Bird Spying

For Father's Day, my crew got their dad a smart bird feeder. There are several brands out there: Bird Buddy,Birdify, Chirp Cam, Kiwibit, Birdkiss....just to name a few.

If you aren't sure what a smart bird feeder is, it is somewhat like a regular bird feeder, but on steroids. It typically has a solar panel which powers the camera feature. They typically also are tied to an app which alerts you to the fact that you have a feathered friends at the feeder. Many have both video recording and AI elements to help you both monitor and identify your chirping visitors.

I've got to say--since having ours up in the yard the last few weeks, it completely makes me smile to get these chirpy, little notifications. Our app saves ten second videos of our little feeding flyers, identifying the birds if it can. (Sometimes, based on the length of time or the angle, it'll get marked as "unidentified bird.") 

We have had visits from House Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, House Finches, Blue Grosbeaks, American Goldfinches, Northern Cardinals, Eastern Bluebirds, and even a Willow Flycatcher, Carolina Chickadee, Brown-headed Cowbird, and a Morning Dove or two. I get downright giddy when we get a notification that a brand new-to-us bird has stopped by for a visit. 

This bird spying that I've been doing has been a secret win to my summer these past few weeks. I get a little dopamine hit when my phone alerts me that our bird café is busy getting visitors. One day I got 200 notifications--my phone was literally blowing up! Given that, I turned off the notifications for a few days. While I could go into the app and see it whenever I wanted, it wasn't the same. My notifications are now back on again.

In talking with some friends of mine who have their own smart feeders in their yards, the addiction is real. (As is that "you become a birder in your 50s" stereotype.) But apparently what also can be real is the squirrel invasion that follows. Our feeder has a baffle so squirrels have been kept at bay from it. [However, don't get me started on the teething squirrels done to our new Polywood chairs. That's apparently another thing that can be real. That and car hoses and a myriad of other things that squirrels can destroy.... But I digress.]

Part of summer is for basking in the great outdoors and soaking up all sorts of nature adventures. Bird spying is now newly added to my summer joy list. Thanks to our new smart feeder, I’ve got a front‑row seat to all of this happening just beyond my back door.

Images & videos from our back yard, either our Kiwibit camera or my own.

10 Dynamic Eco-Women

March is known as Women's History Month, but who says you only have to pay tribute to women one month of the year? I certainly do NOT subscribe to that! Especially during the month of Earth Day!

This article from BBC Wildlife showcases these 10 amazing women: "10 Women Who Changed the World: The Pioneering Female Conservationists, From Jane Goodall to Sylvia Earle, who redefined Our Bond with Nature by Amy May Holt (10-2-2025). I love the videos that are included on many of these phenomenal environmental leaders.

Image created using www.Perplexity.AI with this prompt: Make a photo montage/collage of these environmental leading women: Jane Goodall, Sylvia Earle, Dian Fossey, Saengduean Chailert, Lily Venizelos, Margaret Murie, Wangari Maathai, Marina Silva, Leela Hazzah, Florence Merriam Bailey.

Warm Hearts & Fresh Starts: A Top 10 List To Wrap Up One Year & Lean Into the Next

A lot of people have an extended break or take extra time off while visiting family over the holidays. That week sandwiched between Christmas and New Years might leave you finding yourself reflective with a bit of extra down time during the holiday. If that's the case, here's a Top 10 list ideas to help you wrap up your year. May it help you ring in the new by finding a merry mix of innovation, nature, sustainability, and creativity to get you living in the moment and making some extra holiday memories as you lean into the new year ahead.

1. Tech-Boosted Wildlife Bingo Walk

Hit the trail with apps like Seek by iNaturalist or Merlin Bird ID or Google Lens and then make a game of winter wildlife spotting. Hot cocoa or movie choice for the Bingo winner!!

2. Unplugged Board Game Bash

Declare one night a phone-free zone. Dust off your Scrabble board, grab the Chutes & Ladders or Candyland, deal out the UNO cards, go for a Yahtzee, or find a new found favorite (maybe one that was recently unwrapped during the holidays), or invent your own!

3. Schedule Your Eco-Resolution Reminders

Program recurring “green prompts” into your own or your family's shared digital calendar (whether that's Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple, or more)—for monthly nature walks, tech-free afternoons, or local volunteering.

