Laura Erickson's For the Birds

In Retrospect: The BP oil spill, Part 4 Nov 19, 2024

Who can we trust after a major disaster?

In retrospect: The BP Oil Spill, Part 3 Nov 18, 2024

Laura visited one of the four rehab centers allowed to treat birds oiled in the Deepwater Horizon spill.

In retrospect: The BP Oil Spill, Part 2 Nov 12, 2024

Laura talks about the extremely low-tech and ineffective way BP tried to protect beaches and islands after the spill, and the even worse way they approached cleanup. There are many photos and a video on the accompanying blog post at (https://lauraerickson.substack.com/p/getting-away-with-murder-part-2)

Look to the Chickadees Nov 11, 2024

As Laura faces her 73rd birthday in what feels like a hopeless time, she looks to chickadees. (This program was reworked from the "For the Birds" program from October 12, 2010.)

In retrospect: The BP Oil Spill, Part 1 Nov 05, 2024

The BP oil spill was when Laura learned just how much power a corporation has over individuals; well-meaning and well-respected organizations and institutions; and our government.

Standing up to them Oct 29, 2024

Billionaires and corporations have too much power over us, birds, and the environment we need and share.

You're not getting older, you're getting better--oh, wait--you ARE getting older Oct 25, 2024

Birding may keep us young, but not literally.

Transmission Lines, Part 2 Oct 23, 2024

Clean energy should be making us less, not more, reliant on huge transmission lines.

Transmission Lines Oct 22, 2024

Power transmission lines can be very harmful for birds and human beings.

Going to a Scientific Meeting in 2024 Oct 18, 2024

Laura recently returned from the American Ornithological Society's annual meeting. Some things have changed, and some remain the same.

Going to Scientific Meetings in Past Decades Oct 17, 2024

Laura's has attended a few professional ornithological meetings through the years.

Emergency Responders: Blue Jay Style Sep 26, 2024

Blue Jays help protect each other from Sharp-shinned Hawks.

Mistakes R Us Sep 25, 2024

More cases of errors and mistaken identity, and one case of vindication

Oops! Correcting the record Sep 24, 2024

When Laura makes a mistake, she appreciates people who let her know about it, but notes that there are good ways and bad ways of doing so.

Stokes Guide to Finches: Hawaiian Honeycreepers Sep 20, 2024

Laura talked to Lillian Stokes and Matt Young about their decision to include the finches of Hawaii (called the Hawaiian Honeycreepers) in their new book.

Stokes Guide to Finches: Evening Grosbeaks Sep 19, 2024

Matt Young is doing important work with his Finch Research Network to help one of Laura's favorite birds of all, the Evening Grosbeak. He and Lillian Stokes talked about this splendid bird and their new book.

Stokes Guide to Finches: Goldfinches Sep 18, 2024

When Laura talked with Lillian Stokes and Matt Young about their new book, *The Stokes Guide to Finches,* they talked about one of our most widespread, common finches, the American Goldfinch.

For the Finches: How Lillian Stokes and Matt Young connected thanks to Red Crossbills Sep 17, 2024

Laura spent time talking with Lillian Stokes and Matt Young about their new book, *The Stokes Guide to Finches*. Today they explain how they met and decided to produce this book.

Book Review: The Stokes Guide to Finches Sep 16, 2024

On September 17, Little Brown will be releasing a great new book, *The Stokes Guide to Finches.* Laura explains why she likes it.

American Golden-Plover Sep 10, 2024

A plucky little survivor. Except when it isn't.

Blue Jay migration Sep 06, 2024

The mystery of Blue Jay migration, and the irony of human nature.

Birdbaths! Sep 04, 2024

On Labor Day, Laura had a most unexpected visitor at her birdbath.

Nighthawks! Aug 29, 2024

Duluth birders, and even many non-birders, have been enjoying a huge nighthawk migration this week.

Peabody Street Update: The Good News and the Bad News Aug 28, 2024

There's a lot happening on Peabody Street these days.

Hummingbirds! Aug 27, 2024

Are this year's numbers normal?

Joan Brigham at 100! Aug 20, 2024

Laura and Russ drove to Michigan this weekend to celebrate the 100th birthday of one of the most important people in Laura's birding life.

Crafting Invincible Environmental Protections, Part 5B: Why Vilify Rachel Carson? Aug 16, 2024

The many forces funded by anti-environmental think tanks and the chemical industry are still vilifying Rachel Carson, accusing her of being responsible for the deaths of millions of children. Why are they so persistent?

Crafting Invincible Environmental Protections, Part 5 A: The battle on the DDT front Aug 15, 2024

Human beings won a huge battle when DDT was banned. The powerful anti-environmental forces quickly regrouped to ensure that the success would not be repeated, and did their best to vilify the woman whose book sparked so much of the environmental movement.

Birds Off a Feather Aug 08, 2024

Laura gets a big kick out of her backyard birds who molt in August. Before they can again be as beautiful as possible, they must go through an Ugly Duckling stage. Fortunately, they don't have access to mirrors.

The bear necessities and other close encounters of the mammalian kind Aug 06, 2024

Two mammals made a visit to Laura's yard on Sunday night.

Crafting Invincible Environmental Protections, Part 4: The Empire Strikes Back Aug 05, 2024

In "Star Wars," even as the Rebel Alliance celebrated defeating the Galactic Empire, Darth Vader and the Emperor were plotting their revenge. In the 1970s, even as environmentalists celebrated, dark forces were plotting how to gut the EPA and destroy the legislation protecting air, water, and wildlife.

In the Catbird's Seat: A momentary diversion from more important matters Jul 30, 2024

Laura has fallen in love with one particular catbird in her yard. Naturally, she's worried about it.

