Some very strange and bizarre things happen in the natural world. I recently came across a story about a chicken with webbed feet – just like a duck.
To read this unusual story and to see the photos click here.
The story is featured on a blog called Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) which features some beautiful photographs of the natural world, including birds. One amazingly beautiful photo is of a Western Scrub-Jay in California. Worth a visit.
Being a birder for many years I have had my fair share of amused people look at me in a peculiar way with the realisation that here was a seemingly “normal”, sane person passionately interested in birds.
You get that.
Get over it – I did three decades ago.
In my circle of friends – and most of my family, I’ve developed a resilience and thickness of hide to the point where they no longer think I belong in a loony bin. Quite the opposite. I’ve lost count of the number of conversations that start, “Trevor, thought of you the other day when I saw this interesting bird. Don’t know what it was but…” This opening is usually followed by a series of interrogating questions from me until I establish what bird they have seen.
I have also become something of a resident guru, receiving many phone calls soliciting my help in identification or help with injured birds. All this has escalated on this blog with readers’ comments and questions.
So it comes as a pleasant surprise that there are some very famous – hopefully also sane – people who are also birders. Bill Oddie (of BBC television “The Goodies” fame) is possibly one of the better known celeb birders, though reading his books one could question the “sane” tag in his particular case. Evidently former president Jimmy Carter is a birder. And so are the following celebrities better known for their non-birding exploits:
And now it seems we can add the name of former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney to this list of celebrity birders.
To read about Sir Paul McCartney’s interest in birds click here.
I always thought that paragliding seemed to be a somewhat dangerous pursuit. Like all extreme sports, the prospect of danger seems to be one of the main adrenalin surging elements.
One paraglider received a little more of an adrenalin rush than normal. Her glider was attacked by a pair of Wedge Tailed Eagles.
Britain’s top female paraglider has cheated death after being attacked by a pair of “screeching” wild eagles while competition flying in Australia.
Nicky Moss, 38, watched terrified as two huge birds began tearing into her parachute canopy, one becoming tangled in her lines and clawing at her head 2,500 metres (8,200ft) in the air.
“I heard screeching behind me and a eagle flew down and attacked me, swooping down and bouncing into the side of my wing with its claws,” Moss told Reuters on Friday.
Read the story in the Melbourne Age here.
From time to time I am amazed at the flying abilities of the birds I watch. I love seeing the ponderous jumbos of the Australian bird world, the Australian Pelicans. As they come in to “land” on the water they ski for a few metres before they settle.
Watching several Wedge Tail Eagles soaring on high is nothing short of awe inspiring. At the other end of the scale are the tiny thornbills hovering at the tip of gum leaf, ready to pick off a tasty morsel for lunch. The speed and daring of a Peregrine Falcon in full stoop is well documented and has been filmed. In contrast, the flittering to and fro of the Willie Wagtail as it searches for its sustenance is flight in slow motion.
I get daily emails from several birding forums. From time to time some of the messages can be rather amusing. I’d like to quote from two posts from a few months ago. Both highlight the amazing flying abilities of the Australian Magpie.
Yesterday evening I was standing on the opposite side of the road from a thin traffic sign post. A Magpie swooped from my left side, over my head and continued at high speed downwards across the road, heading straight for the post. At the very last moment it tucked its left wing into its body (keeping the right wing fully extended) and shot past the post with about 2mm to spare.Impressive.
Thanks to John for this observation.
I have been endlessly impressed by Magpie flight. We have a balcony with metal railings at work and the magpies ‘fly’ between that rails at one end with their wings closed put in a few beats, close their wings and ‘fly’ through the rails at the other end. Apart from being impressive it is completely unnecessary, since they could simply fly over the rails.
Thanks to Milburn for the second observation.
Australian Magpie
From time to time people encounter baby birds that have fallen from a nest or have been abandoned by their parents for whatever reason. Most people are keen to care for the little one but they usually have little idea of how to go about this.
Adelaide writer of crime and romance fiction Kirsty Brooks is one such person. She has had the delight of looking after a White Plumed Honeyeater from early in its life. This bird now brings her much delight, living in her house together with her pet Cockatiel parrot. Her heart warming and humourous account can be read by clicking on the link below.
Link:
White Plumed Honeyeater