This week in birds

This week in birds - #633

A roundup of the week's news of birds and the environment:

The American Bird Conservancy's Bird of the Week for this week is the Worm-eating Warbler, a bird that breeds throughout much of the eastern United States from southern New England all the way down to eastern Texas. It is a rather plain-looking bird of the forest interior and is not closely related to other warblers. Its name is a misnomer as it doesn't really feast on worms; rather its favorite food is caterpillars which, of course, are sometimes colloquially referred to as worms.

*~*~*~*

Here is a list of the top five fossil fuel companies that produce harmful emissions. They are mostly the ones you would probably expect.

*~*~*~*

Who needs to know about how climate change is affecting this country? The current administration in charge thinks the answer is "Nobody." All the scientists working on a report detailing that have been fired.

*~*~*~*

The current iteration of the Environmental Protection Agency is rolling back public health protections right and left but says it will take action to combat toxic forever chemicals. Color me skeptical.

*~*~*~*

It appears that the Yellowstone supervolcano has a safety cap.

*~*~*~*

Two previously unknown species of crocodile have been identified in the Caribbean.

*~*~*~*

It's not really Nature-related but I find it infuriating so I include it here: The state of Texas wants to punish bookstores that sell what it defines as "obscene" books, because of course they do! Reminder: The book burners/banners are NEVER heroes.

*~*~*~*

It turns out that the songs of humpback whales like this one share patterns with human language.

*~*~*~*

In Peru, archaeologists have discovered the graves of twenty-four members of the Chuquibamba culture that preceded the Incas and dated from 1000 to 1450 C.E. The remains were wrapped in textiles and buried with offerings that indicated they were being honored.

*~*~*~*

Terminator sparrows? Well, Lili Taylor thinks so!

*~*~*~*

The beautiful Bali Myna once faced extinction, but it has been saved by a unique approach, at least for now.

*~*~*~*

"Crypto noise pollution" is now a thing and the people of a small town in Texas are fighting against it.

*~*~*~*

A public art initiative featuring herds of life-sized animal puppets is helping to raise awareness about the climate crisis.

*~*~*~*

Bite marks on an ancient skeleton found in England is taken as physical evidence that Roman gladiators fought lions in the arena.

*~*~*~*

I was pleased to read that Chattanooga, home of my alma mater, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, has been designated as North America's first "National Park City."

*~*~*~*

Here's some good news about Monarch butterflies from Arizona's lower deserts. Turns out there are quite a lot of them there.

*~*~*~*

Swans are considered invasive in New York City but they have their champions there.

*~*~*~*

Amazingly, Valerie, the miniature dachshund, survived alone in the Australian wilderness for 529 days and now her story has had a happy ending. She has been rescued.

Poetry Sunday: Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver

How about we share another Mary Oliver poem? After all, you can never have too many of those. In this one, the poet seems to acknowledge that it is often hard to simply live in and enjoy the moment, perhaps because we are afraid it can't last. She urges us to give in to that moment and fully experience the joy. Although "much can never be redeemed, still, life has some possibility left." Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happens better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is no...

Poetry Sunday: Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney

My mother was a farm wife and a prodigious canner. She canned fruit and vegetables from the garden, even occasionally meat. But the best thing that she canned, in my opinion, was blackberry jam. Even as I type those words my mouth waters! Of course, before she could make that jam, somebody had to pick the blackberries. And that somebody was quite often named Dorothy. I think Seamus Heaney might have spent some time among the briars plucking those delicious black fruits as well, so he would have known that "Once off the bush the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour." They don't keep; you have to get that jam made in a hurry! Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney Late August, given heavy rain and sun For a full week, the blackberries would ripen. At first, just one, a glossy purple clot Among others, red, green, hard as a knot. You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust ...

Poetry Sunday: Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman

You probably remember poet Amanda Gorman from her appearance at the inauguration of President Biden. She read her poem "The Hill We Climb" on that occasion. After the senseless slaughter in Uvalde this week, she was inspired to write another poem which was published in The New York Times. It seemed perfect for the occasion and so I stole it in order to feature it here, just in case you didn't get a chance to read it in the Times . Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman Everything hurts, Our hearts shadowed and strange, Minds made muddied and mute. We carry tragedy, terrifying and true. And yet none of it is new; We knew it as home, As horror, As heritage. Even our children Cannot be children, Cannot be. Everything hurts. It’s a hard time to be alive, And even harder to stay that way. We’re burdened to live out these days, While at the same time, blessed to outlive them. This alarm is how we know We must be altered — That we must differ or die, That we must triumph or try. ...

The Nature of Things

Search This Blog