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All good things, it is said, must come to an end. Of course, we know that so much of what thrills and inspires us survives on a much longer timeline than we ourselves do. Seasons may come and go, blossoms bloom and wither, warblers arrive in full throat only to depart in traveling drab, but [...]

Friends and bird-bloggers, we’ve come to an inflection point in the history of the longest-running natural history blog carnival on the web. I and the Bird has had a good run, but enthusiasm seems to be at an all-time low. Like most blog carnivals, we’re getting fewer links and visits for most editions. Even more [...]

I and the Bird has always been a channel through which international bird bloggers and bird watchers (two groups with a high degree of overlap) can connect and collaborate. Even our very first edition back in 2005 featured outstanding writing about birding and wild birds across many continents. Frankly, I may love this aspect of [...]

As you might surmise, I spend an inordinate amount of time every day thinking about both birding and blogging. Perhaps we’re alike in that. Where we may differ substantially, however, is that those thoughts are often crowded out by more pressing considerations of the fine art of SAT and ACT instruction. As the owner of [...]

Birders, as you probably already know, really get around. I don’t mean that in a promiscuous way — who am I to judge? — but rather in a strictly geographical sense. To be a birder sometimes feels like having a backstage pass to the hidden highways of the world. We scan and scour those lonely [...]

Do you list? That question seems as incomprehensible as its companion query, “Do you bird?” unless you in fact do bird and might list. We frankly love listing at 10,000 Birds; we’re big listers that may one day aspire to be Big Listers, if you get the distinction.  Dave Ingram of Island Nature is clearly [...]

Certain concepts in this world are difficult to define; like art (or certain other types of adult-oriented “art”), we may claim to know it when we see it, but can’t agree on the line that separates art from that which is not art. An example nearer and dearer to the hearts of avid birdwatchers is [...]

Birding, we can all agree here, is pretty terrific. Football, and by this I mean the kind we play in the U.S. of A., is rather outstanding in its own right. Why is then that the combination of football and birds doesn’t deliver a new level of success? Obviously (it is obvious, isn’t it?) I’m [...]

While some would strenuously argue the point, birding is primarily a visual pursuit. Of course, ace birders would correctly assert that their ears may be their greatest assets in the field, while others like my buddy Mel in Texas would point out that even the blind can enjoy birding. But those accurate exceptions miss the [...]

Happy New Year! I offer this seasonal greeting not just in the spirit of holiday cheer, but also as a pointed reminder: we have crossed the threshold into a new year. Stop dwelling on the old one and get down to the business of making the most of this one. The window for bragging about [...]

The last installment of I and the Bird in 2010 should inspire both contemplation of birds gone by and anticipation of avians yet to observe.  Bird watching may always (must always) occur in the moment, but this endeavor casts a long shadow on our lives, linking months, years, and — dare I say it — [...]

One of my favorite aspects of I and the Bird is the breadth of its geographical scope. If you’re like me, you’re as fascinated by birds on other continents as you are by the ones at your own feeder. (Actually, if you’re like me, you’re desperately waiting for some international flavor at your feeder!) This [...]

Any and every publication that runs for a substantial length of time risks alienating new readers by taking certain knowledge for granted. Every so often, we need to refresh our shared understanding of basic facts. For example, when we’re talking about I and the Bird, perhaps now would be an auspicious time to talk about [...]

Is it possible that some human beings in the year 2010 don’t know what a blog carnival is? Believe it or not, the answer is yes. In fact, it’s safe to say that most people, maybe even most bloggers, have no idea what a blog carnival is. That’s too bad, as a vibrant blog carnival [...]

One of the many reasons we’re so enchanted with avians is most definitely that phenomenal power of flight. Why is it then that the birds we seek so rarely use their wings to fly to us? We all exist within the orbit of certain avifauna; where I’m from, European invasives are always underfoot and I’m [...]

Have you ever wondered who reads I and the Bird? No, I really haven’t either until recently. And while this analysis isn’t exactly based on data, anecdotal evidence, or anything else resembling fact, I suspect that our readership essentially falls into three camps: wildlife watchers, bloggers, and conservationists. That observation is hardly revelatory and neither [...]

While novices rarely make the critical connection, experienced naturalists know that birds and books go hand in hand. Obviously, this is not to say that one wants a bird in one hand (worth two in the bush if you ascribe to that calculus) and a book in the other. Instead, one wants to spend a [...]

I always feel wistful at the end of summer. Sure, we have a few more weeks before the passing of another golden season is official, but once kids return to school, the writing is on the proverbial wall: summer is gone. Blogging, even our particular brand of bird and nature blogging, has seen many summers [...]

Your favorite bird blogging carnival (I and the Bird is your favorite, isn’t it?) often finds itself on the road, moving from one end of the Earth to the other in but a fortnight. But how often does our host travel farther than our carnival? I can’t say I’ve been keeping track. This time, however, [...]

Some of the finest birding in all of North America can be enjoyed in Florida (as I and hopefully many of you can discuss at the 2011 Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in January). Some of our finest bird bloggers reside there as well. I don’t know if Eva of The Flying Mullet is [...]