1. Let’s start by remembering the “unimpeachable” artistry – two books: As the National Audubon Society recovers from a referendum to change its name in light of the fact that America’s founding birder was a slave owner (the name stayed), a luxe reissue of John James Audubon’s magnum opus, Birds of America (Abbeville, $195), proves the man’s artistry itself unimpeachable. His paintings foretold the ambitions of the camera, and at only a quarter of the size of the four-volume folio that was first published between 1827 and 1838, this still hefty edition preserves the poetic backdrops and fierce detail of the original. The copperplate lines are so exact they mimic the individual venation of feathers; the neck of a gyrfalcon takes on all the ripply realism of moiréd silk. (via The New York Times)
2. No more “there’s a Wilson’s!”- Name changes coming to the Americas: The American Ornithological Society, the organization responsible for standardizing English bird names across the Americas, announced on Wednesday that it would rename all species honoring people. Bird names derived from people, the society said in a statement, can be harmful, exclusive and detract from “the focus, appreciation or consideration of the birds themselves.” That means the Audubon’s shearwater, a bird found off the coast of the southeastern United States, will no longer have a name acknowledging John James Audubon, a famous bird illustrator and a slave owner who adamantly opposed abolition. The Scott’s oriole, a black-and-yellow bird inhabiting the Southwest and Mexico, will also receive a new moniker, which will sever ties to the U.S. Civil War general Winfield Scott, who oversaw the forced relocation of Indigenous peoples in 1838 that eventually became the Trail of Tears. (via The New York Times)
Same story from the Washington Post
3. Migration discovered - The stork and the spear story retold in Audubon Magazine: Bird migration has puzzled people for centuries. While Indigenous communities developed rich lore around the movement of birds, knowing exactly where birds went and why was mostly guesswork in ancient times—though some came closer than others. As early as the fourth century BCE, Aristotle aptly hypothesized that “birds migrate from the steppes of Scythia to the marshlands south of Egypt,” referring to the migration of Common Cranes from Iran. But in the absence of concrete evidence, myths about birds hibernating at the bottom of lakes and journeying as far as the moon persisted—until the pfeilstorch. (via Audubon)
4. Looking at a devastating fire 20 years later – the Cedar Fire in San Diego County: more sunshine, less bid song: It is a 2.6-mile hike up Lookout Road to reach Cuyamaca Peak from Paso Picacho Campground. The dappled shade of tall conifers has long ago given way to broader views of the surrounding mountainside after the fire took in hours what nature required centuries to build. Those who keep pushing toward the peak, through that endless ocean of ceanothus bush, arrive at a true shrine in the wilderness. Here are pines and cedars and firs that survived the fire, their trunks still visibly scorched down low, a testament to the fact that the blaze passed through, largely because there was not enough brush present for it to make the devastating climb into upper branches that killed more than 95% of the park's conifers.
5. Getting “landscape level control” to save the ‘akikiki in Hawaii: The ‘akikiki, a small, gray bird native to Hawaii, may not look remarkable, but its rarity is. Only five are thought to remain in the wild and, according to the state’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, the species could go extinct within months. The biggest threat to the tiny birds is from malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Living in the cool and lush mountains of the island of Kauaʻi, for many years this honeycreeper species was out of the range of non-native mosquitoes, but rising temperatures from climate change have enabled the biting insects to find their way up to these peaks – with terrible consequences. This summer, the team successfully rescued 10 eggs that were placed in a portable incubator and brought safely back to the Kauaʻi Bird Conservation Center. There, collected eggs continue to grow and develop, and any successful hatchlings join the other 50 or so ’akikiki in human care. (via CNN)
6. The city that never sleeps is awakening…for birds: Early-rising New Yorkers may spot an unusual patrol group in Manhattan this autumn. They sport sensible shoes, latex gloves and an armful of brown paper bags. As in spring, they comb the streets for migrating birds that have struck windows. They are Project Safe Flight volunteers, out to save the injured and count the dead. It is a tough gig. Fruzsina Agocs saw her first yellow-billed cuckoo, a shy species that is hard to spot, dead on the pavement. “That was not the way I wanted to see it,” she says. But she is cautiously optimistic that she will have fewer such encounters in the future. In the past couple of years New York has moved to the forefront of a push to make cities more welcoming to their avian neighbors. (via The Economist)
7. Good news on the Piping Plover front: A record number of breeding pairs of piping plovers nested on Maine's beaches this summer — though fewer chicks appear to have reached flying age. Maine Audubon is reporting a count of 157 breeding pairs of the birds, which are listed as threatened. That represents a 12% increase from last summer, and more than double the number from five years ago. Maine Audubon Biologist Laura Minich Zitske said that the population numbers are much higher than what her organization once thought was possible, as only six nesting pairs were reported in Maine 40 years ago. Zitske said substantial conservation work has made a significant difference in Maine, but the birds haven't recovered in some other areas along the East Coast. (via Maine Public Radio)