4. ABC Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Enjoy the fresh air while getting a little exercise, hunting out alphabetical finds as you go. Maybe a snow Angel, Boots, Chimney, Dogs and/or Decorations, Evergreen....

5. Gratitude Graffiti

Cover your fridge, a hallway, or one window in sticky notes with little things that brought you joy this year: holiday memories, summer vacations, fun times with friends, popcorn and movie night, beautiful moonlit nights, roasting marshmallows with family or friends.... OR, turn it digital by creating a photo collage or movie of video clips of these sentiments along with photographic proof of the good memories and grateful moments of the year.

6. Green Garland Challenge
Make a winter garland from foraged pinecones, popcorn, leaves, or scraps, then hang it outside for birds to enjoy. The Audobon Society has some great ideas on just how to make some sweet treats for your backyard on their website.

7. Digital Declutter Dash

Grab your phone, iPad, or computer & set our timer for 15 minutes. Ready, set, go: who can clear the most emails or delete the most blurry holiday photos in 15 minutes. Celebrate by putting on some good music and moving, grooving, and doing a happy dance & getting your moves on!

8. Silent Star-lit Night
Take a moment to be in the moment. Bundle up to take a nighttime walk. Spot constellations, listen for the sounds of silence or the city under the streetlights, reflect and reminisce together or go solo. No need for devices, just take in the awe of the night.

9. Curate Kindness
Use your own brainstorming (and bring in your favorite AI platform if you need to) to generate personalized ideas for small acts of kindness you can sprinkle on friends, families, neighbors, and co-workers. Then put them into action, like a secret agent kindness mission. It's a great gift that keeps giving.

10. Digital Dream Board for 2026
Build a solo or shared vision board on Padlet or Canva that collects inspiring eco-quotes, dream destinations, nature wishes, family-personal-or-sustainability goals for the year ahead.

Whatever you do (from this list or from your own imagination), I hope the roll from 2025 to 2026 fills you with both reflection of the past and a ready spirit for what's ahead. 

Image created at Canva.com.

Black Birder Week 2025: May 25--May 31

It might seem odd that "Black Birders Week" 

is "a thing."  It is. 

It is an annual even that takes place the last week of May, this year on May 25--May 31st. The first was in 2020--a year we may all remember as being under the cloud of Covid. 2020 was also the year of the murder of George Floyd, which was perhaps watched by many more than perhaps would have seen it because of the pandemic quarantine and so many at home due to the lock down for health reasons. Additionally, this is the year that Christian Cooper, a black man in Central Park, New York City was out watching birds yet was falsely accused of racial discrimination and threatening a woman and her dog. 

It brought about an awareness of the issue that Black people can often face safety issues when out in the field in STEM professions. One wouldn't think that environmentalism would fall on racial lines, as nature and the environment are there for everyone to enjoy and celebrate ... however there are surprising number of social justice issues related to environmentalism. Representation matters, and historically black environmentalists have been underrepresented in outdoor spaces

So began the concept of Black Birders Week, created by TheBlackAFinSTEM Collective and supported by the Audubon Society, the NYC Bird Alliance, and the Feminist Bird Club (started in 2016 for similar representation reasons).

The mission:

"to support, uplift, amplify Black Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics professionals in natural resources and the environment through professional development, career connection, and community engagement."

This year's theme is "Grounded in Community."

To learn more, check out these resources:

• Black AF in STEM's Black Birder Week page
  
• Connor Prairie's Black Birder Week page
• NYC Bird Alliance's Black Birder Week page

Images from https://rtipress.scholasticahq.com/article/125415 and https://www.blackafinstem.com/

Hummingbird Are Heading Back

'Tis the season for hummingbird spring migration. The further south you are, your hummingbirds may already be back. This map and Accuweather's article "Hummingbird Migration Underway in the US: Here's When They'll Reach Your Garden" will help you know when you need to get your feeder out in your own backyard!

Image from  https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/hummingbird-migration-underway-in-the-us-heres-when-theyll-reach-your-garden/1753177#google_vignette

Things to Love This February: #FeedTheBirdsDay & The Great Backyard Bird Count

It's that chilly time of year where some parts of the country are blanketed with either white, cold, or a combination of both. This is the time that animals who have stockpiled their food supply may be running low. It's that time of the year where our neighboring nature creatures are start really having a hard time finding find food. This is especially true for our feathered friends. 

