I and the Bird

The newest edition of I and the Bird has me feeling fairly sentimental. Blame it on Duncan, the estimable host of this superb installment. I’ve been after the proprietor of Ben Cruachan Blog to host IATB for some time now, since the very beginning, in fact. Duncan was a part of the very first I and the Bird and has been an integral part of our community ever since, one whose continuing participation confirms that this carnival is representative of the best bird blogging from around the world. Can you tell how much I like this guy?

Anyway, as I was saying, I’ve been subtly prodding Duncan to host IATB for a long, long time, though my entreaties probably lost any semblance of subtlety months ago. Why was so important? I and the Bird emerged only when the number of gifted writers, photographers, and naturalists establishing bird-themed blogs seemed great enough to sustain it. Knowing that even Australia could produce such a genuine, distinctive voice (and now so many more!) made it very easy to pull the trigger, as they say. So, it is not only fitting but entirely fair that Duncan finally host the carnival that he had an unwitting role in initiating and an entirely witting, or shall I say willing role in maintaining.  Of course, he did not disappoint. Enjoy Duncan’s superb presentation of I and the Bird #38!

We’ve got something very special here and want you to be a part of it. The last I and the Bird of 2006 will be hosted by Kevin of NaturalVisions on December 28. Send a link and summary to your best blog post on birding or wild birds to me or Kevin (kevin AT naturalvisionsphoto DOT com) by December 26. Oh, and Happy Holidays!

Written by Mike
Mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation, but he's also a traveler who fully expects to see every bird in the world. Besides founding 10,000 Birds in 2003, Mike has also created a number of other entertaining but now extirpated nature blog resources, particularly the Nature Blog Network and I and the Bird.