Birds

Two hipster ducks from Brooklyn

They even swim in a vee.

Bird quiz on the BBC website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3FWYSt1cCKYhPrgT3PGYQh3/the-big-bird-quiz

I did 50%.

I got 8/10. I screwed up on the "what do you call group of birds" questions.

There was a lot of those. I got 7, so I'm forever in your shadow.

izzy, I join you in the shadows with 7

I have my cowl and bell, and have been practising crying 'Unclean' all day. So I'll be fine at the supermarket.

I am saddened for I got 6 out of 10.

Sam Lee on the nightingale

I saw two bobolinks in the yard yesterday, for the first time in maybe a dozen years. They used to be regular visitors on their way north but their numbers are in decline. The picture doesn't do them justice — they are a striking bird with the underneath of their bodies all black and the bright yellow cap. Nice cheery song, too.

This is that critical two weeks in the US. Birds that live in deep forests are heading north through mid May and its the best time to see these rarer species. We put out raisins and orange slices for the baltimore orioles. Ive seen quite a few orioles this year, and two scarlet tanagers.
Now Its a bunch of solo gigs of uncommon tunes sung by these visitors and usually the mockingbirds pick up the main melodies and keep em going through summer.

We see oriole nests in the woods nearby .They build these things that look like "caterpillar nests" which hang from high poplar trees. Bt end of August, theyre all gone.

BUT I dont think Ive ever seen any bobolinks. Ive heard em , but never seen em.

He wears that look better than Brad Pitt ever did!

Edgar, can you put the Beautiful Animals tag on this one so... it can be that much easier to find it, forum wise? #notaskingforafriend

Never underestimate the simple day to day beauty of the common house sparrow.


Cyrus Todiwala on the house sparrow

Yew got it dewd.

More bad news for our feathered friends:
Migratory birds bumped off schedule as climate change shifts spring
Eurekalert

Damn unionized birds and their need to make progress and moving forward so difficult!

Went to the MOMA on a day off yesterday. Stumbled onto this NYC bird.

Soundimals

New research shows that the birds are specially built for balancing.
Not much of a science article unless I'm missing the actual link or something. But wonderful photo.

That poor bird is missing a leg. Poor bird. And someone has stepped on its beak and bent it down. And it's starting to turn pink... poor thing.