Bird Call

Bird-nerd-word: Zu Krank

Short for “Zu Krank fur Vogelbeobachtung." Which means: “Too sick for birding.”

Maybe.

To tell the truth I made it up.  There was a need--I filled it. The German was added for gravitas. **

You know I love birds. I love to photograph them. Watch them. Find them. Read about them. ID them. Talk about them. Think about them. Stand in the rain hoping to see them. All wonderful.

But this week I wouldn’t have given two cents for the whole lot.

I’ve had the flu.

So I quarantined myself and my misery along with three grocery bags filled with used tissues in a dark, stuffy bedroom.

Until with good intentions and no little courage, bless her heart, my wife braved the quarantine to brightly point out a bird was singing outside. “What is it? Do you hear it?”

I pulled my pillow up over my ears and said, “No.”

But after she left I listened. It was a sweet song. Lyric. Hopeful. Affirming life.

I pondered. Then called out…“It’s a stupid bird.” 

** (I don’t actually speak German so if I have said something rude please report it to me before calling the authorities.)

 

  

Related articles

Bird Island

Birds I Saw Some Of

I just got back from birding in Hawaii. I know. Of all places.

But why not? They had some tours. I went on one. We bussed around a while then hiked back into what they call a tropical dry forest.  I think.

Everything was new to me. Including the birds. No clue what I was looking for. It was cloudy. Birds were quick and active. High up in trees.  In a tangle of branches. Not at all good for photos. But we had a great guide. The tour did their part. I just wasn’t a good enough photographer for those conditions. So….

Bottom line: I got very few photos that afternoon. I don’t know how the others fared but the shots I got were…well you’ll see what I mean.

Here’s how it went down:

 

Birds I Saw Some Of 

To see some of the birds

At some of the places

Where some of the time

There might be some,

 

Some of us went

On some buses to find

Some of the birds

We saw none of.

 

Then some of us thought

There might still be some spot

Where some birds were

If someone could find some.

 

So some of us hiked

Someplace with some guides

And did finally see some

We saw some of.  :)

Related articles

Paradise

Bird-nerd-word:Autochthonous

Autochthonous [Ah-TAH-k-the-ness]

This word means more or less the same as endemic. Native.

But it’s bigger. Technical. Secret.

Learn it. And if you ever find yourself over your head in a conversation with casual birders? And don’t know what to say? Throw it out there. In a question. Like, “Well. Is this bird you say I got wrong autochthonous?”

Guaranteed conversation stopper.  : )

Bird-nerd-word of the day: Endemic [en-DEM-ik]

The term endemic when applied to bird species means restricted to a relatively small geographical area. For example the Japanese White Eye lives on the Hawaiian Islands.

But it lives elsewhere too and is not peculiar to the islands. Therefore it must simply be considered eccentric.

 

 

 

Wish they all could be California Gulls

 

  

As I tried to point out last time (See A Miraculous Bird) gulls do not get the respect they deserve. Far from it. Despite their reputation they’re smart. Talented too. Not only have they learned to stand in V formations (A Miraculous Bird) to lessen drag they have also learned to dance. From each other! Smart.

Why they dance has been a mystery for some time. But researchers now think they know the reason.

Apparently when the gulls dance, the rhythm and vibration sound like rain. This fools worms into coming to the surface. Bam. Breakfast.  Smart.

Dancing Sea Gull

See? There’s proof. Documented. Scientific.

Gulls are smarter than worms. :)

 

Boring Fact: There are no resident seagulls in Hawaii. The only sighting of a California Gull was in 1977. A few other species are occasionally seen. But it turns out they’re like most of us. Just visiting from the mainland. 

Distinguishing Marks: Black and orange dots on their beak. Red around the eye. Light gray wings. Yellow-green legs. Annoying.

 

Related articles

Paradise