This Week in Birding 51

This Week in Birding

:: Two Bald Eagles were killed last week at the Medicine River Wildlife Centre in Alberta, Canada, after the roof of the eagles’ enclosure collapsed from a heavy snow load

:: An article from USA Today about the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count on February 14th – 17th

:: The Red-necked Phalarope is one of the UK’s rarest birds, but one Phalarope made a 16,000 mile trip during its annual migration

::  AltaLink and retired forest scientist and environmentalist David McIntyre are investigating reports of a mass bird kill — hundreds of ducks — by an AltaLink power corridor just north of Pincher Creek, Alberta; The Calgary Herald also had an article two days later.

:: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has released its new free Merlin Bird ID app, which uses eBird to help birders identify birds in your area. You can download it on iTunes here.

:: The Calgary Herald weighs in with an editorial in favor of protecting Sage Grouse habitat: “Albertans understand that the energy industry is tremendously important to our province’s prosperity, but they also accept responsibility for caring for the environment, including endangered wildlife species. If the City of Medicine Hat and LGX Oil & Gas Inc. have identified some glaring faults in the protection plan, by all means air them, but under no circumstances can the survival of an iconic prairie bird rest on a wing and a prayer. The time for action has long passed.”

Great posts in birding blogs this week: 

:: From Kathie at Birding is FunSaying Good-bye to Arizona Birds

:: From Rob at The City BirderA Decade of Brooklyn Bird Blogging

:: From Clare at 10,000 BirdsCommon Noddy in Broome

:: From Jeff at the ABA BlogABA’s 2014 Bird of the Year Revealed!

:: From Eileen at Viewing nature with EileenLoch Raven walk

:: From Jeff at NeoVista BirdingErrand Birding: More Productive Than Simply Birding?