Free email delivery
Please sign up for email delivery in the subscription area to the right.
No salesman will call, at least not from us. Maybe from someone else.
Pandemonium among the mallards | Barton Pond, University of Chicago
[Posted by Chuck Almdale]
Jerry Coyne posts regular updates on the resident and breeding ducks at Barton Pond on the UofC campus. I’m posting this one as it has lots of photos, several short videos about “zooming” and “grooming” and an amusing and informative narrative style.
If you want to know more about these ducks, there’s a boodle of reports on his Why Evolution is True in the category of Ducks.
Link to Sunday Ducks.
New avian taxi service
[Posted by Chuck Almdale, submitted by Faron Isom]
Uber, Lyft, step aside and make way for the new.
Source: PetaPixel
The above photo was found on the PetaPixel website of Michael Zhang who supplies an amusing commentary.
While you’re on Zhang’s page, check out the photo series of an Osprey carrying a shark swallowing a fish.
Bluebird Housing Milestone
Article author Ian Kimbrey
(Photo: Barbara Weaver)
I am happy to report that we just passed ONE THOUSAND bluebirds raised in CheepCheep Homes nest boxes since my project began with one nest at Penmar Golf Course in 2009. The “trail” now runs from Long Beach in the south, all the way north to Sacramento, through L.A., Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc and Big Sur.
Happily, COVID did not appear to adversely affect the bluebirds. Conversely, they appear to have enjoyed having Penmar and Rancho golf courses to themselves for much of the nesting season as numbers were up at both places. Special congrats to “senior” monitor (and SMBAS member) Edie Gralla, who pushed us over the line with her fourth brood this year at Rancho Park golf course. Edie fledged 28 chicks from five boxes at Rancho, up from 27 last year.
My nest box design – I call it the “chick magnet” – has proven to be irresistible to multiple winged species. Two nest boxes also hosted colonies of bees this year, until they were safely rehoused – luckily I know a bee guy – namely me. After the bees had gone, bluebirds moved back into both boxes and raised broods.
This project continues to connect us with new friends – like photographers Kathleen Waldron and Barbara Weaver who enrich the project with their SPECTACULAR photos and videos.
Anyone wishing to purchase a nest box and/or start/monitor a trail, please email Ian at cheepcheephomes@gmail.com
The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
[Posted by Chuck Almdale]
Some photographers have to set up and wait a long, long while in order to get their shots. Others just get lucky. Either way, these are great photographs.
The 2021 finalists are now shortlisted and voting for the winners ends in October and is apparently open to all. Go to the website and submit your vote.
This link takes you to the finalists for 2021-2016 and winners for 2020-2015. There are also a few videos which you may have to re-run a few times to see the action properly.
Link to website.
Bird Photographer of the Year | 2021 contest winners
[Posted by Chuck Almdale]
Great photos. Do you need to know more?
This takes you to the 2021 winners.
https://www.birdpoty.com/2021-winners
Once there, the tab “Winners” at the top of the page takes you to five previous years of winners.
SANTA MONICA BAY AUDUBON SOCIETY BLOG 