Archive for August 2009
August 16, 2009 | 
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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 »
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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 »
Birding trips in the middle of the summer are pretty sparse where I live in Texas. Still, about 30 people turned out last Sunday for a tour through the Connemara Conservancy, located in Allen, TX. This special place was founded in 1981, providing area residents with 72 acres of protected habitat to visit and enjoy. The “Meadow,” as it is commonly called, is currently closed to the public to allow it to recover from more than 20 years of visitors. Guided walks are scheduled several times each month, so there are still ample opportunities to visit this special place.
Sometimes I see things in photos that aren’t really there…but I have fun with the illusion. Sometimes I take a really bad picture that I decide to keep because it’s fun in a way I hadn’t expected. I have 3 such gems for you – enjoy!
What do you see? Read the rest of this entry »
