Available now! My story of becoming a biologist and the remarkable birds I studied.
Oregon State University Press.
Cover photo by Roger Dietrich.
Buy it here or ask your local independent bookstore to order it!
As part of my book premiere, I published a series of videos I took during my nighthawk research. Check out my Youtube page.
And follow me on Instagram!
That should say pictures in the dark, but I like the pop culture reference. This is my original suggestion for my book cover. My paper crafts were a small source of income in grad school when I studied nighthawks, and I wanted to reflect the DIY nature of that. But rarely do authors choose their book cover. The dark photo we selected was one taken by Roger Dietrich, a volunteer and birder from the community. He assisted me sometimes in the evening when I caught birds and fitted them with satellite transmitters. The photo itself raises an ethical concern. Many birders are also photographers and there is a growing concern that we should not use flash photography to photograph birds in dim settings, so as to not to disorient and temporarily incapacitate these wild animals in an environment that requires their constant vigilance. And yet this photo reflects my research. That’s my hand holding the bird. He is lit by my headlamp. I needed the light to do my work, I held him for as short of a period as possible, and he flew away strong. So here is my caveat. Please photograph birds, but do so from a distance and without a spotlight or flash. Do not follow my example, unless you are documenting research. And tread lightly on this earth.
Join me April 19 7pm Eastern for a talk: The Hidden Lives of Common Nighthawks hosted by Cornell Lab of Ornithology:
https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MYmmv8RPTpuTw8WIL1Np-A
Or watch it live on YouTube (where it possibly might live on in perpetuity):
https://www.youtube.com/live/IYD7RO4vcFQ?feature=share
Photo by Hunter Smith
Photo description: A woman in a hat holds a young fluffy bird. In the background is a gravel roof and a skyline of buildings.
For the thoughtful review of my book:
https://www.aba.org/a-glimpse-into-the-world-of-researchers/
When the pandemic started, I noticed something startling. How quiet it was. How still the streets were. It was one in many moments that felt like I was living in a sci-fi movie.
How did this affect wildlife? For birds, it was one less noise with which to compete.
Here’s a punk rock solution.
For the same reasons football players paint black marks under their eyes. It’s not just the helmets the two have in common.
Have you wondered how to help birds avoid window strikes? Check out the video below!
This time at home during the pandemic has presented an opportunity for self-education. One topic I have spent some time mulling is environmental racism, and the history the environmental movement and conservationists are revisiting. One action toward progress involves renaming birds to reflect a more inviting and inclusive future for our profession. Check out this article for more. Follow Bird Names for Birds on Facebook, too!
I listened to music quite a bit while writing my dissertation, my book and my papers. Music lifts me up and gets me moving during this period of extended telework. Being a Generation X kid who grew up in Minneapolis, I took much inspiration from the arty kids around me and the 1970s punks who came before me. This politically aware DIY culture inspired me to a level of independence needed to pursue a life in science unlike anyone had done in my family before.
Plus, the nights chasing nighthawks among the cornfields and the scorching days on rooftops had a romanticism and wry humor in the music I chose. Check out my Spotify playlist above.
Or if you prefer, check out a shorter version on SoundCloud here: https://on.soundcloud.com/kNn6Tbt9fRV7rNJG6
Continue readingTurns out, yes! For some birds, their vocalizations are not so musical. Nighthawks cluck and make a “peent” sound to deter predators and competitors and swoop down to let air rush through their feathers (termed a “boom call”). But they also emit a rattling hiss like this one. Nightjars, the family to which they belong, among other birds, are suboscines. Oscines, the other major bird group, which include the songbirds, are known for their more complex vocalizations.
As part of my book premiere, I’m publishing a series of videos I took during my nighthawk research.
A Feathered Reptile 