I had some time a couple of weeks ago to shoot some pictures of the activity in my back yard on a highly unusual snow day. I always put out a scoop of peanuts-in-the-shell each day, and I hang a thistle/nyjer feeder in the winter. Needless to say, my back yard was busy!

This photo is one side of my back yard – where my Bird Lounge is located, next to my pile of “cover” branches. I’ve labeled a few other items – I know it may be hard to read, but you get the idea. Now for the birds… Read the rest of this entry »

Yep, that’s right – squirrels ruined my truck. Granted, it was an old truck (1995 F150), but it was MY old truck, and I really liked it. I bought it several years ago so that I could use it for hauling rock, dirt, mulch, and building materials. The truck has helped me turn my suburban yard into a wildlife-friendly space. I used it to take the boat to the lake and make wonderful memories with family and friends. My S.O. and I have loaded our two beagles into the truck on many a summer night for a trip to Sonic for a diet cherry limeade and a bite to eat. Good times.

Read the rest of this entry »

I am very excited to announce that 100% of all proceeds from the sale of Birder’s Lounge items through the Online Store will go to the two Birder’s Lounge wildlife rehab non-profit groups. The truth is, I am usually the biggest customer, purchasing calendars for family and friends each year, and the occasional t-shirt or coffee mug. Outside of Christmas, I may get 1-2 orders a year.

So, we’re not talking about a huge amount of money, but I know that every little bit counts. It is also very rewarding to be able to use one of my hobbies (nature photography) to benefit organizations who are helping animals every day.

For those of you not familiar with Cafe Press, it is an online company that customizes a wide array of items with original artwork, etc. They charge a fee to keep a “shop,” charge “shopkeepers” a base fee for the products, then deduct a portion of whatever markup the shopkeeper designates on their items. After that, Cafe Press will hold onto any accumulated proceeds for 90 days, coinciding with their return policy.

So about 4 months from now, Birder’s Lounge should have a little extra to donate to Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation and International Bird Rescue Research Center. Woohoo!

This is Dawn’s new TV commercial showing precious little animals getting all cleaned up with Dawn dishwashing liquid. I asked for permission to feature the commercial here on Birder’s Lounge, and Proctor & Gamble agreed! I’ve watched this little gem many times already – and still counting. Remember, when it is time for you to purchase dishwashing liquid, look for the specially marked bottles of Dawn. Once you get home, just go to http://dawnsaveswildlife.com and activate your donation by entering the code on the bottle. It is easy, and $1 per bottle is donated to help IBRRC and similar rehab organizations do their good work.

(If you don’t see the control to play the commercial again, you can just refresh your page)

Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella)

Boy, have I got a treat in store for you! I’ve got lots of pictures from my day at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary, in McKinney, Texas. I took the day off because the weather was beautiful, and I thought I might have the place to myself on a weekday. As it turned out, I was wrong about having the place to myself, but I was gladdened to see so many others enjoying Nature! Read the rest of this entry »

I usually go out into nature alone, walking the trails in the forests and the fields. I am never by myself though…meet a few of my birding buddies. Read the rest of this entry »

I know that it is still February…but it is sure starting to look and feel like spring around here!

I took a walk yesterday afternoon, because it was so beautiful outside that I couldn’t stand another minute indoors. The American Robins (Turdus migratorius) were out in droves. I sat under a tree, watching them run around on the ground, only to have them twice be scattered by a raptor of some kind, swooping through the trees. Read the rest of this entry »

I noticed that the counter for our campaign, Do Something!, is still all zeros! I decided that I could make it easier for people to participate by creating a checkbox form, and a way for you to choose if you want us to share your name and story, or just count your good deeds.

I have presented the form in this post, and I will link it to the perpetual badge in the sidebar.

I KNOW that many of you are already doing some of these things, and so I ask you to take a moment to simply check them off. If you decide to do additional conservation-minded things on the list, please come back to check them off as well!

C’mon, you Listers – I know you love to check boxes!

~

What is a Naturalist? Wiktionary defines this as:

naturalist (plural naturalists)

1. (dated) A person committed to studying nature or natural history.
2. (philosophy) A person who believes in the tenets of naturalism.

If you find yourself spending most of your free time pouring over books about flora and fauna, spending hours out in nature, or seeking out and contemplating the life in a man-made environment – you may have the heart of a naturalist. Read the rest of this entry »