Crafting Invincible Environmental Protections, Part 3: A New Hope Jul 29, 2024

Three months after the first Earth Day, Richard Nixon proposed charging the new Environmental Protection Agency with setting goals and standards regarding pesticides, clean air, and clean water, and it was soon given regulatory authority. Laura was as relieved and joyful as Princess Leia at the end of the first Star Wars movie.

Crafting Invincible Environmental Protections, Part 2: Pollution—A Way of Life Jul 24, 2024

Everyday life for most Americans in the 1950s and 60s involved a mind-boggling array of toxic chemicals.

When a Stranger Knocks (A momentary diversion from more important matters) Jul 22, 2024

Laura takes a momentary break from an important environmental issue to reminisce about a tragicomedy in the 1990s.

Crafting Invincible Environmental Protections Part 1: How Bad It Used to Be Jul 18, 2024

How did the nation come together to start the Environmental Protection Agency and pass the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts?

Hoarding Jul 17, 2024

When Blue Jays and chipmunks stash away food, some people call them greedy pigs. They're not.

Crow vocalizations and good news Jul 15, 2024

How can we possibly think we can communicate with non-human life forms from other galaxies when we can't communicate with intelligent carbon-based life forms right here on earth?

Crows and the Unknowable Jul 10, 2024

Two weeks ago, I transported a crow from my neighborhood and a fawn with neurological damage from our local Wildwoods rehab facility to Wild & Free in Garrison, Minnesota. Now I'm unsettled wondering how the crow is doing.

My Backyard Habitat Jul 09, 2024

Even with minimal effort, my backyard habitat is pretty nice!

Flashcards Jul 04, 2024

Back in 1977, Laura made flashcards from the illustrations in her original Golden Guide. She still has them.

Veery Jul 03, 2024

This thrush with the ethereal, spiraling song keeps many secrets that scientists keep trying to tease out.

Superiority Jun 21, 2024

Seeing ourselves as the one species at the pinnacle of evolution is as wrong-headed as seeing our planet at the center of the universe.

Golden-winged Warblers Jun 19, 2024

To know them is to love them. But first, we have to be aware of them.

Connecticut Warbler Jun 18, 2024

Seeing or even hearing one of these rare birds is a matter of the “3 P’s”: Patience, Perseverance, and Providence.

A Tale of Two Endangered Species: Bachman's and Kirtland's Warblers Jun 13, 2024

Two warblers were on the official Endangered Species List in 1973. Now they're both off the list, but for opposite reasons.

Looking for Wood Thrushes Jun 11, 2024

Last Tuesday, Laura and her friend Bernie found a Wood Thrush at one of Laura's favorite birding spots in Duluth. She hopes it attracts, or already has, a mate. (The blogpost for the program is much longer and more fleshed out, with lots of photos.)

Loggerhead Shrike! Jun 05, 2024

A cute little predator on the Endangered Species List for Wisconsin and Minnesota has been turning up here and there in both states this spring.

Crested Caracara in Wisconsin Jun 04, 2024

On Saturday, Laura went to Ashland County, Wisconsin, to look at a very lost tropical falcon, a Crested Caracara.

Pileated Update May 31, 2024

BB's fine but somebody isn't.

Scarlet Tanagers! May 30, 2024

An unprecedented number of Scarlet Tanagers turned up on Peabody Street this year, and Laura was thrilled.

Review: The Breeding Birds of Minnesota May 29, 2024

A beautiful, useful, and engaging tour de force.

Red-headed Woodpecker! May 28, 2024

It's a red-letter day when we see one of the prettiest woodpeckers of all.

Katie's Boo Jays May 24, 2024

Laura recalls the birds who inspired her baby daughter's second word.

Merlin: All Wizards Have Limitations May 22, 2024

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has created two extremely useful apps for birders. Merlin is wonderful and useful, but far from perfect.

Jelly Redux May 21, 2024

Laura sparked unprecedented anger in a listener last week because of a program and blogpost from 2007. (All my blogpost/transcripts have photos, and some are longer than the program itself, but this program's linked transcript/blogpost has a *lot* more information than I could include in the program, along with pertinent photos and a video.)

Review: Kenn Kaufman's new book, The Birds that Audubon Missed. Part 2 May 17, 2024

*The Birds That Audubon Missed* by Kenn Kaufman is a clear-eyed and surprisingly exciting portrait of a time and place that have long ago disappeared, and an important and timely book as well. Laura can’t recommend it highly enough.

Kenn Kaufman's new book: The Birds That Audubon Missed, Part 1 May 16, 2024

Kenn Kaufman has written an important new book. Laura begins her review by talking about her own personal feelings about Audubon and his work before Kaufman's rich and enlightening book gave her a broader, more truthful picture of a deeply flawed yet important human being and his contemporaries.

Lincoln's Sparrow May 14, 2024

Laura's been in love with a pretty little sparrow since she first saw it in 1977.

My favorite spring arrivals May 07, 2024

With birds, as with her children, Laura has trouble picking a favorite.

Rat Poison May 03, 2024

Yet more owls have died, this time in Chicago, from rat poison.

May Day! May 02, 2024

Not much is happening in Laura's yard yet, but things will be popping within the coming week or two. (Lang Elliott recorded the Carolina Wren's rolling trill. Laura recorded the wren's song.)

Don't Count Your Chickens... May 01, 2024

Chickens haven't established themselves as wild, feral birds in most places in the world, but they're still the most abundant bird on the planet.

Here come the chickens! Apr 18, 2024

If chickens found their way to Hawaii on their own, things would have worked out okay for everyone. Unfortunately, they brought humans along, too.

The Sapsucker–Hummingbird Connection Apr 17, 2024

During spring migration, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds usually arrive a couple of weeks after Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers do, for a very good reason.

