:: Residents of Lodi, California, are concerned that proposed construction of a water tunnel will drive away Sandhill Cranes from the nearby Delta wetlands; the birds are celebrated each year at the annual Sandhill Crane Festival.
:: The latest trend in Japanese coffee houses is the “owl cafe”, where not only are the decor and menus based on a raptor theme, but also have live owls which patrons can hold and pet, raising safety and ethical concerns for the birds and the humans.
:: The city of Wausau, Wisconsin, has put a bird on it in a big way, featuring a public art project with 18 large metal bird sculptures placed in the median on a local highway. Wausau is also hosting the annual “Birds in Art” exhibition at the Woodson Art Museum now until November 10th, when the exhibit goes on tour.
:: Markham Hilton Suites Hotel has installed bird-friendly film on the windows of the hotel to help reduce bird collisions
:: Researchers say they have discovered Australia’s oldest known bird footprints, a pair of tracks left along a sandy riverbank in Australia during the Early Cretaceous Period, more than 100 million years ago.
:: David Sibley’s second edition of The Sibley Guide to Birds is due out on March 11, 2014. Pre-order now!
:: Only weeks after California’s governor signed legislation mandating hunters to use non-lead ammunition, a record number of 21 endangered California condors were treated in the last month at the Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens for lead poisoning, more than half the number the zoo sees in an average year.
Great posts in birding blogs this week:
:: From Dan at Birds Calgary: Travel Tuesday: Fall Migration in Confederation Park
:: From Josh at Ontario Birds and Herps: Photo shoot – American Golden-plover
:: From Rob at City Birder: Blue Grosbeak versus Indigo Bunting
:: From Julie at Birding is Fun: Autumn Birds
:: Jeremy at AZ Birdbrain: Tug o’ War
:: From Wally at Our Florida Journal: Happiness Is A Dirt Road
:: From Nate at 10,000 Birds: Lifer Ocean
:: From Nick at The Birdist: Scary Birding Stories!