Reading, learning, birding, blogging - I and the Bird #109

I and the Bird is a carnival celebrating the interaction of human and avian, an ongoing exploration of the endless fascination with birdlife all around the world. It is also a biweekly showcase of the best bird writing on the web published on alternating Thursday.

Its my pleasure to host this fortnight's IATB.

IATB I was to host
For which I received many a post.
With virtual wonder I did embark
to mountains, deserts and nature parks.
I share with you now all that I learned
As from one blog to another I turned.

Close to home, on the outskirts of Bangalore
T&S discovered a treasure.
Streaked Weavers they found
And their joys knew no bound.
They clicked away at leisure,

for all our viewing pleasure.

Ashwin, further north, was wandering the deserts of Thar
Looking for Raptors and Agamids near and far.
Falcons and eagles a plenty he did find
Uromastyx hardwickii, they did not mind.


A pair of Black Drongos, Ameen did see
As he drove along Ranthambore in his Gypsy.
They screamed and duelled and rolled about,
Is this war or love? Read and find out!

Over the oceans, to a place called Mull

Where Ian
Saw Dunlins,
Sanderlings and plovers,
Godwits and even an Otter!

Across the Atlantic, GrrlScientist's in NYC,
Birding and educating,

Travelling and teaching.
Check out her mystery bird from South Dakota,
Of which I had no inkling, not even an iota.


Larry is in California
Writing about Athene cunicularia.
This Burrowing Owl
Has him concerned
Can we give homes to these fowls?

Connie in nearby Colorado
Had a sunny interlude with a Junco.
While it bathed in the sun
She had so much fun
That she has written all about it!



Up at the Idaho Bird Observatory,
Rob tells this story.
Hawk trapping -
netting and banding
raptors attracted to lures.
And then came the Peregrine
In a stoop, dive-bombing,
Roaring,
Putting a jetplane to shame!

The Peregrine was also spied in Arctic bay

By Clare on a snow day.

The hungry fellow wanted a raven.

The latter definitely not craven.

Ravens, though common in the concrete jungles of Mumbai,
Is not among Sunita’s favourites which fly.
She prefers Oriole and Weaver
Bulbul and Flycatcher
And even that thieving parakeet is better!

Amila, these days is making excuses.
The dSLR that he uses
Is attracted to dragonflies and spiders
Butterflies and grasshoppers.
Between Macros and Skywatches
Frogs and such obsessions,
There is no digiscoping,
And acute paucity of birding!

But Nate loves his mudflats, shorebirds and digiscoping.

On the shores of Jordan lake in NC, he was hoping

to sight a Ruff.

But though the going was not tough,

the American Golden Plover was real enough!

Rooster Sunny was not amused
To see a Sharp Shinned Hawk peruse
Summer Foovay’s chicken and hens
Early one morning, out in the pen.

Down in Bukit Tinggi in Malaysia
A cicada of the genus Dundubia,
BESG found, clamped in the bill of a Trogon.
It sucked on the plant sap
and urinated from the back
before ending up as bird food and a goner.

Science on Tap has two book reviews
And here I am giving you a clue.
Alex and Wesley evoke many smiles and tears
The parrot and owl, such lovely creatures.

Duncan went to Peach Flat Phoenix
To see if Latham’s Snipe he could fix.
There was a first sighting of the season,
But to visit, an even better reason
Were the Flame Robins, spectacular in pics.

Jo at J M Oudesluys
Sketches all the birdies
This time its Ovenbirds she spied
And drew, as her they eyed.

At Potter County, the grosbeaks blushed

Chickadees roamed

and the yellow rumped was actually a Cape May Warbler!

And Mike was amply rewarded

as Ruffed Grouse his path crossed,

and a hen allowed him to photograph her!

In India, our vultures are now scarce

Felled by disease and diclofenac.
More scavengers we need
And for this I do plead
Lets rehabilitate
Before its too late.

Liza Lee Miller at Egret's Nest

also wishes these scavengers all the best.

With a link to IVAD

So please drop by and see.

And so I round-up my verse
Which I hope was better, not worse!
And see you next time
In a different clime
At Foovay's Cauldron, a blog so diverse!

IATB 110 to be hosted by Summer Foovay at Foovay's Cauldron on October 1st 2009. Come join the celebrations!

{All Photos are from the respective blogs..}