Birdbrain

Of ALL of the birding sites out there, what I really would like is a database for birdbrains. It could look something like:

Q: where did you see said bird: (shore,marsh,woods,meadow)
A: shore
Q: what size was the bird (small, medium,large)
A: medium
Q: what color was the bird (black,white,brown)....
I think you get the idea. In researching Wisconsin Birds, you are led to well meaning sites that provide a ton of information...as long as you know the name of the bird itself. By the way, ever notice that your search results will vary even while using the same key words but on a different computer? The most helpful guide for birds is this little WI DNR made piece. It may look a bit daunting but the nice thing about pdf's is they are searchable and more user friendly than most of the birding websites I've encountered. I also recommend the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas

The extent of my bird knowledge is limited to a handful of the standard Wisconsin birds that most children know of: robin, hawk, cardinal, blue jay, geese; it wasn't until recently that I have been noticing other birds that don't fall within my 5 bird sphere: cranes, loons, vultures and startlingly White Pelicans. Say what? Long ago (ref to 'Distribution, Breeding Range), Pelicans were cataloged as far back 1884 as using this area for breeding. The most commonly known areas are at the Horican (National) Wildlife Refuge at Snag Island (Dodge Cty), but there is also Cat (not CAST) Island in Green Bay (Brown Cty).

This was a difficult post, taking over a week doing research and deliberating on the subject. Just shows how much I care, eh? My biggest obstacle was the title. I believe that if I would have come up with a decent title, that it would all flow together, and normally that is the case with me. Lack of birding knowledge made it difficult to drive the writing; just a bunch of random facts thrown together with very little personality, so I have to rely on the experts.

Here is a little bit of what studying Pelicans is like for one researcher:

After returning from the fishing grounds and lounging about the nests for a while the pelicans began to circle over the colony in a large company, rising higher and higher till they were almost lost in blue. By watching we could occasionally see the faint flashes of white as the snowy breasts reflected a gleam of the sun. For hours the sky would glitter with these great birds as they soared about Then It was thrilling to see some of them descend with rigid, half-closed wings. They used the sky as a big toboggan slide and dropped like meteors, leaving a trail of thunder. Several times when we first heard the sound we were deceived into thinking it was the advance messenger of a heavy storm and jumped up expecting to see black clouds rising from behind the mountains. - Mr. William L. Finley, Klamath Lake, Oregon (1907)

Last spring I witnessed a 5-6 bird flock that flew in a formation different than any bird I have ever seen. It reminded me of the Air Force Blue Angels in a diamond like pattern, turning only when the leader turned, flapping exactly as the leader would, flying so high you could not see their telltale bills. Always cruising, never landing. The author above describes a much larger group, which confirms to me that they had changed their migration pattern for a long stretch and their reemergence is still in the beginning stages.

This post is in no way a source of information either, and should not be construed as one. If I am to construe anything with this post it is out of ignorance. I am perfectly content to appreciate birds without getting excited over their plight, as I am guessing that even birds are unconcerned, being birds and all. As I do with anything that I discover, I research and discuss my findings like any pseudoscientist would.

As a final note, I want to share a photo I found that I found both humorous and touching:
Dr. Charles Kemper is a well known orinth....ornithologist and if you want to read more it will be found here.