ID Challenge, June 2009 - Winner's Charity

Time to announce the winner of the monthly ID Challenge contest sponsored by Birder’s Lounge. It will come as little surprise to learn that Zeb Acuff has won another $10 for his charity, Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research. We had 2 contestants this month, so if you think you just can’t do it, the odds alone are pretty favorable. Way to go, Zeb!

We also have two more Do-Gooders to brag about: Read the rest of this entry »

Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)

Birds weren‘t the only beauties I saw on my recent trip to the Ozark mountains in Arkansas. This Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) was a first for me. According to this range map from Wikipedia¹, I live on the westernmost part of its range. Arkansas is well within the range, so I’ll count myself lucky to have seen this striking butterfly. I’ve been trying to learn taxonomic (Latin) names for the birds, butterflies, etc that I see and photograph, and it is quite a challenge. I thought it would help to learn the meaning of the root words, but even this has been tough. When I start to get the hang of it, I’ll share the knowledge. Read the rest of this entry »

Ozark Mountains-view from cabin

The Ozark Mountains in Arkansas are simply beautiful. I spent four days in a cabin on a mountain, enjoying the outdoors and some new scenery. I saw new birds, butterflies, turtles and even a new species of squirrel. A dramatic thunderstorm and delightfully cool weather moved through one morning as well. I have pictures of everything, and this is the first of 2 (probably) posts sharing the scenes  from the Ozarks. Enjoy! Read the rest of this entry »

Current Pledge

I am thrilled to announce that the long-stagnant “pot” of funds for the Birder’s Lounge charities has just grown. Thanks to a few more Do-Gooders, the total pledge from Birder’s Lounge to the charities has risen $16.00. Here’s the breakdown: Read the rest of this entry »

Birder’s Lounge supports two wildlife rehabilitation organizations, and one of them has just launched a new partnership with Dawn (dishwashing liquid) to raise funds for the good work they do. I am speaking of the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC), with facilities in California and Alaska. The IBRRC specializes in helping birds and other wildlife recover from the damaging effects of oil spills and other man-made hazards of the sea. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to IATB #102!

This edition of I and the Bird is a world-wide adventure. To give you an idea of where-in-the-world our contributors and their birdy-encounters are coming from, I’ve shown a map representing each post. Each map attempts to show you the general location of the birds discussed, and includes an overview map so that you can see which continent you are virtually visiting. Just click on each map and you will be transported to each exciting place around the globe.

A. Greg Laden of Greg Laden’s Blog, “The falcon eats tonight…”

Greg tells us about the falcon he saw chasing pigeons, possibly to their demise!

Greg Laden's Blog-"The falcon eats tonight..."

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Read the rest of this entry »

Caddo Park at Lake Lavon

I spent a day helping some of my Texas Master Naturalist friends improve the hiking trails at Caddo Park on Lake Lavon. The park had been closed to the public for a long time, but is now open again. I took my “little” camera along to photograph the wildflowers and anything else I might see. Here ‘goes!

Read the rest of this entry »

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)

Lately, I’ve been whining every time I see a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus). I never have my camera when I see one, and when I go looking for one, I don’t see one. Clearly, my luck has changed! Read the rest of this entry »

It is time once again to post 3 photos for your identifying pleasure. Birder’s Lounge sponsors this monthly contest to provide a fun way for others to learn more about nature, and to promote the causes of the winner’s conservation/nature/wildlife charity. The prize each month is a $10 donation from Birder’s Lounge to the winner’s charity, on behalf of the winning contestant.

This month’s contest runs through midnight, June 23rd. The first person to get the most number of correct answers wins. Good luck!