Two More Bird Books

Two More Bird Books

Juvenile nonfiction
"In spring, as you nightly nap
warblers flap
over oceans, lakes,
and mountains."
Imagine you're a songbird weighing less than 1/2 ounce (3
nickels). You're overwintering in the Caribbean. Now you must fly to
Alaska or Canada. During the segments of your journey over water you
may have marathon periods with no sleep--unless you can find an oil
rig or a boat to nap on. We're talking 4,000 mile round trip!
Say what!
April Pulley Sayre's Warbler Wave gives readers an up close and
personal look at this incredible migration. The narrative explains
how these tiny creatures manage to survive the arduous trek. The
beautiful pictures, though, easily upstage the text.
Warbler Wave also discusses ways to help these intrepid
travelers. Migratory birds need safe summer, winter, and en route
habitats with food, water, and shelter. Suggestions are given for
creating ideal conditions. Talk about a good family or group project!
Also, if you are lucky enough to share your family with a cat,
here is another reason to keep him or her in the house. Felines kill
three to four billion birds a year. Warblers are our friends, chowing
down on a lot of insects that drink our blood and consume our crops.
"Pros and cons appeared in newspapers across the land [America].
Name calling began. The house sparrow was called a villain, a cuss, a
disreputable character, a glutton, and a parasite. It was impudent,
insolent, irascible, intolerable, and lazy. It even caused fires! In
Pittsburgh, it lined its nests with fluff from the cotton mill that
ignited from the sparks from the iron mill landed on them.
But wait! said others. They're so cheerful, so frolicsome, so
amusing! And the children so love them! More importantly, what would
happen if they didn't eat the seeds of weeds and feed their nestlings
pests like grasshoppers, caterpillars, and beetles?"
In The Triumphant Tale of the House Sparrow, Jan Thorndike
discusses the evolution of the bird she calls the most despised in
human history over millenia. She shows how it's definitely one of the
most adaptable.
Like many of the other critters that have learned that
cohabitation with humans is posher than independence (for example, my
neighborhood's garbage pail raiding raccoons), house sparrows started
out in the wild. They also were migratory birds. Then humans changed
from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled agrarians, producing the food
sparrows love best. Why hang out in a tree when you can live near all
that grain? Hey, no need to migrate.
Thus began sparrows' opportunistic relationship with humans and
our often less than cordial relationship with them. It makes for a
fascinating, beautifully illustrated narrative, well worth reading.
On a personal note, even though my priorities have been tweaked and I
am less likely to accomplish my summer ideas list, I'm actually being
balanced and productive. I'm taking very good care of Joey and
treasuring the time we have left. I'm earning money needed for
tuition, fees, and textbooks and an emergency fund. I'm writing
plenty. This blog is one example of writing productivity.
And when Joey sleeps I've embarked on my biggest house and shed
cleaning and organizing ever. It's my biggest for two reasons.
Adam's room is included. The kids plan to turn it into a man den for
their dad. My studio inspired them. And my mindset on stuff has
changed because I have steady work. I had kept a lot of stuff because
I'd probably need it and not be able to buy it. Now that I can afford
to get things at thrifts and sometimes even a regular store I can
donate more and have less clutter.
A great big shout out goes out to my dozing in the sunlight best buddy.
jules hathaway


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