Given that and given that February is National Bird Feeding Month, every year on February 3rd is Feed the Birds Day. The first official one was in 1994, proclaimed by Congressman John Porter, encouraging people to hang their bird feeders to offer food to flyer-by. Additionally, you can help by setting up bird baths for drinking water or birdhouses for shelter. 

Also tying in to all this, the Great Backyard Bird Count is held annually for 4 days in February. This year it is February 16-19. The Great Backyard Bird Count gives you an opportunity to be a citizen scientist. Lowest level commitment to participate: find a 15 minute block of time during those 4 days, then record your findings online at birdcount.org. (As I tell my students: you can always do more!!) Your recorded observations will then help scientists get a flavor of the biodiversity in your area, as well as helping to better understanding of global bird populations. You can always learn more at their website.

Whether you are a tried-and-true bird watching aficionado or a casual backyard enthusiast, you can take part during this last leg of winter. Help pump up those extra calories to help them stay warm and help make their search easier. Fill your feeders and embrace that mantra from the 1989 movie Field of Dreams: "If you build it, they will come." Make your backyard a fly-through dinner spot for your neighborhood feathered friends this month, especially here on the 3rd of February!

Video from https://youtu.be/6RdXDGcqHTg?si=DNGto7Y_6fy4HOgR, pictures from my backyard, Backyard Bird Count Logo from https://www.ogeecheeaudubon.org/new-events/2020/2/14/the-great-backyard-bird-count-zyx3g, Feed the Birds Day graphic from https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/art/template/79d7cf62b65886934167e721e61b0e25/feed-the-birds-day-design-template

The Benefits of Birds

There are a lot of sayings and idioms that involve birds: 

• Like a duck to water
• Birds of a feather flock together
• Free as a bird
• Birds eye view

And these are just a few. [For more, check out The Spruce's article Bird Idioms Explained.]

But the fact that they impact our language so much pays tribute to how readily available our flying feathered friends are. 

And lucky for us...birds do not just influence our language. They apparently serve our mind, body and spirit! Mary Jo DiLonardo addressed this fact in her 11/9/2022 Treehugger article "Seeing or Hearing Birds Is Good for Well-Being"

Researcher Ryan Hammoud (from King's College in London) led the study, finding that having birds in our sights or sound-space can actually provide positive emotional benefits for up to 8 hours. His goal in his research: to use the information for combining health, urban design, and city plannning. Hammoud noted that there has been a lot of studies focusing around the healthy impacts of Vitamin N--Nature, but not specifically centered on birds. (Vitamin FF--Feathered Friends?? 😉) 

Using the app Urban Mind, his experiments focused on 1,292 people who completed almost 27,000 assessments, surveys, and follow up questions. Three times a day, these experiment participants were asked questions about their proximity to birds as well as their current emotions--both positive ones (like self-assured, joyful, relaxed) and negative ones (like apprehension, overwhelm, and detached). Additionally, they took data on participants' diaagnosed mental health conditions. Researchers wanted to determine if there was any correlation between the birds and their mental well-being.

Results showed that regardless of diagnosis of mental health, all participants showed a positive spike in their emotional state when birds were factored in (regardless of other environmental stimuli)--sometimes lasting up to 8 hours. This was the first evidentiary study to prove that both the songbirds' melodies and watching them in fanciful flight or simply dining at the bird feeder. It also provided scientific confirmation that the biodiversity that surrounds us when we are out in nature (the flora, the fauna, and the feathered) all are part of that Vitamin N. [Go here to read the entire scientific report of the study.]

Additionally, this scientific study supports the efforts of 3BillionBirds.org and their pursuit to protect bird populations. According to their statistics, we no longer have 1 of every 4 birds we had in 1970. This species loss we now know also has a significant impact on our mental health (particularly depression). By raising conservation efforts when it comes to birds, we also--once again--are giving ourselves and our planet the gift of health.

My husband and I joke about how the older we get, the more bird feeders and birdhouses we seem to be acquiring. Little did we know we were just being proactive about our mental health! That's definitely "something to crow about," and may just be the key to being "happy as a lark."

* Bonus: Want to bring more nature sounds into your life to help create some calm while you "get your ducks in a row?" Check out this 3 hour soundtrack of bird songs from Acerting Arts on YouTube.

