher – 1 bird on 24th (heard calling)

Eastern Phoebe – 6 days, 16 birds (2.7/day); min: 1, med: 1.5, max: 6 on 24th

Great Crested Flycatcher – 1 bird on 24th

Red-eyed Vireo – 2 days, 3 birds (1.5/day); max: 2 on 26th

Blue Jay – 7 days, min. of 109 birds* (21.8/day); min: 15, med: 19, max: 30 on 20th & 24th

American Crow – 6 days, minimum of 16 birds^ (4/day); max: 5 on 20th & 24th

Northern Rough-winged Swallow – 30 birds on each of 2 days, 21st & 22nd

swallow sp. – 2 days, 25 birds (12.5/day); max: 15 on 26th

Black-capped Chickadee – 4 days, 4 birds (1/day)

Tufted Titmouse – 6 days, 8 birds (1.3/day); min: 1, med: 1, max: 2 on 24th & 26th

White-breasted Nuthatch – 7 days, 17 birds (2.4/day); min: 1, med: 2, max: 6 on 24th

House Wren – 1 bird on 20th

American Robin – 7 days, 240 birds (34.3/day); min: 1, med: 18, max: 110 on 24th

Gray Catbird – 6 days, 84 birds (14/day); min: 1, med: 13.5, max: 26 on 26th

Brown Thrasher – 4 birds on 26th

European Starling – 6 days, 40 birds (6.7/day); min: 1, med: 2, max: 31 on 25th

Cedar Waxwing – 3 days, 75 birds (25/day); max: 30 on 20th

Magnolia Warbler – 1 bird on 26th

Yellow-rumped Warbler – 2 days, 8 birds (4/day); max: 7 on 26th

American Redstart – 2 days, 6 birds (3/day); max: 5 on 20th

Ovenbird – 2 birds on 24th

Common Yellowthroat – 1 bird on 20th

Wilson’s Warbler – 1 bird on 26th

Eastern Towhee – 2 days, 6 birds (3/day); max: 5 on 24th

Chipping Sparrow – 5 days, 78 birds (15.6/day); min: 5, med: 15, max: 23 on 24th

White-throated Sparrow – 1 bird on 26th (first of the fall)

Northern Cardinal – 7 days, min. of 30 birds** (5/day); min: 2, med: 5, max: 10 on 20th

Rose-breasted Grosbeak – 13 birds on 20th

Red-winged Blackbird – 3 days, 19 birds (6.3/day); max: 15 on 25th

Brown-headed Cowbird – 1 bird on 24th

Baltimore Oriole – 3 days, 6 birds (2/day); max: 4 on 24th

House Finch – 7 days, min. of 31 birds* (6.2/day); min: 5, med: 7, max: 7 on 3 different days

American Goldfinch – 7 days, min. of 180 birds** (30/day); min: 20, med: 30, max: 50 on 26th

House Finch – 4 days, 14 birds (3.5/day); max: 10 on 20th

^ Numerical estimates were made on only 4 days for this species

* Numerical estimates were made on only 5 days for this species

** Numerical estimates were made on only 6 days for this species

Project FeederWatch: Database Integrity

I signed up for Project FeederWatch today. I’ve never been a FeederWatch participant, but have always been under the assumption that it was a worthwhile citizen-science project that yielded useful information on winter bird populations.

After signing up, I went to the “Explore Data” section of the FeederWatch web site, as suggested in their press release. Once there, I pulled up a summary for the State of Michigan for 2007-2008. Imagine my surprise upon finding records of Common Ground-Dove (showing an “average group size when seen” of 14.1) and Black-billed Magpie (with an “average group size” of 11.0)! Both of these species are on the Michigan Bird Records Committee’s “Review List.” Their searchable database shows three records of Common Ground-Dove (most recently in 2000) and eight records of Black-billed Magpie (most recently in December 2006-January 2007), with no more than a single individual of each species reported during each sighting.

Other questionable species listed for the 2007-2008 count from Michigan include Mountain Chickadee, Juniper Titmouse, Black-crested Titmouse, Pygmy Nuthatch, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Cactus Wren, and Pyrrhuloxia. Needless to say, there are no confirmed records of any of those species in Michigan.

While I still believe that Project FeederWatch provides useful information on winter populations of common winter birds, internal controls (such as those instituted for eBird and the Great Backyard Bird Count) need to be put into place before such dubious records as those noted above make it into their online database.

Project FeederWatch Benefits Birds and People

Yeah, I know it seems like fall just rolled around. After all, the college football season is less than half over, and I haven’t even raked the leaves in my yard yet. Heck, most of the leaves haven’t even fallen yet. And fall migration is still in full swing.