Hawaii before chickens and humans arrived Apr 16, 2024

Millions of years ago, Hawaii was off to a rocky start.

Chickens, Part 1.5: Kin of Chickens Apr 11, 2024

The rules of counting non-native birds are not always consistent.

Chickens, Part I: Domestication Apr 10, 2024

The most abundant bird on the planet, feeding billions of humans every day, is the chicken. Laura talks about how they became domesticated and some genetic differences between domestic birds and their wild ancestor, the Red Junglefowl. The recording used in this program is of a wild Red Junglefowl in India, recorded and contributed to Xeno-Canto by Lars Lachmann.

Solar Eclipse! Apr 08, 2024

Laura remembers a wonderful eclipse from three decades ago.

Trip Guilt and Guilt Trips Apr 05, 2024

Is using energy always the same as squandering it?

Redpolls! Apr 03, 2024

Along with Duluth's spring blizzard came redpolls! (In the background throughout, the sound is a recording of the redpolls at Laura's feeder made this past Saturday, March 30.)

Jim Baker Announces a New Product! Apr 01, 2024

New for the traveling birder!

Flaco: Post Mortem Mar 29, 2024

A post-mortem established that Flaco, the famous Eurasian Eagle-Owl whom a vandal released from the Central Park Zoo, was carrying lethal amounts of three anti-coagulants, a pigeon herpesvirus, and even a toxic metabolite of the pesticide DDT. Is anyone actually "free" if they have no alternative but to eat poisoned food?

Stopping by Peabody Street on a Snowy Morning Mar 27, 2024

Laura waxes poetic about a poet.

Separation Anxiety Mar 26, 2024

It's hard watching children, or a Pileated Woodpecker, move on to independence.

Every Day Is a Gift, Part 3: The Big Island Mar 25, 2024

The second half of Laura's trip to Hawaii was just as wonderful as the first.

Every Day Is a Gift, Part 2: Kauaʻi Mar 21, 2024

Laura's trip to Hawaii kept getting better.

Every Day Is a Gift, Part I: Oahu Mar 20, 2024

Laura's trip to Hawaii was wonderful, every single day.

Our Changing World Mar 01, 2024

The only constant is change, for better and for worse.

Why I Live in Duluth Feb 29, 2024

What drew Laura and her husband Russ to Duluth in 1981?

February Update Feb 28, 2024

How can it be spring before winter even arrives?

Death of a New York Celebrity: Flaco the Owl Feb 27, 2024

Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl whose enclosure in the Central Park Zoo was vandalized, leading to his escape on February 2, 2023, died Friday.

Mission Accomplished: Fieldfare!! Feb 23, 2024

Laura headed back to Prentice Park in Ashland on Wednesday and this time saw (and got VERY bad photos) of the Fieldfare.

Chickadee with a Deformed Bill Feb 22, 2024

On Tuesday, Laura suddenly noticed a chickadee with a badly overgrown, crossed bill at her feeder.

Fieldfare: The One That Got Away Feb 20, 2024

Last week, an incredibly rare vagrant from Eurasia turned up in Ashland, Wisconsin, sending Laura and Erik Bruhnke on a wild goose chase.

Preparing for a Birding Trip Feb 15, 2024

Preparing for a trip can start the fun weeks before I leave. (The accompanying photo is a Nene [Hawaiian Goose] taken by Russ while we were in Hawaii in 2000.)

Superb Owl Sunday Feb 14, 2024

Laura's annual celebration of Superb Owl Sunday was short on birds but did involve her first sighting of Girl Scout Cookies for 2024.

A Matter of Balance Feb 09, 2024

Laura's was having severe dizzy spells, but they're gone now that a physical therapist showed her "the Epley maneuver." Bird ears have the same structures as ours only with an even more sophisticated design. Do they ever get those dizzy spells?

Warm Winter Feb 06, 2024

Mild weather may seem good for birds, but several issues complicate it.

So it goes.... Feb 01, 2024

In the 38 years since Laura started producing For the Birds, many bad things have not gotten better.

Brooding over Cicadas Jan 25, 2024

This spring, both the 17-year "Great Northern Brood" cicadas and the 13-year "Great Southern Brood" will emerge from underground. These innocuous insects cause absolutely no damage, but their noise is astonishingly loud, so many people over-react. The pesticides people used during the "Great Eastern Brood" emergence in 2021 are believed to have killed a lot of birds.

More about the Golden-winged Warbler Jan 23, 2024

The American Birding Association's Bird of the Year for 2024 is one of the rarest birds not listed as endangered or threatened.

Warblers! Jan 18, 2024

For the first time, the American Birding Association named a warbler its Bird of the Year.

Ancient Murrelets! Jan 11, 2024

Why have so many Ancient Murrelets, who belong in the northern Pacific Ocean, turned up in the Great Lakes, and even in Tennessee, in late 2023? We may never know. (The accompanying photo is of the Two Harbors bird, taken by Erik Bruhnke on December 9, 2023.)

Starting 2024 Right! Jan 08, 2024

Laura spent last Wednesday birding in the Sax-Zim Bog with Erik Bruhnke. Highlights were a Great Gray Owl and a snowshoe hare.

Happy 2024 Jan 02, 2024

Laura's first bird of the year was a Pileated Woodpecker. In addition to enjoying her backyard birds, she's preparing for her trip to Hawaii next month, by studying the birds and getting herself back in shape for the adventure.

A Promising New Year Dec 29, 2023

Laura cancelled an exciting trip for this coming February, but is doing well enough that she cancelled her cancellation.

Birding on a Warmish December Day Dec 13, 2023

Laura's surgery was successful and she's back looking at, and photographing, birds!

Birding on a Cold November Day Dec 01, 2023

Laura went birding in northern Wisconsin Saturday.

