Orioles @ Nationals « Britt's Bird Watch
May 19th, 2012
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Greetings from Nationals Park, where the Orioles –who enter the game with the best road record in the Majors– squad off against a Washington Nationals team that is 23-15 and in second place in the National League East.
*Not much in the way of pregame news here, but there were a few transactions the last few days for the Orioles, who outrighted Brad Bergesren to Triple-A Norfolk after the right-hander cleared waivers. Bergesen was designated for assignment last week to clear a 40-man roster spot for Xavier Avery. MASNSports.com first reported Bergesen had cleared waivers.
*The Orioles signed outfielder Lew Ford and he’s batting leadoff and playing center field for Triple-A Norfolk tonight. Ford, who last played in the Majors in 2007, most recently played with the Long Island Ducks in independent ball and the 35-year-old hit .333 in 19 games.
*The Orioles have won seven consecutive road games going into tonight, and have 13 road wins overall. To put that in perspective they won their 13th road game last year on July 13.
*I’ll be on the Orioles’ pregame show with Jim Hunter tonight on MASN, discussing Adam Jones emerging as a leader, rookie Xavier Avery’s valuable spring lesson and how starter Jake Arrieta is dealing with his inconsistency issues on the mound.
ORIOLES LINEUP
Xavier Avery LF
J.J. Hardy SS
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Wilson Betemit 3B
Chris Davis 1B
Robert Andino 2B
Jake Arrieta RHP
NATIONALS LINEUP
Ian Desmond SS
Roger Bernadina LF
Ryan Zimmerman 3B
Adam LaRoche 1B
Bryce Harper RF
Danny Espinosa 2B
Rick Ankiel CF
Jesus Flores C
Edwin Jackson RHP
Categories: Birdwatching Articles
At the Fence: 5 Days of Bird Watching – Day 5
May 18th, 2012
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Hello Neighbors!
This is the last post of our 5 Days of Bird Watching. I really enjoyed putting these together. Now for today’s topic, “How to Incorporate Bird Watching into Your Homeschool”.
There are many ways to add Bird watching to your curriculum. First off, I do want to say, encourage your children to participate. All ages can help, whether it is spotting birds, recording what you have seen, taking pictures, or helping with the feeders.
Bird Watching can be a part of handwriting, spelling, and grammar. “How?” you may ask. First of all by keeping a journal you will be able to watch handwriting improve. A journal needs to be neat so you can go back and reread it when you want to. Also, you could use the parts of a bird, bird names, their habitats etc. to make spelling word lists. Do remember to keep them age appropriate. Read over the journal occasionally together to help with spelling and grammar.
You can also teach math, through counting the birds you have seen. Or perhaps you could create a chart or graph of the types of birds you saw, where they were found, how often you see them and even if they migrate or not. Younger children can practice counting how many birds they have seen and add them up day by day.
Obviously science comes in to play when you discuss the parts of a bird, their nesting habits, what they eat, where they live, etc. And by studying which ones migrate and where they go, you can add some geography. Try plotting where they may have come from, or where they could be going.
A really nice science project could be made out of your experience in bird watching. Charting the types of birds in your area, their migratory patterns, eating habits, etc. I am sure many homeschoolers could add more ideas to this list. Feel free to leave a comment and share your ideas. The main thing to remember is…keep it fun and enjoy yourselves! Thanks for stopping in At the Fence!
Be sure to visit the other sites in the hop by clicking on the button below.
Categories: Birdwatching Articles
The Best Bird-Watching Sites in Québec maritime | Blogue du …
May 18th, 2012
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Québec maritime is home to a wide variety of natural environments that attract hundreds of different species of birds. From the islands in Bas-Saint-Laurent to the mountains of Gaspésie and from the coastline of Côte-Nord to the cliffs of the Îles de la Madeleine, each region offers great bird-watching sites. Here are a few worth visiting!
Bas-Saint-Laurent
Little pingouins in Bas-Saint-Laurent ©Nelson Boisvert
Bas-Saint-Laurent is dotted with islands, mudflats and marshes that are easily accessible bird-watching sites.
