http://birdcapemay.org/times An online magazine for birders Thu, 15 May 2008 14:30:09 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en We must begin with a heavy dose of “CAUTION!”, “WARNING!” and “DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!” for this week’s fieldcraft tip. Indeed, take the warning seriously, lest you damage your eyes. Anyone who’s done much hawk watching knows that sometimes the birds get so high that you can’t see them, ... http://birdcapemay.org/times/2008/05/15/look-at-the-sun/ You’ve heard so much about Red Knot, and their decline, and the political tug of war was the knot’s undoing. Red Knots in breeding (foreground) and non-breeding (background) plumage. Oh aren’t those writers so clever. Anyway you might have despaired of seeing ... http://birdcapemay.org/times/2008/05/15/knot-now/ This is a very easy column to write although, perhaps, a somewhat oblique one. Most people who enter North America’s most celebrated birding contest want to win this event. But since only one team is going to win and there are over 100 registered teams, losing teams constitute ... http://birdcapemay.org/times/2008/05/08/how-to-lose-the-world-series-of-birding/ Remember Tuesdays with Morrie?  Released in 2002, this bestselling book by sportswriter Mitch Albom chronicles a series of visits he made to an ailing mentor.  Kenn Kaufman’s new book, Flights Against the Sunset, is something of a Tuesdays with Morrie for birders—it’s even been ... http://birdcapemay.org/times/2008/05/01/flights-against-the-sunset/ In three days I will be flying down to coastal Mississippi to address a bunch of business leaders about realizing the potential of the birding market. This amuses me on several levels. First, I am amused that there even is such a thing as a birding market. Back when ... http://birdcapemay.org/times/2008/05/01/the-birding-market/ May 2008: Doug Wechsler We are a visual species. The entrance to our hearts and minds is through our eyes. Through my photography, writing, and presentations, I work to share the beauty and value I see in nature. Photography is one of my tools for ... http://birdcapemay.org/times/2008/05/01/doug-wechsler/ It happens to all birders, I’m quite sure.  Our non-birding relatives find some book or other item (remember the singing bird clocks?) that they proudly present as a gift at some holiday or birthday.  We act pleased, but inside we think, “I don’t really want this.” That was ... http://birdcapemay.org/times/2008/05/01/john-james-audubon-the-making-of-an-american/ Birding isn’t exactly a dangerous activity, but there are a few hazards birders should be aware of.  The itching on my leg—courtesy of my first chigger bite of the year—reminds me of one.  ... http://birdcapemay.org/times/2008/05/01/chiggers/ I first met Alan Brady aboard the Miss Barnegat Light on a tilefish trip out to the 100-fathom line at Hudson Canyon, in late May of 1977. Alan was well-known as a pioneer in organizing pelagic trips for the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC) and the Urner Ornithological Club—excursions ... http://birdcapemay.org/times/2008/05/01/alan-brady/ As the month of May comes to the shores of Delaware Bay, birders, marine biologists, and all naturalists think of the same thing: Horseshoe Crabs.  The Horseshoe Crab breeding season typically begins this month, and huge flocks of northbound shorebirds rely on Horseshoe Crab eggs to ... http://birdcapemay.org/times/2008/05/01/the-american-horseshoe-crab/