Toddler-Approved Bird Books, Part 3b Nov 30, 2023

When we read books to toddlers, we're not only enlarging their picture of the world--we're enlarging out own.

Toddler-Approved Bird Books, Part 3a Nov 29, 2023

Reading to babies and toddlers has a great many benefits for us adults as well as the wee ones.

Florida Scrub-Jays, Part 3: To Feed or Not to Feed Nov 27, 2023

Laura talks about the pros and cons of feeding Florida Scrub-Jays, and why it's best to follow the current anti-feeding guidelines.

Thanksgiving 2023 Nov 23, 2023

Laura has a lot to be thankful for today.

Let's Talk Turkey Nov 22, 2023

Wild Turkeys are splendid birds, but maybe their introduction into areas where they were not historically found wasn't a good idea.

Toddler-Approved Books, Part 2: Identification Guides Nov 17, 2023

Field guides and bird song books help children to recognize and name the birds around them, and that's a Good Thing.

Toddler-Approved Bird Books Nov 15, 2023

Must a book be entirely about birds to qualify? Laura doesn't think so. The books Walter is most enjoying right now are in the "Monkey with a Toolbelt" series, and Laura says they can help us teach the important role that birds play in our daily lives.

Scrub Jays: From one species to four Nov 14, 2023

Taxonomists have been studying, and revising their names for, scrub jays for a long time.

The Healing Grace of Birds Nov 13, 2023

We have no clue how much birds deal with anxiety and worry, but they sure have the capacity to relieve ours.

Florida Scrub-Jay, Part 2b: To Know Them Is to Love Them Nov 08, 2023

The Florida Scrub-Jay has many endearing habits which, tragically, don't seem to resonate with Florida's human population.

Florida Scrub-Jay, Part 2a: To Know Them Is to Love Them Nov 07, 2023

Why does Laura have such a *personal* love for Florida Scrub-Jays?

What's in a Name? Nov 03, 2023

The American Ornithological Society just announced that they are changing the names of American birds named for people.

Birding Ethics Nov 01, 2023

Is respecting private property too much to ask?

Our Responsibilities in Old Age Oct 27, 2023

An astonishing 84 percent of Americans older than 65 think they will have to make just minor sacrifices in their lives, or none at all, because of global climate change. Laura is most seriously displeased.

Florida Scrub-Jays, Part I Oct 25, 2023

One of the friendliest, most approachable birds on the planet deserves serious protection from the Endangered Species Act, but isn't getting it.

When Plans Go Awry Oct 20, 2023

Sometimes Plan B turns out to be better than Plan A.

Flamingo Road, Part 2 Oct 17, 2023

A wild flamingo chase becomes a family affair.

Flamingo Road, Part I Oct 13, 2023

Laura has wanted to see a wild American Flamingo in Florida since her first days of birding half a century ago, without luck. Would this trip to Florida be any different? (This episode was recorded in my motel room, so the sound isn't ideal.)

When Numbers Get Serious Oct 09, 2023

How accurate are those Blue Jay counts at Hawk Ridge?

Odd-tober! Oct 04, 2023

A late Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Rose-breasted Grosbeak? More record-breaking numbers of Blue Jays? Flamingos in Wisconsin? This month is already on track to be an outlier. *CORRECTION* A newspaper article that I consulted got the name of the St. Marks NWR flamingo wrong, but I didn't discover this until I'd recorded the program. The name is not Phineas Phlamingo but Pinky. Also, the bird turned up there after Hurricane Michael in 2018, not in 2019.

Drama on Peabody Street Sep 28, 2023

A Barred Owl turned up in Laura's yard, distressing all the nearby birds except two hopeful crows.

Jim Baker Comments on New Hawk Ridge Record Sep 27, 2023

On September 26, 2023, Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory in Duluth set a new season total for the number of Blue Jays flying past: an amazing 75,860, with more still coming! Jim Baker from Baker's Blue Jay Barn has a few thoughts.

Late Outlier Hummingbirds Sep 25, 2023

You never know when a late hummingbird is going to show up, or what species it will be.

Oops Sep 21, 2023

Whether you're a fledgling woodpecker or a person on a bike, landings can be much more awkward than takeoffs.

Whatever Happened to National Blue Jay Awareness Month? Sep 19, 2023

Even though Laura, in her dotage, is growing forgetful and consumed with her grandson, she says it's not her fault that she didn't mention Blue Jays again after announcing that August was National Blue Jay Awareness Month. She blames the Blue Jays.

Meet Christian Cooper! Sep 18, 2023

In this week's episode of her wonderful podcast, ["Going Wild,"](https://link.chtbl.com/LTZFSlMP?sid=FortheBirds) Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant talks with Christian Cooper, author of *Better Living Through Birding* and host of the National Geographic *Extraordinary Birder* television series.

Hummingbird Migration Sep 15, 2023

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are lingering in Duluth longer than usual this year. Why is that, and where are they headed?

Tunnel Vision, Part 2 Sep 12, 2023

Conservation biologists tend to compete and undercut one another rather than cooperating, which can hurt the birds they think they're helping. Laura's hero Chandler Robbins provided a stellar example of how cooperation can make things better for everyone, humans and birds alike. The blog link provides the transcript for Tunnel Vision, Part 1 as well, so you'll need to scroll down to get today's transcript.

Tunnel Vision, Part I Sep 11, 2023

Conservation biologists have to look beyond their specialties and cooperate if they really want to help birds. My blog link includes the transcript for both this and the next program.

Generational Amnesia Sep 07, 2023

People have a deep-rooted tendency to see the natural world as they first experienced it as "normal," without recognizing the many changes, including tragic, fairly recent losses, that were happening before they started paying attention. The illustration for today's podcast was created by John Schoenherr for Sterling North's 1963 book, *Rascal*, a memoir of his experiences as a child while his big brother was fighting in World War I. Schoenherr also illustrated the Caldecott Award-winning *Owl Moon*. Schoenherr gave me permission to use it in my own work, and I thought it worked well to illustrate how abundant nighthawks once were.