Image from https://www.treehugger.com/seeing-hearing-birds-good-well-being-6824038 and https://www.3billionbirds.org/why-birds-matter; and video from https://youtu.be/cdzU84AyCdI

Running the Waves Inside the River of Grass

Vacations are for expanding your horizons and trying out new experiences. The activities and events stick with us. And, it is through these adventures that we all grow. Not to mention, I keep finding my mind heading back there--especially the closer school keeps coming!

It might also have something to do with the fact that #BlueMind has been heavily on my mind this summer!

One of our new experiences on our Outer Banks vacation in July was taking a wave runner tour on the waters of the Curritick Sound, seeing Duck and Corolla from the water side. It was more than just "driving to drive." It was an hour and a half game of "follow the leader" outside the partitioned areas to really see some of the surroundings and learn a bit of history along the way. 

Now, out of full disclosure, I'll start by saying this. I do a lot of things well. Driving a wave runner is NOT one of them. I tried, I really did, and it didn't go well. I over-compensated with my steering. I was riding far too cautious to keep up with the group. Mostly, I couldn't get past the fear factor of impending doom and possible death. Luckily everyone else in my family are bigger adrenaline junkies than I am, so I could switch places with my teenage son and let him take over. That just left me holding on and getting to take in the scenery, fully enjoying the wind in my hair and the water spray on my face. A definite win-win for everyone!

So driving in and between the grass beds, past old abandoned duck blinds (where only the birds have taken up residency), past old hunting clubs, and even seeing Corolla's Curritick Beach Lighthouse in the distance, we got a chance to change our perspective. We saw the Sound from the inside out versus from the barrier islands looking in. We got to be one with the water, running those waves. We got to see from a vantage point we would have missed. We got to breathe it all in and experience life in a new way. We got to see this bird sanctuary from the bird's eye view, flying on the water, riding the waves, and running in the space between the grass. 

No wonder that #BlueMind vision is still riding my heart. 

Photos of our trip compiled in the PicCollage app, Travel quote created at canva.com

The Power of the Wind and the Weather

Two days prior to my wedding (in the wayyyy back machine), we had a "Hurricane Day" off of school (think "snow day") two days prior due to Hurricane Floyd. It rained and rained, and I gleefully tackled all those last minute bride things. Unfortunately though, our wedding venue had it's power knocked out, and we had to re-route the entire wedding in about 24 hours. We did--the day ended up being a beautiful day--and we are still in our "happily ever after."

Flash forward a handful of years.

We moved to Florida for my husband's job, where we lived about 6 years. During the first two weeks of our move there we had a tropical storm. I don't even think it had a name. The idea of it scared this Midwest girl to death. Unlike before when I was living in Maryland and it wasn't a direct hit, the intensity of Florida weather brought about more of a fear factor. All we got in my Hurricane Floyd experience was rain and power outages. Not necessarily direct hits. I was way more accustomed to the occasional weirdly-green sky that accompanies a tornado and the dash to the basement than any kind of water/ocean destruction. Other than anxiety, we clearly survived with the only fall out we had was a hyperspaz dog and watching the intensity of rain fall on us. 

Flash forward another handful of years.

After living in Florida, you find yourself saying seemingly-bizarre statements like "It's only a Category 1 hurricane" and "that 'cone of uncertainty' will shift and we'll be fine." It's funny how experience of "weathering the storms" gets you here. Yes, we boarded up our house a few times, and we also packed and left occasionally, to go to the other side of the state to avoid the brunt of it. But we were always fine. However, we also saw the destruction from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. At one point earlier in its trajectory, Katrina had been tracking right to us. Luckily it shifted leaving us fine, but horrified for New Orleans. We counted our blessings on more than one occasion.

Flash forward 16 more years.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Elsa swept through our time while we were vacationing in Duck, NC a few weeks ago. We had a lovely day of massages in store--perfect for the rainy weather--and were surprised by the limited amount of rain we actually got. We had already preemptively "battened down the hatches" the night before at our rental house,  so we weren't really worried. Yes, there were white caps on the 2-3 foot deep Currtick Sound out our back window, but nothing more. Those comments came back to our kids: "It's only the tail end of a tropical storm." It made for a relaxing indoor day of books and games and comfort food. Until bedtime.  That's when the strongest band of weather came through. Being in a beach house and right on the water, we were more exposed than I had ever been in a weather situation. I've never felt a house shake like this. The wind was intense. I later discovered it was upwards of 25 mph with gusts up to 42 mph--all from 11 pm to 3 am. No wonder the house was shaking, the way these homes are built up--not fully on stilts, but with openness underneath.  I never got into full panic mode, but it was a level of angst I hadn't felt in awhile. I think some of the calming effects of the massage earlier that day had worn off.

