On Vacation...

Beth and I are going on vacation tomorrow until next Saturday, April 7. It's Beth's spring break (she's a teacher). We're heading up to Lake George, NY and then over to Ithaca to hit up all the wineries. Then, it's over to Niagara Falls and, finally, Toronto. I'll of course have my binoculars and camera along to record anything neat for the blog. I'll see you all when I return.

Birdsong Soundscapes for the Concert Stage and Lecture Hall

At last night's monthly meeting of the Urner Ornithological Club, one of the oldest birding clubs in NJ, member Andrew Lamy gave a wonderful presentation on a project he's working on. Andy is an accomplished clarinetist and ornithologist. He studies bird song using his knowledge of music and birds. He's particularly focused on Africa and has done many recordings there. Most recently, with the help of a grant, he and a team of scientists and musicians went to South Africa and recorded the songs of many birds. They also recorded a dawn chorus from the overgrown sand dunes of the Saint Lucia area of South Africa. Andy's goal is to present the bird song "in concert, artfully adding layers of musical interplay by instrumentalists positioned around the audience in unobtrusive ways." He played samples of the songs for us yesterday on CD and also played along with a multitude of instruments. His ability to mimic bird song with a variety of whistles, percussion instruments, his clarinet, and even his voice was astounding. I'm sorry I didn't have my camera with me. He's adapting the program to be presented to children as well as adults. Check out his web site if you get a chance.

Update: Ban on bird feeders in Long Branch, NJ

Yay! Reality outdoes stupidity.

The Asbury Park Press 03/27/07
BY CAROL GORGA WILLIAMS
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU

LONG BRANCH — The City Council will vote down tonight two proposed ordinances regulating how people could feed and care for animal life, said Council President Michael DeStefano.

The measures, based on model ordinances provided by the state Department of Environmental Protection, were proposed two weeks ago when DeStefano was absent.

"I just can't believe what happens when I'm gone,'' DeStefano said during a workshop meeting prior to the regular council meeting tonight. "Obviously,there was a law of unintended consequences here.''

City Attorney James G. Aaron will seek clarification from the DEP on the model ordinances. Questions have been raised whether the measures would require pet owners from cleaning up urine after walking their dogs, and would ban backyard birdfeeders.

Said DeStefano, ". . . we'll move on to something more sensible and less injurious to wildlife.''

"Planet Earth" - Birds of Paradise

Did you watch "Planet Earth" on the Discovery Channel on Sunday? The photography on this special about our planet is amazing. The BBC-produced documentary was 5 years in the making and includes many never before filmed natural events like African Dogs hunting Impalas and some never filmed birds-of-paradise doing their courtship rituals. Here's a clip of the birds-of-paradise. The Superb Bird-of-Paradise is unreal. This clip is narrated by David Attenborough, but the US version of the show is narrated by Sigourney Weaver. Now, I know she can kick alien butt, but she's no David Attenborough.

Our Mockingbird

For the past month or so, we've had a Northern Mockingbird visiting our yard and our feeders. At first, he (let's call it a "he" for now) would come and check out the heated bird bath and maybe take a sip or two.



Then, he started picking at the seed I threw on the porch. Lately, he's taken to standing guard over the suet feeder. He seems to let the Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers have their share, but when a Starling comes by, all hell breaks loose. He seems to know that they're not wanted and swiftly dispatches of them. Even if he's not visible, he seems to materialize when the Starlings appear.

I've decided to name the mockingbird "Michael Winslow" due to his mastery of mimicry. I hope he sticks around and raises a family in our neighborhood.

Review: An Inconvenient Truth

Beth and I finally saw An Inconvenient Truth last night. This much talked about documentary has raised awareness about the climate change that is occuring due to global warming. Of course, it's not without controversy and the movie tries to address the skeptics as much as possible. I don't consider myself an expert on both sides of the issue. My view on global warming is that whether or not this is happening, the changes that are being suggested are just good for the environment in general.

As for the movie, I enjoyed the film and thought that it got its point across very well. I would have liked to have seen a lot less focus on Al Gore and his past because I don't think it added anything to the film. Also, the visuals, which added a lot to the message, were tough to view sometimes. For example, the labels on the axes on some of the graphs were difficult to read which meant that the scales of some of the graphs were difficult to read. Scales on graphs can be manipulated to make changes in data look more extreme and I wanted to be sure that this wasn't happening. My biggest complaint, though, is that Al Gore does not know how to say "ARCTIC." He continually said "Artic" and "Antartic" which, to me, hurt his credibility. Couldn't someone tell him how to say it?

Even with these flaws, the movie is required viewing for everyone.

Up, Up, and Away!

On my first trip to a hawkwatch, I was surprised when I heard someone call out a "mylar." I was a new birder at the time, but I had been looking at bird books all my life and had never heard of a "mylar." It turns out that they were keeping an unofficial count of loose mylar balloons. As you probably know, balloons (both rubber and mylar) are a threat to wildlife, especially sea creatures that might mistake a balloon for a jellyfish. Three cheers to New Hampshire for trying to implement a $250 fine for the intentional release of balloons. I understand that people like to release balloons in honor of an event or a person, but there are many other ways to honor someone that cause less impact to the environment.

PS: It turns out that mylar balloons aren't really made of mylar. They are really just foil.

No bird feeders allowed?

The city of Long Branch, NJ, a stone's throw from Sandy Hook, is contemplating an ordinance against the feeding of all wild birds and feral cats. The ordinance is based on recommendations from the state DEP. I was able to find the state's model ordinance online. At least, I think this is it. It only refers to feeding of animals in public places and any places owned by the municipality, so I'm not sure where the Long Branch folks are getting this from. Although I would love to see a global ban on feeding feral cats, I hope this ordinance doesn't turn into a fiasco that leads to a statewide ban on feeding birds.