Be that as it may, the start of the 2008-2009 season for Project FeederWatch is barely more than month away. That’s right, mark your calendars for November 8th and get ready for the all fun and excitement of being a FeederWatcher, while also making a useful contribution to our knowledge of winter bird populations. For information on how to participate, please read this news release from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

Ithaca, NY-¬More than 100 studies have shown that getting closer to nature reduces stress and promotes a feeling of well-being in children and adults. So, filling feeders and counting the birds that visit may be just what the doctor ordered! For more than 20 years, that’s what participants in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Project FeederWatch have been doing-¬benefiting themselves and the birds.

"It is a great winter time activity for the whole family," says Alaska FeederWatcher Nancy Darnell. "If you have children, they will come to love watching the birds. All of this is fun and a chance to contribute to scientific studies, too!"

The 2008-09 season of Project FeederWatch gets underway November 8 and runs through April 3. Participants count the numbers and kinds of birds at their feeders each week and send the information to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participants submitted more than 115,000 checklists during the 2007-08 FeederWatch season, documenting unusual bird sightings, winter movements, and shifting ranges-¬a treasure-trove of information that scientists use to monitor the health of the birds and of the environment.

"Being a FeederWatcher is easy and fun, and at the same time helps generate the world’s largest database on feeder-bird populations," says project leader David Bonter. "We are grateful for the contributions our participants have made for the birds and are proud of the joy they say it brings to their busy lives. Since we started in 1987, more than 40,000 people have submitted observations, engaging with the wildlife beyond their windows."

"Project FeederWatch opened up a whole new world for me," says participant Cheri Ryan of Lockport, Kentucky. "It’s so interesting to watch the activities of the birds. I learn something new each time I participate."

Scientists learn something new from the data each year, too, whether it’s about the movements of common backyard birds or unusual sightings of rarely-seen species. Highlights of the most recent season include the largest southward movement of Red-breasted Nuthatches in the history of the project¬-part of an expected influx of northern birds that fly farther south when their food supplies run short. Other northern species showing up in record numbers included Common Repolls and Pine Siskins. Among the rare birds reported was a Streak-backed Oriole in Loveland, Colorado-¬the state’s first report of this bird, native to Mexico. A December nor’easter deposited a Dovekie in Newton, Massachusetts, the first time this North Atlantic seabird has ever been reported to Project FeederWatch.

Long-term data show some species increasing in number, such as the Lesser Goldfinch in the Southwest. Other populations continue a downward trend, such as the Evening Grosbeak throughout their range. Once one of the most common species seen at feeders in the northern half of the continent, the grosbeaks are declining for unknown reasons.

Beyond the benefits to birds and science, however, is the benefit to participants. "Nature is not merely an amenity; it is critical to healthy human development and functioning," says Nancy Wells, Cornell University assistant professor of design and environmental analysis. Her studies find that a view of nature through the window or access to the environment in any way improves a child’s cognitive functioning and reduces the negative effects of stress on the child’s psychological well-being. Wells also notes that when children spent time with nature early in life it carries over to their adult attitudes and behavior toward the environment.

Project FeederWatch welcomes participants of all ages and skill levels, from scout troops and retirees to classrooms and nature center visitors. To learn more and to sign up, visit www.feederwatch.org or call the Lab toll-free at (800) 843-2473. In return for the $15 fee ($12 for Lab members) participants receive the FeederWatcher’s Handbook, an identification poster of the most common feeder birds in their area, a calendar, complete instructions, and the FeederWatch annual report, Winter Bird Highlights.

Many FeederWatchers echo this comment from Mary Strasser of Wisconsin: "The greatest reward for me as a participant in Project FeederWatch these many years has been observing birds and behavior that I might have missed had I not been part of this project."

Visit the "Explore Data" section of the FeederWatch Web site to find the top 25 birds reported in your region, rare bird sightings, and bird summaries by State or Province.

Licenses to Bird

This "collection" of 212 birding-inspired vanity plates in 18 galleries was gathered over a period of 29 years by Rich Ditch. These are all more or less self-explanatory, but I’m still puzzled by the meaning of KUMUL. Can somebody help me out?

ADDENDUM (10/6/08): See Rich Ditch's very interesting comment below about the meaning of KUMUL. Thank you, Ritch!

Shirtless Will Mellor photos plus short biog

Will Mellor is a British actor from Greater Manchester he first played Ben Rowlingson in the children's programme Children's Ward and in 1995, Mellor joined the cast of the soap opera, Hollyoaks. He has also starred in the UK drama Casualty and from 2001 - 2003 starred as Gaz in the comedy Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. He will also appear in the BBC fantasy drama, Merlin which is currently showing on UK BBC1

Here are a few photographs of Will Mellor in various states of undress from the media and his shows...

















A very young looking Will...



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