Off Rivière-du-Loup, Île aux Lièvres (Hare Island) et Île du Pot à l’Eau-de-Vie (Brandy Pot Island) provide protected nesting areas for several species of birds, including great blue herons and razorbills. Basques Island, off Trois-Pistoles, is a migratory bird sanctuary for 229 bird species. Inquire about excursion times before you head out to visit these islands.
A sea excursion in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park will give you the opportunity to observe many different species of seabirds, including common loons and black scoters. You can also see birds of prey in the mudflats of Kamouraska as well as about 10,000 couples of common eiders in Bic National Park.
More bird-watching sites in Bas-Saint-Laurent…
Gaspésie
Northern gannets in Gaspésie
The Gaspé Peninsula is home to a variety of habitats ranging from the seashore to the arctic-alpine summits of mountains. Thus, several species of birds that usually live in very different climates thousands of miles apart cohabit in this region.
National parks and wildlife reserves are obviously some of the best places to observe birds. For example, Gaspésie National Park and the Matane Wildlife Reserve are home to about 150 bird species each, including harlequin ducks and golden eagles, while the cliffs of Forillon National Park of Canada are nesting sites for many seabird species including black-legged kittiwake. Bonaventure Island and Percé Rock National Park is renowned for its colony of 120,000 northern gannets, the largest and most accessible such colony in the world.
Located at the eastern tip of the peninsula, between Gaspé and Percé, the Malbaie Barachois is a nesting site for two threatened species: yellow rails and Nelson’s sparrows. Over 200 bird species have been sighted in this 11-km2 (4-sq. mi.) area!
More bird-watching sites in Gaspésie…
Îles de la Madeleine
The piping plover in Îles de la Madeleine ©Alain Richard
The red cliffs, sand dunes, freshwater ponds and green hills of the Islands are distinct habitats that attract a wide variety of birds. Among the species commonly found in the Îles de la Madeleine are Wilson’s snipes, black-headed gulls and Bonaparte’s gulls.
From late April to mid-May, you can observe a globally threatened species on the beaches of the Îles de la Madeleine: the piping plover. The Islands are the only place in Québec where this species nests.
Rocher-aux-Oiseaux (Bird Rock) is one of the most popular bird-watching sites in the Îles de la Madeleine. Located 32 km (20 mi.) north of Grosse-Île, this migratory bird sanctuary is off limits to visitors; however, it is possible to approach Bird Rock by boat and thus observe the thousands of birds that nest there. Other sites worth exploring are Brion Island, an ecological reserve that shelters nearly 140 bird species including great cormorants and arctic terns, and L’Étang à Ben, a staging area for brants.
More bird-watching sites in the Îles de la Madeleine…
Côte-Nord
Atlantic puffins in Côte-Nord ©Nelson Boisvert
Stretching from Tadoussac all the way to Blanc-Sablon, Côte-Nord is an immense region. While driving along the coast on Route 138, you will discover multiple bird-watching sites.
In Côte-Nord – Manicouagan, along the St. Lawrence Estuary, the Tadoussac dunes are a unique observation site where you will probably see the boreal owl, a little-known bird of prey. Further east, be sure to stop in Longue-Rive to visit the second largest salt marshes in Québec.
In the region of Côte-Nord – Duplessis, participate in a sea excursion that will take you around Corossol Island, in the Sept-Îles Archipelago. This migratory bird refuge is one of the best bird sanctuaries in Côte-Nord in terms of the number and diversity of species. While the largest concentration of bald eagles in Québec is found on Anticosti Island, the star of the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada is the Atlantic puffin, which steals the spotlight from the park’s many other seabirds.
Categories: Birdwatching Articles
MacGuffin Bird Watching – SIFF 2012 Preview | The MacGuffin
May 18th, 2012
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Being the film festival that bills itself as the largest in the country, it is only right and just that many interesting films by women are showing this year at the Seattle International Film Festival. The most high-profile of these was the film shown last night at the Opening Night Gala, Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s Sister. But if you, like me, sadly could not attend, there are plenty of other opportunities to support female filmmakers during the fest. By my count, 50 of the 273 features showing were directed or co-directed by a woman. While I’d still love to live in a world with a better ratio than that, 50 films is a lot of work to check out, and that’s great. I’ve been able to see a few I can recommend already.
Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines, Kristy Guevara-Flanagan
I’d been eager to see this full documentary since attending a panel on its in-progress journey at GeekGirlCon this past August. The final product is very much worth seeing for anyone interested in the current superhero craze or in the depiction of female characters in the media (or for those who don’t realize that they should be interested in the depiction of female characters in the media…so, everyone). We see interviews with various feminists, pop culture historians, and fans as the film follows the development and evolution (sometimes devolution) of the Wonder Woman character through the years and explores the various strong female characters she’s influenced. From the Bionic Woman to Buffy Summers, the debt to Wonder Woman can’t be denied. So then, if this character has endured so long, why doesn’t she get the same respect (and movie franchises) as her many male counterparts?
This kind of cultural analysis, presented in an accessible and appealing way, is vital. Something as simple as showing the way Wonder Woman comics veered from feminist adventures into romantic dramas in the post-WWII, women-go-back-to-your-kitchens atmosphere provides an effective sort of call to arms against similar themes we still see everywhere today. And it really makes me want to read some Wonder Woman comics from the ’40s!
Wonder Women! screens May 26th-28th, with Guevara-Flanagan and her cinematographer Gabriel Miller scheduled to attend all screenings.
Otelo Burning, Sara Blecher
This South African film takes many of the characterizations and themes from Shakespeare’s Othello and places them in the tense, violent final months of apartheid, with a group of teens playing the various doomed parts. Looking for an escape from the pressures of life in their town, where rebel organizations are clashing, Otelo and his friends New Year and Mandla push boundaries by teaching themselves to surf—at a beach where they ignore the prominent “Whites Only” signs. Otelo and Mandla both show signs of natural talent at surfing—enough to start training for competitions—as well as interest in the same girl. The tensions in their friendship lead to consequences that escalate as the political unrest around them does the same.
While the storyline veers liberally in places from that of the play, the tone of the film embodies the themes of jealousy and betrayal and the sense of dread that make Othello one of Shakespeare’s finest tragedies. The young actors all do good work, and the scenes of them surfing are suitably impressive. The final piece that makes this a solid film is the look of it. The cinematography works well to give a sense of the simmering pressure in the town, with close-up shots of sweaty bodies, while scenes at the beach pull back wider to emphasize the freedom represented by the ocean waves.
Otelo Burning screens May 27th, June 8th, and June 9th, with Blecher scheduled to attend the June screenings.
Kiss Me, Alexandra-Therese Keining
This is another great entry in the genre of Scandinavian melodrama, those beautiful films (like those of Susanne Bier, for example) that make highly dramatic stories work by focusing intently on the emerging emotions of the characters and staying rooted in the unglamorous look and feel of everyday life. Here, the story involves two women, Frida (Liv Mjönes) and Mia (Ruth Vega Hernandez), whose mutual attraction shakes their lives—seeing as they are about to become step-sisters, and Mia is engaged to a man. Great work from both actresses (particularly Mjönes, who reminded me of Mélanie Laurent) and the genuine chemistry between them made their journey a pleasure to watch.
[iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”<br /></code></p> <p><i>Kiss Me</i> <a href=”http://www.siff.net/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=45313&FID=254″ mce_href=”http://www.siff.net/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=45313&FID=254″ target=”_blank”>screens May 26th and May 31st</a>.</p> <p>Watching these few well-executed and creative films has heightened my anticipation for what’s coming this year in SIFF. Films from well-known names include<b><i> Take This Waltz</i></b><i> </i>from<i> </i>Sarah Polley;<b><i> 2 Days in New York</i></b>,<i> </i>Julie Delpy’s sequel to the funny <i>2 Days in Paris</i>; Andrea Arnold’s <i><b>Wuthering Heights</b></i>; Lauren Greenfield’s Sundance-winning doc<i><b> Queen of Versailles</b></i>; and Maïwenn’s<i><b> Polisse</b></i>. From those on the rise, I hear the film not to miss is Seattle local Megan Griffiths’s <b><i>Eden</i></b>.</p> <p>Below, my best attempt at a list of all of the additional feature-length films directed by women showing in the fest. (It is entirely possible that I missed something, though I tried really hard not to.) There are many more that look intriguing than I have room to discuss, which is a very good thing.</p> <p><b>narrative:</b></p> <p><i>The Mirror Never Lies</i>, Kamila Andini<br /> <i>Red Road</i>, Andrea Arnold<br /> <i>Kill Me</i>, Emily Atef<br /> <i>Brave</i>, co-directed by Brenda Chapman<br /> <i>Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas</i>, Sue Corcoran<br /> <i>Future Weather</i>, Jenny Deller<br /> <i>The Most Fun I’ve Had With My Pants On</i>, Drew Denny<br /> <i>My Brother the Devil</i>, Sally El Hosaini<br /> <i>Mosquita y Mari</i>, Aurora Guerrero<br /> <i>My Sucky Teen Romance</i>, Emily Hagins<br /> <i>The Crown Jewels</i>, Ella Lemhagen<br /> <i>The House</i>, Zuzana Liová<br /> <i>Salt White</i>, Keti Machavariani<i></i><br /> <i>Camilla Dickinson</i>, Cornelia Duryée Moore<br /> <i>Found Memories</i>, Julia Murat<br /> <i>Rent-a-Cat</i>, Naoko Ogigami<br /> <i>Simon and the Oaks</i>, Lisa Ohlin<br /> <i>Hemel</i>, Sacha Polak<br /> <i>Nosilatiaj.Beauty</i>, Daniela Seggiaro<br /> <i>Everything and Everyone</i>, Tracy D. Smith</p> <p><b>documentary:</b></p> <p><i>El Gusto: The Good Mood</i>, Safinez Bousbia<br /> <i>Crulic—The Path Beyond</i>, Anca Damian<br /> <i>Family Portrait in Black and White</i>, Julia Ivanova<br /> <i>The Atomic States of America</i>, co-directed by Sheena M. Joyce<br /> <i>Ethel</i>, Rory Kennedy<br /> <i>Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry</i>, Allison Klayman<br /> <i>Five Star Existence</i>, Sonja Lindén<br /> <i>Dreams of a Life</i>, Carol Morley<br /> <i>Duck Beach to Eternity</i>, co-directed by Laura Naylor<br /> <i>The Revolutionary</i>, Lucy Ostrander<br /> <i>Putin’s Kiss</i>, Lise Birk Pedersen<br /> <i>Pink Ribbons, Inc</i>., Léa Pool<br /> <i>Bull Runners of Pamplona</i>, Aubrey Powell<br /> <i>The Standbys</i>, Stephanie Riggs<br /> <i>Finding North</i>, Lori Silverbush and Kristi Jacobson<br /> <i>Bad Brains: A Band in D.C.</i>, co-directed by Mandy Stein<br /> <i>Justice for Sale</i>, Femke van Velzen and Ilse van Velsen<br /> <i>Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel</i>, co-directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland<br /> <i>The Source</i>, Jodi Wille and Maria Demopoulos<br /> <i>The Mexican Suitcase</i>, Trisha Ziff</p>
Categories: Birdwatching Articles
Bird Watching for Children | Life-Health-Happiness
May 17th, 2012
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Bird watching for children is one of the activities that can help instill the value and love for animals on their young minds. Aside from teaching them the importance of taking good care of animals, bird watching for children can also be a great of spending quality time with them. This activity is also great for children because it can teach them to become nature-wise and van teach them teach them good manners such as respect for animals.
What you need
Before you go bird watching with children, make sure that you yourself have had a first-hand experience on the activity. What you can do is search on the Internet what are the best places to bird watching with children. Once you found the best one or the nearest one in your area, take a time off to visit it before bring your children there.
Check if the entire area is safe for children. If you are having doubts about children safety, it is best to talk to the administrator of the park or the preserve to make sure that they have enough facilities to take care of kids. Also, ask what are the things that you need to bring when going there.
