“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.”― Gustav Mahler Imagine that it is an autumn day in Manhattan, the year is 1869, and a huge party is taking place. You might learn from others in the crowd ― if you hadn’t been reading the papers ― that similar festivals were … More An Unusual Day of Thanks in September, 1869
Edit: Please sign the petition here: https://chng.it/srvVNZ5mSZ The image above pictures Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman. He was a brilliant physicist whose work helps us understand how blue feathers get their color, among many other things. His name is attached to concepts such as Raman scattering and Raman spectroscopy. The natural world overflows with an abundance … More More Thoughts on Bird Names and Barriers
Edit: New as of late June, 2024: Unlike the AOS, the AFO actually surveys its members: https://afonet.org/2024/06/afo-member-feedback-on-the-decision-from-aos-to-replace-all-eponymous-bird-names/ I post this with trepidation. I am disinclined to touch on such topics here. A few years ago, I became involved with a birding organization whose core mission of making birding more accessible deeply resonated with me. I … More Some Thoughts on Bird Names and Barriers
I only wish I would have done this years ago. We pulled the trigger last fall to install solar panels on our house. We have a roof that stands well above most of our trees, with a big south-facing expanse as well as good east and west exposures. We put a total of 49 panels … More Harvesting Sunlight: Walking the Walk on Renewable Energy