Exploration, Discovery, and Triumph Sep 04, 2023

As long as Laura has been birding, and specifically as long as she's been watching Pileated Woodpeckers, she's still making new discoveries. (As usual, all the photos mentioned in this program are on today's blogpost.)

Nighthawks: Reason for hope Aug 29, 2023

Nighthawks are not recovering their former numbers, but their massive decline seems to have at least leveled off.

Nighthawks: Why are they declining? Aug 28, 2023

Nighthawks have declined enormously between 1966 and 2015. Why?

Nighthawks! Part I: Why I love them so much Aug 23, 2023

Laura recounts two experiences--when she saw her first nighthawk, and when she rehabbed her first one--to explain why she loves this species so very much.

The Road to Extinction Aug 22, 2023

Paying attention to nature and the environment is every bit as important as paying attention to the marketplace.

Making Our Yards Safe for Blue Jays (and other birds) Aug 18, 2023

This episode includes important warnings about birdbaths, feeders, and especially peanut butter! (IMPORTANT takeaway--never get peanut butter with xylitol or "birch sugar" as an ingredient.)

Two Little Boys Turn Three! Aug 14, 2023

Laura's grandson Walter and her backyard Pileated Woodpecker are both three years old!

National Blue Jay Awareness Month Aug 11, 2023

This August will have a blue moon, making this what Laura calls National Blue Jay Awareness Month. It's a good time to think about how Blue Jay adults look their scruffiest and most bedraggled in August, before they start looking their old selves again.

New Wheels for Birding! Aug 10, 2023

Laura plans to reduce her carbon footprint and have a lot of fun on a new e-bike.

Disney Wilderness Preserve Aug 09, 2023

Laura loves a truly wild little piece of central Florida protected and maintained by The Nature Conservancy.

Wild Florida Aug 08, 2023

Wild Florida's main attractions for visitors are alligators, sloths, and a "wild animal safari," but Laura was impressed with the wild birds she saw, and especially with the knowledge of an airboat captain who pointed out lots of cool things including her lifer Gray-headed Swamphens.

Discovery Cove Aug 07, 2023

In April, Laura and her Explore Kissimmee group visited Discovery Cove, a limited-admission park owned by SeaWorld. Laura got great photos and had a lot of fun, but wishes the park provided more information about how and where these animals survive in the wild.

Lake Tohopekalipa Aug 02, 2023

Lake Tohopekaliga is the best place Laura knows for getting good looks at Limpkins and Snail Kites.

Kissimmee! Aug 01, 2023

Kissimmee, Florida, in the most touristy part of Florida, is still rich in birdlife.

Florida in Crisis Jul 31, 2023

Florida's biodiversity and human diversity are at risk right now even as their governor is driving the state off a cliff, asleep at the wheel. Warning: Three times in this program I use the word "bullshit," twice near the beginning and once near the end. Some radio stations may have to bleep that out.

Parasitic Jaeger in July!! Jul 28, 2023

A Parasitic Jaeger turned up on Park Point in Duluth last weekend, and Laura spent some time watching it Wednesday.

Hummingbirds! Jul 25, 2023

It's time to pay attention to hummingbirds again!

Teach Your Children Well, Part 2 Jul 21, 2023

Loons must teach their babies about danger, weighing just how dangerous every threat might be. The loon recordings used in this program were made by me during the pontoon boat experience recounted in the episode.

Teach Your Children Well, Part 1 Jul 20, 2023

How do Blue Jays, Crows, and Pileated Woodpeckers teach their babies to avoid danger?

Of Magpie Nests and "Man's Pitiful Confusions" Jul 19, 2023

Magpies and crows in Europe are incorporating metal anti-bird spikes into their nests to keep other birds away. Laura finds this doubly "ironic," reminding us we're all in this together. The Eurasian Magpie recording was made by [Uku Paal](https://xeno-canto.org/contributor/XIBLXHRPJO).

Ten Year Anniversary of My Quitting Beef Jul 17, 2023

Laura stopped eating beef ten years ago this week, and received a completely unexpected reward in the form of Pacific Golden-Plovers.

BB's Babies! Jul 14, 2023

Laura's favorite Pileated Woodpecker has at least two fledglings.

Summer Update Jul 12, 2023

What's happening on Peabody Street?

Finding Baby Winter Wrens Jul 11, 2023

Lang Elliott's free "Hear Birds Again" app with his recommended headphones is "fantabulous."

Air Quality Alert: Are birdbaths safe? And how about bird flu? Jul 10, 2023

When the Air Quality Index is high due to smoke particulates, is it safe to set out birdbaths?

The Value of eBird, Part 4: Science, Conservation, and Education Jul 05, 2023

Birders using eBird are making an invaluable contribution to science, conservation, and education. This summer the New York Times is collaborating with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to encourage more birders to use it.

Tools before eBird: Weather radar Jul 04, 2023

Weather radar provides an excellent picture of the movements of migrating birds that has helped demonstrate how serious the losses of birds in North America have been.

Tools before eBird: The Breeding Bird Survey Jul 03, 2023

The first test we had to measure changes in bird populations, the Breeding Bird Survey, was wonderful but had important shortcomings.

The Value of eBird, Part 2 Jun 27, 2023

eBird has been a game changer in allowing birders to keep track of every bird they see, and to be able to access information about any of those birds quickly and easily.

The Value of eBird, Part 1 Jun 26, 2023

When Laura started birding, the only ways of getting the word out about rare birds were slow and inefficient. eBird has been a game changer.

Great Crested Flycatcher Jun 21, 2023

A quirky bird that is much more often heard than seen.

