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Read These

The Wood Duck and The Mandarin published by University of California Press, CA, 1996, has the classic beauty of a coffee-table book with detailed information about the history, ecology, and biology of these two species. This book is a must-have for duck lovers.  

Hawks and Owls of Eastern North America by Donald S. Heintzelman, published by Rutgers University Press, 2004, is an attractive, engaging natural history guide that introduces readers to information about eastern raptors. It covers identification, habitats, behavior, and conservation issues. It is an enjoyable read for beginning and intermediate birders and/or individuals who enjoy collecting beautifully illustrated and photographed publications.

 
From the humorous to the contemplative, The Gift of Birds: True Encounters with Avian Spirits is a nice collection of stories written by well-known and emerging authors. It's a fun read for a cozy, winter night. It is edited by Larry Habegger and Amy G. Carlson and published by Travelers' Tales, 1999.

 

 
Previous Bird Joys
Click the "Literature" link above for previous newsletters filled with fabulous photos and lots of fun facts. This section is also good to see a compilation of recommended books and articles too.

Search Engine at Bird Joy
Bird Joy now has a search engine. Type in the name of the species, photographer, etc. that interests you. The search engine will find info from current and past issues of Bird Joy since its inception in November, 2004.

The list is quickly growing, but so far, previous newsletters have included info and/or pictures on the following bird families and individual species: flycatchers, sparrows, owls, thrushes, Great Horned Owl, Snowy Owl, Boreal Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl, Purple Gallinule, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Mountain Bluebird, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Wilson's Warbler, Rufous Hummingbird, Winter Wren, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Painted Bunting, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Elf Owl, Clay-colored Robin, Indigo Bunting, Common Pauraque… as well as the people and places that make up Brooklyn, New York, and beyond.

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Quote of the Month

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods.
There is rapture on the lonely shore.
There is society where none intrudes.
By the deep sea and music in its roar.
I love not the man the less, but nature more.
by Lord Byron (1788-1824)

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Upcoming Bird Walks

What better way to fight the winter blues than enjoying outdoors with other bird and nature lovers. Stay tuned for my separate e-mails detailing two walks during the first weekend of February: one in Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, and the other in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. For readers who live in the New York City area and are interested in learning about my walks, please send me your e-mail addresses and I will include you on my mailing lists (click my name below). Until then, enjoy the great outdoors.

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This Month's Links to Creative People & Their Passions

Normally I would feature a small number of photographers in my monthly newsletters. However, with the inclusion of five new trip reports, there is an incredible range of photographic talent in this month's issue. Treat yourself to looking through their sites. For a full list of recommended links including nature organizations, etc., click on "Links" at the top or bottom of each page. Enjoy!

Bird Pictures by Bill Schmoker
Bill Schmoker is an Earth Science Teacher from Colorado with a passion for birds. Check out his photo gallery, which includes photos of Great Gray Owls that have irrupted in unprecedented numbers in Northern Minnesota. Bill took the pictures in the famous Sax-Zim Bog in St. Louis County, Minnesota. (Schmoker's Spotted Towhee photo appears in the January 2005 issue of Bird Joy.)

Chantal Sakay's Photo Galleries
Chantal Sakay enjoys birding and dabbling in photography. Sakay also has a passion for France, which she illustrates with a few galleries spanning such themes as villages, churches, doors, nature and outdoor markets. (Sakay's Elf Owl photo appears in my Corpus Christi & Rio Grande Valley, Texas, trip report.)

Dale & Marian Zimmerman's Photography Gallery
Dale & Marian Zimmerman are bird enthusiasts and travelers who like to share their joy of birds through their photos. See their small gallery at eNature.com, a web site of the National Wildlife Federation. (The Zimmerman's Townsend's Solitaire photo appears in the January 2005 issue of Bird Joy.)

Derald Lary's Photo Galleries
Derald Lary enjoys nature and sharing his enthusiasm through his gallery of photos. He also has an interest in airplanes, boats, and sunsets and sunrises (Lary's Yucca at Laguna Atascosa photo appears in my Corpus Christi & Rio Grande Valley, Texas, trip report.)

George Grant's Photo Galleries
Four years ago, George Grant moved from the Big Apple to Sunny Florida. Since then, photographing wildlife and nature has grown into his number one hobby and passion. During this brief time, he has amassed fifty-five galleries mostly of avian species with some other wildlife photos mixed in. (Grant's American Alligator, Barred Owl, Bald Eagle, Northern Shrike, Wood Stork, White Ibis, Common Moorhen and Cattle Egret photos appear on my Davie, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, & Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, report.)

Glen Tepke's Photo Galleries
Glen Tepke has a passion for birds, which shows in his pictures. Amongst his galleries, he has a collection of "New England Notables" including a few shots of the famous Red-footed Falcon that made avian history in Martha's Vineyard last year. (Tepke's Thick-billed Murre photo appears in the January 2005 issue of Bird Joy.)

Janet Zinn's Bird Photography Gallery
Janet Zinn has a wonderful gallery of bird photos. Her images are well selected and sharp. Zinn's galleries feature mostly local species with a sprinkling of regional favorites from Costa Rica, St. Lucia, etc. (Janet Zinn's Cackling Goose photo appears in the January 2005 issue of Bird Joy.)

