Living in Cairo, Egypt, one of the most congested and polluted cites of the world, and the oldest one in history, where the Pharaohs built the city 10,000 years ago. In the surrounding environment in the street of Cairo you rarely spot a any birds away from the house sparrow, and that was all I […]
Baha, a path less trodden
As I wrote in my last article, my birding has mostly been in countries off the beaten track. In the past five years, my work has taken me to Azerbaijan, Libya and now Saudi Arabia. As a consequence much of my birding has been in these countries. The truth is that I get enjoyment from […]
Birds of the Prairie, Part 2
In Part 1 of “Birds of the Prairie“, I highlighted the Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus), a wonderful bird of our midwestern prairies and marshes. Today’s Part 2 focuses on an equally impressive bird, the Short-Eared Owl (Asio flammeus), a new “life bird” for me. The Short-Eared Owl is no longer a year-round resident of the Missouri […]
Pheasant-tailed Jacana courtship dance by Adam Riley
Whilst leading a birding tour to Sri Lanka last year, I spotted a flash of bright white in a lily-choked wetland near Ambalantota in the south-east of this verdant island. Closer investigation revealed a stunning male Pheasant-tailed Jacana perched atop a female. Pheasant-tailed Jacana pair by Adam Riley Our excitement at finding these avian gems […]
Harness the natural curiosity of children
As the world human population tops 7 billion individuals currently alive, the threats to the global environment have never been greater. The natural world as we know it is unlikely to survive in its existing condition for much longer. We have all heard of the Rio Summits and the attempts to address biodiversity loss going […]
Monarch Butterflies Magical Metamorphosis Begins Anew
Monarch butterflies are leaving Mexico, flying north, reversing their migration from last fall. Bright orange, mosaic clouds are moving towards Texas with females drifting down to lay eggs along milkweed corridors . . . thus fulfilling their destiny. They along with the males will have lived around eight months, which is a pretty long life […]
Tracking lizard habitat
For the majority of wild species trying to make it in the city (or even in the suburbs), human travel corridors pose an enormous existential threat. This is particularly true for reptiles and amphibians. I suspect nearly everyone, at some point in their driving career, has come face-to-face with this fact while watching and often […]
Avian Punks Go for Broke
Two rebellious songbirds full of nervous energy, unlikely hybrids of wind and delirium, avian punks go for broke without brakes, a knockout with no chance to catch a breath.