love/birds

Join us as we sing the praises of Fall Migration as well as the appearance of a new friend in our backyard.

Episode photo is of a Barred Owl.

All bird photos and sound by Bill Michalski.

Links:

Bill color-changes: https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/birds/david-sibleys-id-toolkit/david-sibley-what-the-changing-colors-of-a-songbirds-bill-mean/amp/

and

https://pages.vassar.edu/sensoryecology/bird-beak-coloration-more-than-just-a-fashion-statement/

Barred Owl urbanization: https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/news/science/barred-owls-move-to-burbs/

Birds Discussed:

Pied-billed Grebe:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pied-billed_Grebe/id

Eastern Wood Peewee: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/eastern-wood-pewee

Magnolia Warbler: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/magnolia-warbler

American Redstart: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Redstart/id

Barred Owl: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barred_Owl/id

Bill and Tassy have returned from their summer vacation to report on the birds they saw from the peaks around Golden and Estes Park, Colorado.

Episode photo is the Emo-J (Stellar's Jay) who performed for us in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Links:

Missouri Conservationist: https://mdc.mo.gov/conmag

New Sibley book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/215722/what-its-like-to-be-a-bird-by-david-allen-sibley/

Magpies don't like the shiny: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-28797519

Hummingbird facts: https://www.kaytee.com/learn-care/wild-bird/hummingbird-facts

Birds discussed:

Stellar's Jay: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Stellers_Jay/id

Black-billed Magpie: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/black-billed-magpie

Broad-tailed Hummingbird:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Broad-tailed_Hummingbird/id

Ruby-throated Hummingbird: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/ruby-throated-hummingbird

Bill and Tassy recount a recent birding session at Little Creve Coeur Marsh, where they saw the requisite birds as well as an abandoned pavilion filled with...snakes.

Episode photo is a molting American Goldfinch male, taken by Bill Michalski.

Links:

Bluebird boxes: https://extension2.missouri.edu/g9429

Double-crested Cormorant dries its feathers: https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/double-crested-cormorant-dries-its-feathers/

Birds discussed:

Eastern Bluebird: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/eastern-bluebird

American Goldfinch: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Goldfinch/id

Great Egret: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/great-egret

Double-crested Cormorant: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Double-crested_Cormorant/id

Tassy and Bill record an account of their quick (due to rain) birding outing and the seemingly magic circle of conifers that yielded four new bird sightings in a matter of minutes.

Episode photo (Cedar Waxwing) and bird sounds captured by Bill Michalski

*Actual* Wax on the Wings: https://blog.nature.org/science/2017/02/27/waxwings-really-have-wax-wings/

Spruce Budworm: https://www.10000birds.com/spruce-budworms-and-the-warblers-that-eat-them.htm

Feminist Bird Club: https://molly-adams.com/feminist-bird-club

Species Discussed:

Tennessee Warbler: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tennessee_Warbler/overview

Bay-breasted Warbler: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/bay-breasted-warbler

Tufted Titmouse: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted_Titmouse/overview

Cedar Waxwing: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/cedar-waxwing

Bill and Tassy come to you from beside a firepit, birds and nature all around, to discuss a whopping eight species... and tick protection.

Episode photo (Eastern Kingbird) and bird noises captured by Bill Michalski.

Our social-distancing-appropriate Air BnB: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/19979397?source_impression_id=p3_1589462383_mQl7g5fubEOPg3%2F5&guests=1&adults=1

Former St Louis Cardinals' second-base player and current third-base coach Stubby Clapp: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stubby_Clapp

Eurasian Tree Sparrow print by Dan Zettwoch: http://zettwoch.storenvy.com/products/19719588-eurasian-tree-sparrow

Species discussed:

Eastern Kingbird: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Kingbird/id

Blue-winged Warbler: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/blue-winged-warbler

Turkey Vulture: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Turkey_Vulture/id

Piliated Woodpecker: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/pileated-woodpecker

Yellow-throated Vireo: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-throated_Vireo/id

Indigo Bunting: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/indigo-bunting

Eurasian Tree Sparrow: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eurasian_Tree_Sparrow/overview

Green Heron: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/green-heron

Bill and Tassy recount their latest bird sightings and then wax poetic about the benefits of birding during the Coronavirus shutdown.

Etiology of "Sitting in the Catbird Seat": https://grammarist.com/idiom/sitting-in-the-catbird-seat/

Colbert Report opening (watch to the end for a Star-Spangled Bald Eagle making a Red-tailed Hawk call): https://vimeo.com/8605534

Our friend Kevin's pictures (hawk stalking a squirrel): https://www.instagram.com/p/B_dj2cJjLRI/?igshid=11oacvk9av7de

Birds discussed:

Rose-breasted Grosbeak: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Rose-breasted_Grosbeak/overview

Blue-headed Vireo: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/blue-headed-vireo

Red-tailed Hawk: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/overview

Baltimore Oriole: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Baltimore_Oriole/overview

Episode photo is a Baltimore Oriole, photo by Bill Michalski. All cat and bird sounds recorded by Bill Michalski.

Bill and Tassy broadcast from their backyard and are joined in the (somewhat drunken) revelry by a fiesty Northern Flicker (species featured in episode pic).

Birds discussed:

1) Barn Swallow https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barn_Swallow/overview

2) Northern Cardinal https //www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/northern-cardinal

3) Solitary Sandpiper https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Solitary_Sandpiper/overview

4) Prothonotary Warbler https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/prothonotary-warbler

Tassy and Bill recount their first birding venture to St Louis's Forest Park and talk about Tassy's somewhat *original* approach to communicating with our feathered friends.

Episode photo is a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

All bird sounds and photography recorded by Bill Michalski.

Lesley the Bird Nerd: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDjdXwT-KrFPsqOSg4KL8Nw

Birds discussed:

1) Blue Jay https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue_Jay/overview

2) Ruby-crowned Kinglet https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-crowned_Kinglet/overview

3) Belted Kingfisher https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Belted_Kingfisher/overview

4) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-gray_Gnatcatcher/overview

One sparrow might not make a Spring, but five sure do! Tassy and Bill recount their most recent birdwatching trip and talk about some antics of their backyard wildlife, including an update on those feuding robins from episode one.

Featured birds include:

1) White-Throated Sparrow: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/overview

2) Fox Sparrow: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Fox_Sparrow/overview

3) Song Sparrow: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Song_Sparrow/overview

4) Chipping Sparrow: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chipping_Sparrow/overview

5) Field Sparrow: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Field_Sparrow/overview

Bill and Tassy recount the last birding outing of their vacation, an exciting trip to Tower Grove Park where they saw a few titillating new species. All bird sounds recorded by Bill Michalski.