8. Speaking of Maine, a “shout out” to one of the great Fall migration spots in New England and maybe the East Coast – but, spoiler alert, it is hard to get to: The Maine Coast is rich with iconic locations. Some are known for their striking austere beauty. Others, for a unique geological feature. Still others, for their historical significance. Birders, on the other hand, are drawn to places that harbor lots of birds. Usually, such places are not the famous spots that draw crowds. But once in a while, the birding hotspot and iconic Maine Coast are one and the same. Just 10 miles offshore from the Pemaquid Peninsula lies one these special places: Monhegan Island. A mile and a half long and just over a half-mile wide, the island is famous for its scenic beauty, deep history, and special features including its high, rocky headlands. In summer, hundreds of people swarm to this beautiful outpost to enjoy its charms. (via Boothbay Register)
9. Say hello to RoboFinch (a very specialized robot): Two zebra finches sit on a wooden perch. The small songbirds with orange cheeks and black-and-white striped throats normally live in Australia’s dry grasslands. But this pair at Leiden University in the Netherlands is getting a tutoring session. They listen intently to an intricate melody formed of trills and chirps from their feathered instructor. But this singing teacher isn’t a bird. Meet RoboFinch. RoboFinch is a robotic singing coach for birds. Researchers designed RoboFinch to study what young songbirds need to see and hear to better learn their tunes. Such robots could one day help rare birds survive. RoboFinch is one of several new robots that mimic wildlife to help solve problems. (via Science News Explores)
10. Solar storms, migration and 2024’s “solar maximum”: It’s well known that migratory birds—who, in some cases, travel the entire globe every year—rely on magnetic fields to point them toward their seasonal home. But those fields aren’t always reliable. Solar storms and other space weather events can knock out satellite navigation and avian navigation in equal measure, and when the Sun reaches its solar maximum (the greatest period of activity in its 11-year solar cycle) around mid-to-late 2024, such geomagnetic disruptions will be even more frequent. To figure out just how widespread this space weather-induced confusion can be, scientists from the University of Michigan studied 23 years of migration data across the U.S. Great Plains—a migratory corridor that stretches from Texas to North Dakota. (via Popular Mechanics)
11. “Masters of moves”: Dancing has been a timeless source of self-expression for humans. The movement of one’s body is a non-verbal way of showcasing moods and emotions. Dancing is also an integral part of many cultures and rituals as it exhibits joy and celebration. For instance, it brings together people during wedding occasions worldwide. But did you know that this art form isn’t exclusive to our species? Dancing extends to the animal kingdom as well, particularly among avians. Many birds use dancing moves to impress the opposite sex and attract a mate. What’s fascinating is that their performances aren’t always accompanied by what humans find helpful: the sound of music! (via Wildlife SOS)
12. More from Down Under - Not to be outdone by the Australians, Kiwis to vote on the bird of the century: A total of 77 New Zealand's native birds are in the running for the title of Bird of the Century 2023 contest, with the voting opened on Monday for two weeks. The annual Bird of the Year contest has been temporarily rebranded as "Bird of the Century" to celebrate the 100th birthday of the conservation organisation Forest & Bird. Five extinct species have been added as candidates for the first time: bush wren, South Island snipe, huia, piopio, and laughing owl. The last officially confirmed sighting of huia, an iconic songbird, was in 1907, but it is likely that the huia persisted into the 1920s. The last confirmed record of the laughing owl was a dead specimen found in Canterbury in 1914, but sight and sound records persisted into the 1930s, according to Forest & Bird. (via English News)
13. TNC Photo contest! Click on “Birds” and check out some truly wonderful pics: The Nature Conservancy is proud to announce the winners of the 2023 photo contest. Your images gave voice to nature and showed us the power and peril of the natural world. The following photos submitted to our 2023 photo contest captivated our judges the most. (via The Nature Conservancy)
14. Finally, all a new birder needs to get stated – think of it as early Christmas ideas: Bird-watching, or birding, is an admittedly curious pastime. You're essentially spying on little feathery creatures trying to go about their lives. Rather than landing you in jail though, this hobby can actually make you friends,improve your focus and concentration, andenrich your life. (Maybe even get you ashow on Nat Geo.) To start birding, just slow down, be quiet, and start observing the world around you—it's full of birds. That said, there are some basic tips and gear that can improve your bird-watching experience, and some others that are just plain fun to have. Thanks to my parents, I've been birding since I was born, but whether you're a veteran bird-watcher or a total newcomer, there's something here for everyone. (via Wired)
Bird Videos of the Week
By Bob Duchesne, “Oregon Pelagic Birding”.
Cornell Live Bird Cam- Evening Grosbecks.
Cornell Live Bird Cam- Rufous Tailed Hummingbirds.