Also check how much are the fees, how many kids are allowed to bird watch, and what are the ideal ages for bird watching. When everything is done and you are confident that your child will be safe while bird watching, book a tour date while you’re there.
On the date of the bird watching activity, make sure that you bring the following:
1. A good pair of binoculars for kids. This is very important because the center might not have enough binoculars for the visitors. To ensure that the kids can use something, grab a good yet cheap pair of binoculars when you are in the department store.
2. A bird book or field guide. Although most of the bird parks offer booklet that contain information on the birds that can be seen there, it is best to bring a book guide on your own just in case they don’t have one. The book guide can help your kids identify the common birds in the area and can help them in describing the birds based on their appearance, color, size, and shape.
3. Bottled water and snacks. Since kids tend to get hungry often, it is best if you bring lots of bottled water and handy snack packs just in case no convenient store is near the area.
4. First aid kit. This should always be a must whenever you go out with your kids because they can be so accident-prone. Make sure that you include a first aid kit in your child’s backpack to make sure that you can tend to the wound or scratch immediately.
5. A camera. This is also a “must” when going out with kids because it can preserve the memories with your kids. Having a handy camera can enable you take as many pictures of your kids during the tour. You can also ask your kids to take as many photos as they can of the birds that they see.
6. A notebook or sketchpad with pens or pencils. One of the benefits of bird watching for children is that it encourages them to jot down their observations. These can also be helpful to artistically-inclined children because it can encourage them to draw the birds that they see.
Categories: Birdwatching Articles
Tuesday Bird Watching, Week 16 | Philip Stead Illustration | A Home …
May 15th, 2012
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Grey Heron, Czechoslovakia
Hi everyone. Believe it or not we’re already at our 16th Tuesday, birdwatchingwise. If you’re new here, we’ve been bird watching every Tuesday in anticipation of the June 5th release of my new book, A Home for Bird. Only three more weeks to go!
I’ve been noticing a lot of herons this year in Ann Arbor which is nice. It seems like every year more and more are returning to the Huron River. They are really amazing, almost prehistoric looking birds and it’s always a treat to see them.
Categories: Birdwatching Articles
Birding Is Fun!: Enjoying my Wingdale Hanging Bird Feeder
May 15th, 2012
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The good folks at Yard Envy asked me to try out their Wingdale Hanging Bird Feeder and to share with you my experience. It’s on sale now, so check it out!
First of all, its a a beautiful bird feeder. I love the design, especially the shingled roof. I’m sure my neighbors are also pleased to see something a little more aesthetic. The Wingdale feeder is simple to assemble and easy to refill as the roof slides up the cord and reconnects on two small wooden dowels.
I’ve had the feeder up now for over a month. It did take a couple weeks for the birds to “find” it…or rather get used to it. Lesser Goldfinch and House Finches are now its most regular customers. House Sparrows occasionally pop in. I was delighted this last Sunday afternoon to be sitting in the shade of my backyard trees when a couple of Black-headed Grosbeaks showed preference for the Wingdale feeder and posed for some photos. I’m already looking forward to photography Lazuli Buntings at this feeder. They should show up any day now!
Categories: Birdwatching Articles
Bird Watching « random acts of writing [+ art]
May 15th, 2012
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He was walking his dog along the edge of the grass, carefully and quietly — as one does in this place. I saw him out of the corner of my eye as I talked quietly to an old friend. Her birthday would have been Sunday. I brought her pink geraniums, which I set down next to the pot of pansies from her son.
“You have a perfect spot here,” I said, as I dusted away grass clippings.
Just then, I noticed an osprey gliding gracefully above the river, and watched until it disappeared behind the spring-green leaves that lined the edge of the hill.
The gravel of the path made a soft tick tick tick noise beneath my tires as I drove away, slowly passing the old man and his dog. He turned when he heard me, and smiled.
“If you look over there,” I said, as I stopped next to him, “you can see an osprey flying above the river.”