But we weathered the storm and even slept some. In fact, the sun was out and skies were clear by 7 am the next morning. The only true evidence of a storm (other than the still-jitters in my stomach) was the debris line halfway up the yard showing how high the water rose.

Even the osprey nest next door looked like it had also weathered the storm quite well. Given that, I'm a bit in awe at their construction skills!

It definitely shows you the power of nature, and leads you to a reverence where you honor that power. It causes you to take pause as you watch the events and intensity on the rise and breaking records. And it certainly has you counting your blessings. 

"Tropical Storm Alert" image from https://www.chathamstartribune.com/image_0040049a-d587-11ea-b0c2-afda90ad2572.html, Hurricane Floyd weather map from https://www.weather.gov/ilm/Floyd, Category 1 hurricane chart from https://aerindustries.com/blog/2017/11/28/hurricane-categories-related-damage/, Wind Chart for Duck, NC from https://windalert.com/spot/40944, all other photos from my camera.

Biodiversity, Birds, & The Outer Banks

As I mentioned in my previous post, we vacationed this summer in Duck, North Carolina. A trip planned in February when the future of the pandemic was still unknown and a driving getaway vacation seemed like the best plan. Mountains last year in New Gorges River, West Virginia; beach this year in the Outer Banks.

I've never been to Duck, nor the Outer Banks in general. I've been reading about this "ribbon of sand" of barrier islands in a book in our rental house entitled Duck: An Outer Banks Village by Judith D. Mercier. Printed in 2001, it is 20 years out of date; however, given it's a historical "biography" of the town, it's only omitting the last 2 decades. History is history, and it's been interesting learning about Duck's and seeing in the pages some of the places we have already been. 

Additionally, Duck is a designated bird sanctuary. Approximately 400 bird species have been seen in and around this part of the the Outer Banks and their waters. The variety of habitats such as tidal flats, ponds, salt ponds, grass beds, shrub thickets, and maritime woods--plus other factors including the barrier islands becoming a good "stopping spot" when winds and weather hit--makes it a perfect spot for a bird sanctuary, indeed. Additionally, it's part of the migratory waterfowl's Eastern (or Atlantic) Flyaway, making it another reason for birds to stop and visit, especially in the spring and fall. Ironically, the only thing using the duck blinds out in the sound are the migratory birds!

Not far south of Duck is Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1938. It too is a "nesting, resting" sanctuary spot for migratory birds and other animals, including the endangered Loggerhead sea turtle.

Darn it, why did we forget the binoculars!

Interestingly, Twiddy (the rental company we got found our vacation stay through), has an amazingly extensive Birding Guide to the Outer Banks of coastal North Carolina birds of the barrier islands. Featured on that page along with the slew of native birds to this area are 20 bird facts featured in infographics.

Another excellent resource on birds is The Cornell Lab's online portal "All About Birds." Using this, I think I've determined that my white diving fisher birds are Northern Gannets. They do make a dramatic plunge!!

Of course, I can't mention Cornell's Bird Lab without mentioning Merlin--their birding app. I had to move this one to a more prominent spot on my phone and make sure to add the US: Southeast Bird Pack!

From Mercier's book mentioned above: "Today, ornithologists and ecologists value ospreys as an indicator species. These birds help gauge the general well-being of an area's ecosystem and the health of its waterways" [page 249]. Despite the growth of development in both Duck and all of the Outer Banks aver the last several decades, the fact that we have these bird sanctuaries and the variety of biodiversity bodes well for the area. Just as we have seen eagle populations grow and flourish over these decades, ospreys have too. 

All of which brings me back to the osprey nest I've been watching here from our back balcony at Duck. As quoted from Judith Mercier's Prologue [pages ix-x]:

"A pinch of earth separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Currituck Sound. Generations ago, a meager band of seafarers, fishermen, and duck hunters settled this area of North Banks land. They and their families built a small community, a neighborhood sheltered by the oaks and pines growing atop the sand hills. Today thousands of summer tourists visit the same place, a bantam village they know as Duck.

Duck constitutes barely 2 percent of the land area of North Carolina's Outer banks. Virtually hidden until the early 1980s, the village and its inhabitants enjoyed several centuries of solitude and anonymity."

