SQUIRREL WARS

Since many of us may be paying more attention to our backyard bird feeders these days, you may have also noticed a competitor for the bird seed in the form of the Gray Squirrel.

A former NASA JPL engineer who became a bird-watcher noticed the squirrels and tried to do something about it by creating an obstacle course. You can watch the hilarious results on the video Mark Rober posted Building the Perfect Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder

AUDUBON MURAL PROJECT

The Audubon Mural Project is a joint effort between the National Audubon Society and Gitler &__Gallery to create murals of climate-threatened birds within – and beyond – John James Audubon‘s old Harlem-based neighborhood in New York City. The project commissions artists to paint dramatic bird-murals to call attention to the climate-driven problems, and the effort has been widely covered in the media, including in The New York Times.

Follow the link above to read more about this project and to take a virtual tour of the works completed thus far.

Summary of the John Hintermister Gainesville CBC

by Andy Kratter

December 16 at 4:45 PM

Quick summary of the John Hintermister, Gainesville CBC on Sunday 15 December:
170 species, second highest ever (175 last year).
12 new record high counts: Black-bellied Whistling Duck (an amazing 6872, previous high was 2110!), Sandhill Crane (7965), Anhinga (632), Barred Owl (67), Pileated Woodpecker (182), House Wren (325), Orange-crowned Warbler (a mind blowing 168, previous high was 105), Yellow-throated Warbler (66), American Redstart (8), Summer Tanager (5), Indigo Bunting (9), and Painted Bunting (26).
New species for the count: Short-tailed Hawk 1, Scaly-breasted Munia 1 (likely won’t count though).
Great birds: Fulvous Whistling –Duck 1, Gray-headed Swamphen 1, Western Sandpipers 7, Least Bittern 4, Roeseate Spoonbills 4, an astonishing 99 Snail Kites, Peregrine Falcons 3, Brown-crested Flycatcher 1, Wood Thrush 1, Ash-throated Flycatcher, 1 Short-tailed Hawk 1; Winter Wren 2, Whooping Crane 1 (won’t count toward total), Scaly-breasted Munia 1, Canada Goose 7, White –winged Dove 2, Vaux’s Swift 1, Least Flycatcher 1, Louisiana Waterthrush 1, Western Tanager, Blue Grosbeak 1