The Big Year
Birder extraordinaire – Greg Miller
By: Pat Coate
Enjoyed meeting and birding with Greg Miller, one of the birders that the book and movie The Big Year was based on, at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute Birding Festival. His character was played by Jack Black in the movie. Found Greg to be a very down-to-earth, genuine, humble guy who was a wonderful keynote speaker who appealed to birders and non-birders (my husband) alike. He discussed how he got into birding (largely his father), why he decided to go for the big year (way to deal with challenges in his personal life) and lots of anecdotes from both the big year and the filming of the movie, for which he was a consultant.
One of the many stories he told was that Jack Black wanted to go birding with him – to watch birds but mostly to watch Greg watching birds. The actor asked Greg what the name of a black bird they saw was – to which Greg said “red-winged blackbird.” Jack started to ask why it is called that – and on cue the bird showed its colors eliciting an ‘OOOOHHHHHH!’
One of the key places for spring migration on the big year circuit is Magee Marsh in northern Ohio. I got the chance to visit there last week and will show some offseason pictures from the area next week.
    Subscribe |
All Rights Reserved ©2006-2012 |
Green Herons
Green Herons (2) in willow tree – can you see them?
By: Pat Coate
While visiting my father-in-law in Virginia we saw a family of green herons in the willow tree near his pond. The sequence of three pictures shown here move from distant to close-ups. The close-up photos are of an immature green heron, identified as such by the streaking on its neck.
Chautauqua Institution
Today I have the privilege to speak at the Chautauqua Institution http://www.ciweb.org/ for the Bird, Tree and Garden Club. Should be a good time!!
| Subscribe to Mon@rch |
All Rights Reserved ©2006-2012 |
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Phoebe adult with food for recent hatchling
By: Pat Coate
We had another pair of Eastern Phoebes nesting on the porch. It’s always fun (and tiring) to watch the parents in action as they dutifully provide seemingly non-stop feeding. One of the parents, presumably the male, just flies right up to the nest with food; while the other, presumably female, approaches much more cautiously.
Community
By: Pat Coate
My younger brother Tom (Andy, do you believe everything you read on the internet?) took this lovely silhouette picture in downtown Richmond. I appreciate his loyal reading of and contribution to the blog.
| Subscribe |
All Rights Reserved ©2006-2010 |
Red-spotted Newt
Red-spotted Newt (red eft stage)
By: Pat Coate
While hiking at Allegany State Park, I came across two Red-spotted Newts. These salamanders go through three stages: 1) aquatic larval stage that is tadpole-like and body color is greenish yellow, 2) sub-adult, land-dwelling ‘red eft’ (there is a Scrabble word for you Kathy!) stage where round red spots with black borders develop and body becomes reddish orange or sometimes brown, and 3) aquatic adult stage where body turns olive-brownish and tail becomes rudder like. All the photos here are of the second, or red eft, stage.
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 