Yes, traffic was a bear on Duck Road when we arrived. However, once landed, like the nested ospreys I'm watching, you understand why. The Northern Gannets know why. And probably so do the other 300 or so species. 

Duck is certainly a good spot to nest and rest. 

Quotes from Judith D. Mercier's book: Duck: An Outer Banks Village, map from https://www.visitob.com/duck-nc/map/, all other pics from my camera and compiled in Canva.com

#Blueminding in Duck, NC

As I'm writing this, we are on vacation in the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Duck, specifically. 

It ties in so brilliantly with having finished re-reading Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do byWallace J. Nichols. Our backyard view is the Curritick Sound and water as far as the eye can see. In fact, on our dock this very instant, I have a hunting osprey who is lying in wait atop a post, ready to swoop down on any fish nearby to bring home to his or her little one in the nest two doors down. All of this puts 3 ospreys in easy view, adding both a show and symphony from their squawks of these magnificent birds. 

Other seabirds are fishing too, leaving a plethora of things to capture my interest the water, distracting me from my writing task at hand. However, ironically, the distraction IS the task. The writing IS the distraction. The water IS the point. Each dive-bombing bird on their fishing expedition brings a smile to my face. Being brought up a midwestern girl, this vista wasn't my typical landscape growing up. The cornfields are home, but water is my sanctuary.

Speaking of which...it's calling. The water. The writing can patiently wait.

* * *

During our week in Duck, we distracted and #blueminded a lot:

Walk downstairs to paddleboarding 

Watching neighbors & their fishing mornings

Beach lazing 

Balcony gazing

Wave chasing

Deck sunning

Waverunning

Biking and board walking

Boating and dolphin watching

Dining on the gifts of the sea

I'm ready to go back.

Photos from my camera and graphics created at on canvas.com

Green & Blue: What the Doctor Ordered

On our road trip heading to our vacation destination, I was listening to a multitude of podcasts, and 2 of them talked about our brain's capacity to take in new information. Surprisingly, we can only learn 3-4 hours of new content a day. That goes for teachers and students alike. It really spoke about the exhaustion factor that comes with that--especially in remote (and hybrid) learning. When I think of the intensity of the learning curve for everyone on this planet the last 16 months, it shows me how "wired and tired"and over "tech-ified and fried" we all have been, and how much recovery time we all need. All of which brings me back to Florence Williams' Nature Fix & Wallace J. Nichols Blue Mind and of course the concept of "nature deficit disorder" coined by Richard Louv. We all need prescriptions to get outside, to then nearest waterway or green space. We need moments of eco-mindfulness to re-center, restore, and recover. Aaron Reuben reiterates the same thing in his May 2019 article for Outside Magazine "Science's Newest Miracle Drug is Free." 

If you need help finding someplace, ParkRX America's website is where you need to go. You can type in your address and instantly find some good green and blue space nearby. Plus, in their Media section, you can find a slew of good books to read to reiterate the point (both of which I mentioned above are listed!). And here's a good video from ParkRX to get you in the mood to head outdoors too. Which I will definitely make sure is a large part of my vacation!!!

Video from https://youtu.be/EYVC362i2dk, and images from https://parkrxamerica.org/resources.php and prescription image from https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/Whats-Happening/Pages/parks-rx-day.aspx

Mr. Greg's Ospreys

Books are sacred to me. They are magic in your hands, taking you places, becoming gateways of inspiration, enjoyment, insight, and knowledge. Picture books have the added bonus of delighting your senses with the illustrations. Plus they act as colorful invitations, opening up new worlds and perhaps even future passions.

That is the hope of "Mr. Greg's Ospreys," a picture book written by Laura Callahan, Jill Waldman, and Patrice Boone and illustrated by Christine Willliams. All four Maryland residents, they created the book to not only to share Mr. Greg's story and the importance of the work he does, but with the hopes to inspire future generations to become conservationists and environmental stewards. The book outlines a year in the life of Mr. Greg, from July to the following August, as he tends to the ospreys along the river. Throughout the book you learn a lot about the life of ospreys as well as the many things Mr. Greg does to keep the ospreys safe in their natural habitat.

Being related two 2 of the 4 collaborators of the book, I scored an invitation to their outdoor book signing at Patuxent River Park last weekend. (Numbers were limited due to Covid restrictions at the time the event was organized.) 