“I think they’re from the nesting platform over there,” he nodded, pointing to a place I could not see in the distance.
“Aren’t they beautiful?”
“Yes. Yes they are,” he said with a sad smile.
We watched the osprey together for a while.
“There are hawks, too,” he spoke into the silence.
“I know, I often see them on my walks,” I said, “Red tail, mostly.”
“Ah, you know birds, then? My wife and I used to sit on our patio and watch the migrating birds as they arrived in town. They’d flock to a tree we planted when we first moved here.”
“We are blessed to live in this place, aren’t we?” I could tell he knew.
“We lived here for 40 years. My attorney is buried over there now, and our neighbors on that hill there, next to my wife.”
“It is a perfect spot,” I whispered, as we both watched the osprey swoop across the river again.
“They say the pairs return to each other in the spring, in the same place,” he said. “They’re coming home.”
• • •
©2012 Jen Payne
Categories: Birdwatching Articles
Orioles vs. Yankees lineups and pregame notes « Britt's Bird Watch
May 15th, 2012
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*Former first-round pick Billy Rowell has received a 50-game suspension after a second violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program for a drug of abuse, Major League Baseball announced Monday afternoon.
The suspension of Rowell, who is currently on the roster of short-season Aberdeen of the New York-Penn League, will be effective at the start of the IronBirds’ season on June 18th. Rowell, who was listed as a third baseman, is the organization’s third Minor Leaguer to get a 50-game suspension this season, joining catchers Brian Ward and Michael Ohlman. Rowell was Baltimore’s ninth overall pick in the 2006 Draft, but has never advanced beyond AA-ball in six Minor League seasons.
*Nolan Reimold is not progressing the way the team had hoped, manager Buck Showalter said on Monday, and it appears likely Reimold will be in line to get a second epidural. Reimold will be examined by a team physician later on Monday, and Showalter he was hoping for some positive news, but he didn’t exactly paint a rosy picture in meeting with the media.
The shots typically come in three’s, but there was some optimism that Reimold might show some marked improvement after his first one and be able to come off the disabled list close to the 15-day time frame. That’s not happening right now, and there’s no timetable on Reimold, who has been dealing with neck spasms and was diagnosed with a herniated disk.
*Tommy Hunter will start on Wednesday for the series opener of a quick two-game set in Kansas City. Dana Eveland, who is available in relief tonight, will be used out of the bullpen for the foreseeable future.
*Joel Pineiro, who has been pitching with Triple-A Norfolk, did not make Sunday’s scheduled start and Showalter said he’s been dealing with soreness in his right shoulder capsule.
*There’s been light rain all day, and the forecast doesn’t look promising. As soon as I get official word on any delays or possible postponements, they’ll be up on this blog and Twitter. Right now, both teams are cautiously optimistic they can get the game in.
ORIOLES LINEUP
Xavier Avery LF
J.J. Hardy SS
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Wilson Betemit 3B
Chris Davis 1B
Nick Johnson DH
Robert Andino 2B
Jason Hammel RHP
YANKEES LINEUP
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Nick Swisher RF
Raul Ibanez LF
Eric Chavez 3B
Russell Martin C
Ivan Nova RHP
Categories: Birdwatching Articles
Avery next to be called up « Britt's Bird Watch
May 13th, 2012
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Norfolk outfielder Xavier Avery looks like he’ll become the latest Triple-A player to have his contract purchase by the Orioles. Although the team has not yet announced the move, agent Victor Menocal with Excel Sports Management tweeted, “Congrats to @excelsm client Xavier Avery #Orioles for getting called up to the #Baltimore today!” The tweet was posted at 4:15 p.m. Saturday.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Saturday afternoon that the team would probably add a 13th position player on Sunday, and it looks like Avery will be that player. Avery has hit leadoff in the majority of the Tides’ games this season, posting a .273 average with five home runs, 16 RBIs and eight stolen bases. The 22-year-old is one of Norfolk’s most athletic players and will provide depth to an Orioles outfield that currently has Nolan Reimold and Endy Chavez on the disabled list.
–Greg Luca
Categories: Birdwatching Articles