Jimmy G's Nature Photography
James Galleto is a relatively new photographer who has created a stunning gallery of photos, particularly of Snowy Owls in Jones Beach, NY. Also see his photos of New Foundland, which intriguingly capture the rugged spirit of this remote Canadian region. (James Galleto's Snowy Owl photos appear in the January 2005 issue of Bird Joy.)

John Dorsey's Photo Galleries
John Dorsey, a Vancouver, British Columbia resident, enjoys shooting nature particularly birds. Dorsey has a talent for macro and close-up shots that are featured throughout his galleries. (Dorsey's Bewick's Wren photo appears in my Chincoteague Island, Virginia, trip report.)

John Robbins (a.k.a MacPurity) Photo Galleries
John has a growing interest in nature photography, but his passions don't stop there. His galleries span a wide variety of subjects including lighthouses, bridges, trains and railroads. (Robbins' Northern Flicker photo appears in my Chincoteague Island, Virginia, trip report.)

Linda Alley's Wings and Things
In spring 2004, I met Linda and her husband, Bob, during a trip to Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande. Linda and Bob are warm, wonderful people with a passion for birds and nature. They have a lovely garden with nesting Golden-fronted Woodpeckers and Black-chinned Hummingbirds. They also have four cute cats. Click and see Linda's collection of photos that include insects, flowers, trip pictures -- all showcasing the natural wonders of Texas. (Alley's Black-chinned Hummingbird photo appears in my Corpus Christi & Rio Grande Valley, Texas, trip report.)

Mike Reshitnyk's Photo Gallery
Mike Reshitnyk hails from beautiful Quebec City, Canada. He has a passion for Mallards and Snow Geese. View his delightful galleries filled with humorous captions and lots of impressive action shots. (Reshitnyk's Mallard photo appears in the January 2005 issue of Bird Joy.)

Rich Miller's Photography
Rich Miller is a birder who enjoys shooting photography and chronicling his travels. He has some stunning travel shots taken in Patagonia, Norway, Florida, and Costa Rica. (Miller's Clay-colored Robin photo appears in my Corpus Christi & Rio Grande Valley, Texas, trip report.)

Ron Austing Wildlife Photography
I first discovered Ron's photography while researching Northern Saw-whet Owls. Since then, I've attended his notably humorous workshops/slide shows at the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Pennsylvania. (Austing's Barred Owl fledlings photo appears at the top of each Bird Joy page.)

Ron Lutz II's Photography Galleries
In June 2003, Ron Lutz purchased a Canon digital SLR and found his creative expression. Lutz has many galleries, one of the most interesting titled: "Photo a Day for a Year." The breath of his vision is remarkable. (A number of Lutz's Chincoteague Island photos appear in my Chincoteague Island, Virginia, trip report.)

Steve Messick's Birds
This Colorado photographer loves birds. That's why he has amassed a personal gallery of nearly 300 photographs. Steve enjoys creating bird montages, which he includes in his gallery. (Messick's Sharp-shinned Hawk photo appears in the January 2005 issue of Bird Joy.)

Steve Metz's Nature & Wildlife Photography
Steve Metz's galleries include photos of birds from numerous countries including Trindad & Tobago, Mexico, Costa Rica, Spain, Chile, Venezuela… but his site specializes in Oklahoma birds. (Metz's Common Pauraque photo appears in my Corpus Christi & Rio Grande Valley, Texas, trip report.)

Steve Nanz Photography
What would we fellow "bloggers" do without Steve's generosity? I love his credo: "These images are a gift from the subjects and those who protect them. No rights are reserved." That says it all, don't you think? Steve's site proves that there is plenty of nature in Brooklyn, NY. (Nanz's Wood Duck photo appears in January 2005 issue. Other photos have been featured since the inception of Bird Joy in November 2004.)

Ted Levin's Photo Gallery
Fellow Brooklynite, Ted Levin, has a love of photography and travel. View his galleries for eclectic and intriguing shots that span sports, politics, and travel including world-renowned Brooklyn, New York. (Levin's "Fishing by the Pier" photo appears in the January 2005 issue of Bird Joy.)

Tom Conelly's Photo Galleries
Tom Conelly is a person who enjoys traveling and taking his camera with him. He has a number of galleries that span such destinations as France, Italy, Asia, Africa, and interesting places within the United States. (Conelly's Snow Goose photo appears in my Chincoteague Island, Virginia, trip report.)

Tom Munson's Photo Galleries
Tom Munson definitely has a passion for birds. He has eighteen small galleries devoted to birds and one for mammals. His birds of Christmas Island is fun for the two pictures of a Red-footed Booby. (Munson's Anhinga and Reddish Egret photos appear in my Davie, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, & Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, report.)

Tyrol Russell's Photo Galleries
Tyrol Russell is currently away in Costa Rica. Until then, more of his photos may be found at: www.owlpages.com. (Tyrol Russell's Barred Owl photo appears in the Diet section of Bird Joy.)

"I rejoice that there are owls."
Henry Thoreau

 

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Copyright © Arleen O'Brien, All Rights Reserved, 2005

I take great care to acknowledge photographers, authors, etc. in this web site. If you notice an error, please feel free to contact me so that I may properly give credit. To do so, click my name.