There, we got to celebrate in their successful launch of the book AND meet Mr. Greg. 

Mr. Greg is both a character in the book AND a real person. Mr. Greg is Greg Kearns, a Park Naturalist and master bird bander for nearly 4 decades who has been overseeing the osprey nesting site program he started in 1984 on the Patuxent River at the Jug Bay Natural Area. He spoke at the signing of his longevity in the area and how osprey numbers in the 1970s and early '80s were quite low. He referenced ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson (known for his 1934 "Guide to the Birds," the first of many field guides he'd later come to write), mentioning birds as an environmental litmus test of the health of an area.

Several decades ago, the low number of ospreys indicated that Jug Bay--the largest freshwater tidal area in Maryland--wasn't doing exceptionally well. Just like eagles, osprey populations were severely impacted by DDT which thinned the eggshells of these birds. Yet now, with the help of osprey platform towers along the Patuxent River to help them find a place to build their nests, the osprey population has grown and been restored because of humanity and the help of these man-made platforms. Mr. Greg estimated that 400 osprey pairs are now thriving along the 115 mile river.

As if on cue while Mr. Greg was telling us all of this, we all got to see the swooping chase take place over the river backdrop of an osprey chasing an adult eagle. This was only one of the many ospreys who decided to make an appearance at the book signing. It's as if the ospreys knew we were talking about them. 

One could argue that Patuxent River Park is a secondary main character in the book to Mr. Greg. It is here in these wetlands that the real life story of Mr. Greg and the ospreys takes place. In addition to having an observation tower and multiple places to hike and picnic, there is an area in the park called the Rural Life Museum with several historical out-buildings and guides present to share the past. Additionally there are campgrounds and canoe rentals. Perhaps a favorite, though, is their very impressive Osprey Cam (which you can view here) which Mr. Greg also maintains.

Prior to writing their book, Laura, Patrice, Jill, and Christine accompanied Mr. Greg on a osprey banding boat trip down the Patuxent River. While bird banding, Greg places identification bands on the hundreds of osprey chicks that hatch in the spring in order to track the chicks when they migrate and return. While on this boat trip, the ladies took photos and learned of the many duties Greg has managing the osprey sanctuary. From there, the 4 of them put these stories on paper and over time, Mr. Greg's Ospreys was born. 

And who knows, after reading their work about Mr. Greg's work, maybe future conservationists will be inspired to do what they can to take care of nature!

Roger Tory Peterson Quote from https://www.azquotes.com/quote/565737; all other pictures taken at the book signing on May 15, 2021.

Repurposing Your Christmas Tree

Depending on when you take your tree down, this post may be in the category of "day late & dollar short." Or maybe it's perfectly-timed given you decided this was the year to hang on to holiday cheer and keep your tree up a little longer, because, well...you know...2020. Or, it could happen that the point is mute due to having an artificial tree which just goes back in the box until next year. Or perhaps this post will serve as inspiration for next year's Christmas season. 

Whichever it may be, at some point your holiday decorations come down, as does your Christmas tree. If you had a real one, you have to do something once it's stripped bare of ornaments and lights. In the past when we have had a live tree (versus the artificial one we have now that will ultimately go back into the garage), we have pulled our tree curbside for recycling & the making of mulch. Repurposing the tree in that way is a good use of resources, and be sure to watch your local municipality for its curbside-tree-dates if you decide to go that route. 

However, the thought of returning the tree to nature as a gift of the season as a respite and home for wildlife struck me as a warm one this year. Kudos goes to The Nature Conservancy of Canada for posting the idea of leaving your old Christmas tree in your backyard. In doing this, you've taken a circular loop  approach. In fact, more things should come with this kind of closed loop (or circular economy) concept. Here, instead of the "throw away and replace culture we've become used to, we'd adopt a return and renew one, where products and components are designed to be disassembled and regenerated." 

In nature, with a Christmas tree, the closed loop is simple: bring it outside. By leaving it in your backyard, especially during the winter, you've now created a habitat for birds and other backyard wildlife. You've also widened your own backyard biodiversity. All the more so if you decorate it with peanut butter and bird seed covered pine cone ornaments. 

As the tree looses the needles and starts to decompose, not only will it continue to provide shelter to animals, it also will start to break down, which ultimately will add nutrients to the soil. According to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, many fir trees break fairly quickly given the makeup of the wood. You can speed up that process by drilling holes in the tree trunk. 