Smoke Gets in Your Lungs Jun 20, 2023

How do we explain to toddlers and nesting birds that they must stay indoors with filtered air to be safe as smoke fills the atmosphere?

Book Review: What an Owl Knows by Jennifer Ackerman Jun 19, 2023

New York Times Bestseller author Jennifer Ackerman has a brand new book about owls. *What an Owl Knows* is extensively researched, beautifully written, and comprehensive, covering just about every imaginable aspect of owl biology, behavior, and psychology, as well as how they figure in the human imagination. And Laura is delighted that her beloved education owl Archimedes is covered in depth. She used recordings of Archimedes at the start and finish of this program.

Merlin: A Different Kind of Magician Jun 15, 2023

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has developed an ever-improving but always free non-commercial app to help us identify bird songs.

Reflections on a Wall on Flag Day Jun 14, 2023

Birds use song, not fences, walls, or flags, to mark off their territories, and never send anyone else off to fight their battles. (I'm using Lang Elliott's Mourning Dove recording to open and close this one because in 1998, Michigan declared the Mourning Dove its official Bird of Peace.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Jun 08, 2023

Starting the first day Laura started birding, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has been her most valuable and beloved ornithological resource.

LeConte's Sparrow! Jun 07, 2023

Laura got some photos of this gorgeous little sparrow at the Bog last week, reminding her of the first time she ever saw one.

Ross's Gull Jun 06, 2023

One of the rarest birds seen in the Lower-48, a Ross's Gull turned up last week at Wisconsin Point.

Jelly is killing hummingbirds! Jun 05, 2023

REGI, the state-of-the-art bird rehab clinic in Antigo, Wisconsin, has been admitting hummingbirds covered in grape jelly. Jelly is apparently just too dangerous to feed birds.

Fascinating Robin Story Jun 02, 2023

One of Laura's friends gave her yet another reason to love robins.

Like a Box of Chocolates May 31, 2023

When we set out for a day of birding, we never know what we're going to get, but even when there aren't many birds, the ones we do see can be pretty sweet.

Circular Firing Squad: Windows v. Habitat Part II May 30, 2023

Helping birds requires us to attack more than one issue at a time.

Circular Firing Squad: Windows v. Habitat Part I May 29, 2023

It took mainstream conservation biologists decades to notice how dangerous collisions with windows are for birds.

Dee Dee Nana and Walter's first official Bird Walk May 26, 2023

On May 25, Laura took her grandson on a long bird walk, but they saw a lot more than birds.

Spring Update: Too Much Windy May 24, 2023

The exceptionally high wind on so many days this spring is hard on birds.

700: A Memorable Achievement—I Hope! May 23, 2023

What was the 700th bird on Laura's continental US life list? (Photo of Smooth-billed Ani is from Panama in 2019.)

Snail Kite May 15, 2023

A splendid bird that was on the original Endangered Species List is now doing well by making the best of a bad situation.

Lesser Prairie-Chicken May 12, 2023

In the past 3 weeks, the U.S. House Natural Resource Committee and the U.S. Senate both voted to rescind Endangered Species protections from the imperiled Lesser Prairie-Chicken, a slap in the face to the scientists and managers charged with safeguarding our natural resources, and to all Americans who love this splendid all-American bird, found nowhere on the planet except in the United States, vanishing before our eyes.

Gray-headed Swamphen May 04, 2023

An unexpected four-day trip to Kissimmee, Florida, gave Laura a lifer!

A Chickadee in Florida May 03, 2023

Traveling to Florida raised several ethical issues for Laura.

When Numbers Get Serious May 02, 2023

Laura talks about the listing and numerical elements of her birding life.

Record-breaking Snow and Climate Change Apr 21, 2023

Yesterday's ice storm in Duluth was harsher on birds than it was on us. (This program mentions the loon fallout happening right now. To report a downed loon, call REGI at 715-623-4015 or Loon Rescue at 715-966-5415.)

Spring Update Apr 20, 2023

What's happening at the western tip of Lake Superior right now?

Avian Influenza Update Apr 19, 2023

Bird flu is far from over. If we are feeding backyard birds, we need to be paying attention to them.

Yellow-rumped Warblers Apr 18, 2023

Yellow-rumped Warblers return well before other warblers because they literally have intestinal fortitude.

First Robin of Spring Apr 11, 2023

Robins appeal to our eyes and ears, and also to our hearts and souls.

April Is the Cruelest Month Apr 10, 2023

April is cruelest for lonely souls who may not discern all the pairings and romantic songs and surging new life all around. Perhaps we must feel a part of nature, rather than bitter onlookers, to take joy in the reawakening of song and romance and nesting and new life. (This program was recast from a 2004 "For the Birds" program for which the audio is lost.)

Spring Reunions Apr 06, 2023

Mother Nature loves to play tricks on us on April Fool's Day, but sometimes it's worth braving the weather, whether we're swans or humans.

Baker's Blue Jay Podcast (for April Fools Day) Apr 01, 2023

Jim Baker, from Baker's Blue Jay Barn, "Up the Shore a Ways," has an exciting announcement! (Stations can play this on Friday if they want.)

BB, My Special Pileated Woodpecker Mar 30, 2023

Laura's been keeping track of a banded Pileated Woodpecker since November 2021, and now he seems to have found love.

Heartbreak on Peabody Street Mar 29, 2023

Laura found herself with a hurt Hairy Woodpecker last week, which reminded her of her old rehab days and why she no longer does this every day.

Looking for Spring in All the Wrong Places Mar 27, 2023

It's the sixth snowiest winter on record in Duluth, and Laura is hungry for spring.

