Being an ornithologist is very rewarding but like any profession, there are hiccups. Once, on a project in a suburban area, I surveyed a large prairie-woodland for birds and other wildlife, notebook in hand and binoculars hanging conspicuously over my chest. Walking on a dirt trail listening for birds, I was taken aback by the …
Some Miscellaneous Tribulations of an Ornithologist Read More »
In case you haven’t noticed, spring is coming earlier these days. Looking at climate data over the past century, spring temperatures are arriving three to six days earlier in the southern states and four to seven days early in the northern states. And similar patterns are observed across the planet. Sure, it’s nice when spring …
These days almost everyone has a smartphone, iPad, or some other electronic device to help them communicate, navigate, and educate. It was just a matter of time before the sport of birding joined the electronic world. You would think that a pair of binoculars and a field guide would be sufficient, but there are times …
One of my retirement activities is giving “enrichment” lectures on cruise ships around the world. I’ve lectured on over 20 cruises and ten different cruise lines. Not sophisticated university-level lectures, but “edu-tainment” as the cruise lines call them. They are part of the ship’s activities, especially on “sea days” when the ship doesn’t make a …
