Fifty signals a golden anniversary, so for the banner 50th edition of I and the Bird, we’ve got ourselves a solid-gold host. Bora aka Coturnix, the man who identifies himself with Old World quail, is well-placed among the science blogerati. He has founded, hosted, participated in, and promoted metric tons of blog carnivals at both Science and Politics and A Blog Around the Clock. I hope that his passion for metablogging doesn’t wane as he joins the Public Library of Science (PLoS) but will offer my sincere congratulations as I browse the amazing entries in I and the Bird #50. I hope you’ll do the same!

For I and the Bird aficionados, this promises to be one hot summer. Plenty of new hosts as well as a few returning favorites have enlisted to keep the river of high-quality bird blogging flowing. We even have a special second anniversary edition coming in mid-July, for which thought-provoking details will be forthcoming! For now, just be sure to be a part of the next edition of IATB, hosted by the brilliant Birdchaser. Send your submissions to me or Rob (birdchaser AT hotmail DOT com) by Tuesday, 6/12 for the 6/14 edition.