Flaco the Eagle Owl: To Count or Not to Count? Mar 20, 2023

Last month, a Eurasian Eagle-Owl escaped from the Central Park Zoo in New York City and, despite many efforts to capture him, seems to be doing fine on his own so far. David McArthur, one of Laura's podcast listeners in New York, wonders if he can count this bird on his life list? The Eurasian Eagle-Owl recording used in this program was made in France by Dominique Guillerme, XC780278 via xeno-canto.org. And the photo of Flaco is from Wikipedia, taken by Rhododendrites.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow! Mar 14, 2023

This year, some plucky little Eurasian Tree Sparrows, far from their species' established range, have been wintering in Superior, Wisconsin. Laura and Erik Bruhnke spent Saturday morning looking for them.

Enhance Your Nest Boxes with Bark! Mar 13, 2023

Just in time for spring, Laura's friend, wildlife biologist, and all-around good person Jerry Wayne Davis has a great suggestion for improving our nest boxes--add bark to the front to give birds a more secure and comfortable perch.

Spring Update Mar 09, 2023

It may not look like it yet, but spring has sprung.

Chickadee Day Mar 08, 2023

Most birders do not keep track of the date on which they saw the first bird on their life list, but that doesn't matter.

Together and Apart Feb 24, 2023

Family vacations can be fun for everyone, as long as we remember that every one of us enjoys different things.

Earning Trust in the Age of Climate Change Feb 20, 2023

Birds and grandchildren learn to trust us to do the right thing.

Birding Basics: Binoculars Feb 16, 2023

Laura talks about things to consider when buying new binoculars

Superb Owl Sunday 2023 Feb 14, 2023

Laura went out with her husband Russ Sunday in hopes of seeing an owl on Superb Owl Sunday.

Birds Specializing on Conifers Feb 10, 2023

Some birds depend on conifers for very specific reasons.

100 Plants to Feed the Birds: Conifers Feb 08, 2023

Today Laura talks about the importance of conifers—both trees and shrubs—in backyard habitat, for providing food and shelter both.

Slow Birding Feb 02, 2023

A birder named Bridget Butler has been teaching wonderful workshops and online classes about "Slow Birding"—connecting with the birds we see rather than rushing and listing. She did not write the new book titled *Slow Birding*, a new book by Joan E. Strassmann, which would better have been titled *Detailed Descriptions of Some Ornithological Research Projects on Some Familiar Birds*. Many of the tagged species are not mentioned in the podcast but are discussed in the blogpost.

Dawn Comes to Peabody Street Jan 31, 2023

As night transitions into morning, Laura likes watching the birds show up in her yard, one by one.

What to do BEFORE improving backyard habitat: Windows Jan 27, 2023

Cats and glass windows each kill about a BILLION birds every year in the United States. Before inviting birds to your yard, consider making your windows bird safe.

What to do BEFORE improving backyard habitat: Cats Jan 25, 2023

As important as quality backyard habitat is, we must first make sure we're not luring birds to their deaths. Cats and windows each kill about a BILLION birds in the United States every year. Laura talks about outdoor cats today.

Mourning Doves! Jan 24, 2023

Most Mourning Doves leave northern Minnesota in winter, but listener Kelli Alseth wrote to Laura about one visiting her Proctor feeder this winter. Doves are very vulnerable to cold, but a few stick it out up here. Kelli is doing everything right to ensure that her bird has as good a chance of surviving as possible

A Million Ways to Bird Jan 20, 2023

After growing irritated with the birdwatchers who smugly criticize the way *other* birdwatchers watch birds, Laura talks about the many ways people can enjoy birds, hoping every individual can find their own individual path.

Two More Ways to Eat a Sunflower Seed Jan 13, 2023

Blue Jays and chickadees have two different ways to eat a sunflower seed.

How to Eat a Sunflower Seed If You're a Dove or a Finch Jan 12, 2023

There are at least four ways that birds eat sunflower seeds. Today Laura explains two of them.

Stranger in a Strange Land: Adapting to a Novel Environment Jan 10, 2023

Seeing videos of a rescued baby beaver building a dam out of plush toys and Christmas decorations last week reminded Laura of when she was a rehabber, and how wild birds adapted to an unnatural environment. Virtually all of the transcripts of "For the Birds" programs are available on my blog, usually with photos. I didn't take a lot of pictures back when I was rehabbing in the 80s and 90s--film and getting it developed were expensive! But for this program I did post photos of my little daughter holding this particular Sora. Listeners may enjoy seeing them.

First Pileated of 2023 Jan 06, 2023

For the first time ever, Laura didn't wonder what her first bird of the new year would be--she was thinking about which individual Pileated Woodpecker she'd see first in 2023.

American Birding Association's Bird of the Year for 2023: Belted Kingfisher! Jan 04, 2023

The Belted Kingfisher has been selected as the 2023 Bird of the Year by the American Birding Association, stirring up lots of memories for Laura.

100 Plants to Feed the Birds Dec 30, 2022

Laura talks about her brand new book.

2022 Duluth Christmas Bird Count, Part 2 Dec 29, 2022

This year's Duluth Christmas Bird Count was a little low on both species and total numbers, but as always, Laura got to see and photograph some wonderful birds.

2022 Duluth Christmas Bird Count results, Part 1 Dec 28, 2022

Laura did her annual trek on Saturday, December 17.

She's Back! Dec 14, 2022

Wisdom, the oldest wild bird in the known universe, returned to Midway Island again!

A Belated Thank You to Randal Robinson Dec 13, 2022

One of Laura's college Shakespeare classes made a huge difference in her life.

Why Shakespeare has been so important to me Dec 07, 2022

Laura explains why she has taken more Shakespeare courses than most non-English majors.

