Archive for August, 2009

The August ID Challenge has come to a close, and we have a winner! Jason, aka Xenogere, was the first person to submit the most correct answers. We had 3 players, all of whom correctly identified each photo. Way to go! Jason has won a $10 donation to the charity of his choice, made in his name. As soon as I get that info from Jason, I will update this post with the name of the charity and  copy of the check. UPDATE: Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation is the lucky charity!

Winning Charity - August 2009 ID Challenge

And now, for the answers: Read the rest of this entry »

Fruit on Texas Persimmon (Diospyros texana)

This is a closeup of the ripening fruit on my Texas Persimmon (Diospyros texana) tree. I purchased this tree at a native plant sale about a year ago, and I am delighted to see it already producing so much fruit! If you’re reading this, you might be wondering if the fruit is edible. Yep! They are sweet and tasty – and I’ve documented what they look like inside and out in a series of photographs. Read the rest of this entry »

Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)

Capturing a photo of this treetop-hopper was a real challenge. I think I may have seen a Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) before, but I have never captured an image. I seldom trust what I think I see, especially if the bird is new to me. When I get back home to examine the photos and consult my guide books and the internet, I usually feel pretty good about the ID. Even with the photos I managed to get, I still spent some time trying to determine if the bird was a Great Crested Flycatcher or a Brown-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus tyrannulus). Read the rest of this entry »

I just learned about this and was so excited, I had to post this brief notice. Anyone interested in birds, wildlife, or conservation will want to follow this story!

Quest launched to find ‘lost’ birds

21-08-2009

BirdLife International is launching a global bid to try to confirm the continued existence of 47 species of bird that have not been seen for up to 184 years.

The Texas Inland Waterway Cleanup, part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, is gaining momentum. The Texas Master Naturalist Program Coordinator sent out a notice to the TMN listserv to help spread the word about the opportunity.

Trash travels. A plastic bag carried from a store in Memphis, Tennessee, blows from a picnic table, washes down a storm drain to the river, and winds up being eaten by a sea turtle in the Gulf of Mexico. That’s why the International Coastal Cleanup takes place on lakes and inland waterways as well as the ocean’s shores.

—Ocean Conservancy

For TMN members, Audubon Society members, college students, and anyone else who would like to help – here are some guidelines to get you started: Read the rest of this entry »

I know…what does this have to do with birds? Or nature? Not much…but having the ability to photograph our planet from space is simply amazing. We now have a brand-new GOES satellite, and this is the first “full disk” image from GOES 14!

New GOES 14 satellite - first "full disk" image TODAY!

I have featured a logo-link for my favorite bird-friendly coffee bean roaster for almost as long as Birder’s Lounge has existed. I was looking for a roaster who sold ONLY organic, free-trade, shade-grown coffee. There are many roasters out there that fit this description – but then I conducted a taste test. I ordered samples from several roasters, and Grounds for Change was the easy winner.

The huge bonus about this company is their genuine commitment to conservation. I have just nominated them for the 2009 Green America People’s Choice Award.

Audubon provides a long list of North American birds who depend on shade-grown coffee farms for part of their life cycles. Here are a few of the birds on the list, whom I have personally seen and photographed: Read the rest of this entry »

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

This scraggly-looking Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is a young bird who is slowly-but-surely growing her adult plumage. She reminds me of a child whose summer vacation is drawing to a close, and who will soon be heading back to school. Read the rest of this entry »

Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia)

I was chit-chatting with my neighbor (no, not Mr. Green Thumbs), and he showed me the big spider that was hanging out on the side of his house. We both thought it was cool – he likes having the spider around because it eats other less-desirable insects, like grasshoppers. Read the rest of this entry »