If your backyard doesn't accommodate that, PickYourOwnChristmasTree.org has some other suggestions for ways to repurpose your tree. Check in with your local community to see if you can find places that would take your tree to use in these ways:

• Fish feeders in private fish ponds
• Soil erosion barriers to assist with shore stabilization 
• Hiking trail path material

Like I said, ours will be going back in the box for the next 11 months, living it's own level of closed loop here at our house. But if you have the ability to give it back to nature, the birds and your local wildlife will thank you!

Video from https://youtu.be/zCRKvDyyHmI, Decorated Christmas tree from my photos this year, downed Christmas tree image from https://www.vicnews.com/news/give-your-christmas-tree-a-second-life-by-recycling-it-in-your-back-yard/; infographic from https://medium.com/usfws/recycling-christmas-trees-for-wildlife-6dc533092d05

Backyard Birding with Merlin

I've mentioned before that sitting outside here in the warming season and gazing about while typing is a favorite past time of mine. Along with the visual glories, there also comes a symphony of sounds--those human-made ones from the neighborhood and the busy street not far away, and also a bounty of birdcalls come sounding down on me from our tree-lined back yard. The bird feeder that my husband and son religiously refill also makes us a local hot-spot with our feathered friends.

On a beautiful day, I'd rather be outside than in front of our television and its full DVR or faced with the endless possibilities of Amazon Prime and Netflix. Now, with more of us at home than before, seems like I might not be the only one based on this Dan Friedell article I ran across: "Tired of Netflix? Birds Provide a Show Right Outside Your Quarantine Window"

As he details, this is the season for returning birds, he also mentioned that (of course) "there's an app for that." And who better to be from than Cornell's Lab of Ornithology. The app, Merlin, is your helpful, handy, pocket birding coach created for beginner and intermediate birders. Not only can you list descriptors to help you identify your newest flying friend, but there's also a photo ID feature built in. Additionally, you can download bird packs for your geographical region. Given they have content for over 6,200 bird types, narrowing down your local finds is a must. Once you start going through the descriptors, you can also click a speaker on the app for each bird for further identification by way its birdsong & bird call. I think my feathered-fellows this morning were a type of sparrow--House, Song, or maybe Chipping. It was quick, and still being a newbie, it was one of my first go arounds!

Merlin is a powerful resource right in your phone. Ultimately, it may serve as a good gateway to unplugging!!

Speaking of which....I have a cardinal hopping on my fence...gotta go and be a bird watcher!

Photo from my phone, and Merlin logo from https://apps.apple.com/us/app/merlin-bird-id-by-cornell/id773457673

Wands for Wildlife

One of the best ways to keep trash out of the landfill is to reuse. Often times, that's where people hit the wall given some items just don't seem to have a natural way to reuse them.

Take plastic mascara applicator wands, for instance. However, Appalachian Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina has come up with a great reuse for these with their Wands for Wildlife program.

Twice a year, in October and February, Appalachian Wildlife Refuge accepts mailed-in collections of old mascara wands. The little bristles on the wand are perfect for removing fly eggs and larva from the fur or feathers of orphaned animals or birds that need rehabilitation. All they ask you to do is soak them in soapy water and dry to get off the mascara residue. They had to move it to only a twice-a-year acceptance policy due to their initial flood of donations. That's definitely a good problem to have!

To learn more about how to join the "Wandraiser," check out their website.



Video from https://youtu.be/enFEPuz36zU, image from https://www.waste360.com/business-operations/wands-wildlife-puts-discarded-mascara-wands-work

5 Decades of Environmentalism: 1969--2019

By the time the first earth day circled 'round in April of 1970, I was just about to hit my 6-month birthday. Needless to say, I don’t remember much about it and I was far too little to hug my first tree.

In honor of my 50 years on this planet, I wanted to celebrate 50 of some of the biggest environmental moments of the last 5 decades. What better way than with an infographic.

Infographic created using canva.com   Data from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/earth-days-modern-environmental-movement/; https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/09/environmental-victories-in-photos/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_history_of_environmentalism; http://environmentalhistory.org; https://www.preceden.com/timelines/165371-major-events-in-the-environmental-movement; https://ecowarriorprincess.net/2018/12/year-climate-progress-top-5-environmental-victories-2018/