Make the Belted Kingfisher the official mascot of the University of Illinois Nov 30, 2022

Laura attended the University of Illinois from 1969-1971, when their mascot was the offensive and stereotypical "Chief Illiniwek." Due to pressure from students, alumni, staff, and the community, the U. of I. got rid of that mascot in 2008, but haven't replaced it with anything. A wonderful student, and now alumnus, named Spencer Halsey spearheaded a campaign to name a real-life blue-and-orange local bird, the Belted Kingfisher, the new official mascot. This is a splendid idea that deserves support.

The Chickadee deserves a place in Guinness World Records Nov 29, 2022

It takes verifiable documentation for anyone, bird or human, to make the grade in *Guinness World Records*. But based on the standard for the entry "lowest temperature endured by a bird," the Black-capped Chickadee is definitely a contender.

Record-breakers, from turkeys to godwits Nov 24, 2022

Laura's been spending a lot of time perusing the *Guinness Book of World Records* this week.

Godwits! Nov 22, 2022

Laura talks about the four godwit species in the world.

In My Prime Nov 15, 2022

Laura's 71st birthday, as usual, has her thinking about birds.

Phainopepla: A Bird as Unique as Its Name. Nov 09, 2022

A bird with a cool name is unique in other ways, too.

Phainopepla: Which way did she go? Nov 08, 2022

Minnesota's first record of a Phainopepla stuck around the McQuade boat landing from October 29 through November 1. Where is she now? No one will ever know.

The New Kid on the Block Nov 04, 2022

A new Pileated Woodpecker spent some time in Laura's yard making her wonder how Pileateds figure out bird feeders.

What's the Name of That Song? Nov 02, 2022

New apps can identify songs for us, whether those songs were produced by a person or a bird. (The program opens with a Sesame Street recording of "What's the Name of That Song?" and uses the "Li'l Darlin'" tract from the album *The Atomic Mr. Basie*.

When Rarity Begets Rarity Oct 31, 2022

When birders gather to see one rare bird, they often spot another one.

Birds in Art, Part 3: When Birds and Humans Intersect Oct 25, 2022

Laura's favorite thing about the Woodson Art Museum's annual "Birds in Art" exhibit is how each artist has a unique spin on the theme.

Birds in Art, Part 2: The 2022 Exhibit at the Woodson Art Museum Oct 24, 2022

Laura talks about her visit last month to the Leigh Yawkkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau to see the 2022 Birds in Art exhibit.

Birds in Art, Part I: A little history Oct 21, 2022

Laura's annual sojourn to the Woodson Art Museum in Wausau to see this year's Birds in Art exhibit got her thinking about the history of bird art.

The Value of Certified Coffee Oct 18, 2022

Laura's quiet morning routine would be far less satisfying if the coffee she drank had robbed tropical birds of habitat or hurt the people growing and harvesting it.

Joy in the Morning Oct 17, 2022

Starting the day with a cup of coffee while watching chickadees, Blue Jays, and a Pileated Woodpecker just inches away--what could be better? (Any time I mention a photo or video, it appears on that program's blog post. Today's shows video of the Pileated bobbing her head.)

When Numbers Get Serious Oct 14, 2022

Blue Jays broke a record this month--over 60,000 of them migrated over Hawk Ridge in Duluth. What does this mean? And what the heck does it have to do with baseball?

Saw-whet Owl! Oct 07, 2022

This week, a little saw-whet owl turned up behind Laura's backyard.

October! Oct 03, 2022

Saturday morning was a splendid start to the month, at least on Laura's corner of Peabody Street.

Hit By Pitch Sep 27, 2022

Baseball players sometimes get hit by pitches--nowadays no one more than Laura's favorite player of all, Anthony Rizzo. But those players have a much greater survival rate than the hapless dove who got beaned by a baseball. (The accompanying blog post has a LOT more information than I could fit into the podcast.)

Dee Dee Nana Sep 23, 2022

Laura's grandson Walter has a brand new name for her.

Hawk Ridge: Fifty Years and Counting! Sep 22, 2022

This is the fiftieth anniversary of Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve in Duluth. People will be celebrating this weekend.

Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Part 2 Sep 21, 2022

Stony Point was filled with happy birders on Saturday morning.

Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Part 1 Sep 20, 2022

It's hard to get anything accomplished when an extremely rare Fork-tailed Flycatcher appears.

September Hummingbirds Sep 19, 2022

Laura thinks the old rule about bringing hummingbird feeders in by Labor Day is ridiculous. She'll be leaving hers out until at least the end of November. She was still seeing a hummingbird on September 18.

Moosey and Puffy Sep 06, 2022

Two of the greatest highlights of Laura's Alaska trip were Horned and Tufted Puffins. Puffins are popular enough that Alaska gift shops sold lots of them--but not one that Laura could find was one of these two native Alaskan species--they were all Atlantic Puffins!

Anything Can Happen Sep 02, 2022

The time around Labor Day Weekend is what Laura thinks of as the "Anything Can Happen" time of year. (The recording at start and finish is of a Semipalmated Plover, from the Macaulay Library of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The Cedar Waxwing recording was made my Lang Elliott.)

If you build it, will they come? Aug 29, 2022

How do we encourage declining birds to start using newly-restored habitat? Daniel Wanschura's "Points North" podcast for Interlochen Public Radio about Dustin Brewer's Michigan rail study can be read or heard at the IPR website [here.](https://www.interlochenpublicradio.org/show/points-north/2022-08-19/thin-as-a-rail)

Puffins, Part 3: How to see them Aug 19, 2022

Where to go to see the three species of puffins.

Puffins, Part 2 Aug 18, 2022

The features that make puffins so distinctive are also what allow them to live their oceanic lives.

Puffins! A little history Aug 17, 2022

How did puffins get their scientific and vernacular names?

August's Tiny Treasures Aug 15, 2022

Laura is entranced by two tiny beings this month: hummingbirds and her grandson Walter.