BIRD MEN ON THE RADIO

Last week, NPR’s “Fresh Air” featured an interview with photographer Gerrit Vyn and writer Scott Weidensaul, both venerable contemporary birdmen. The occasion was a new book on bird song published by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Click here to hear that 35-minute radio segment.

Vin travels the world photographing and recording songs of birds. Both men are professionals in the world of bird research. Weidensaul is now working on project to track owl migration. He speaks about the widespread migration of the common, rarely seen, Saw-whet Owl.

There is also a section where they discuss the apparently doomed Spoonbill Sandpiper. It has a great call, BTW.

This show features many recorded bird calls.

THIS COULD BE THE DAY

OCTOBER 26, 2015

This is the day that Noah Strycker may break 5000 in his global big year. He ended yesterday with 4990. Click here for updates daily.

It is getting harder to add many new species. Noah has long ago gotten his mynah, his Rook, his common gulls and woodpeckers. Now he’s chasing down the shy, the rare, the bird in obscure corners or limited range. However, he has wisely saved the southern hemisphere for his end of the year birding, where days are much longer than up here where days are getting shorter and shorter.