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An important occasion this August for birders in Shanghai and possibly elsewhere was in fact the discharge of a brand new The Nationwide track, “House Invader“. Thankfully, it seems to be an excellent track (be aware: Grammarly helpfully means that I ought to change “excellent” to “good”, however then Grammarly has not listened to the track – it’s simply excellent, not good), although as ordinary with The Nationwide songs, I solely have a obscure concept what the lyrics imply and particularly why the track is named “House Invader” when it primarily appears to be about randomness shaping our (love)life. However then, I’ve by now discovered to understand Matt Berninger’s lyrics with out understanding them.
The monitor has two elements – one is principally an everyday (moderately good) track whereas the final three minutes are principally simply an instrumental, with Matt mumbling some phrases however being more and more drowned by the music, particularly the drums. Significantly on the finish, this jogs my memory of the final sentence of a terrifying Franz Kafka story, “Das Urteil” (The Judgement), which is “In diesem Augenblick ging über die Brücke ein geradezu unendlicher Verkehr” (“At that second, virtually infinite visitors was crossing the bridge”). If that sounds a bit innocent, learn the story and you’ll now not be stunned about Kafka biographies highlighting his tough relationship along with his father (and presumably, with a lot of the remainder of the world, too).
And now for one thing fully totally different – birds. Fairly a number of moderately frequent ones this month, I’m afraid, as the correct migration season solely began throughout the previous few days of August.
As you possibly can inform from this publish beginning with leaf warblers, the ornithological equal of watching paint dry (okay, a bit unfair and probably not a superb comparability anyway, however hey, write your individual weblog if you don’t like mine). Just like the Japanese Topped Warbler (which eBird mysteriously calls a “boldly marked songbird” regardless of its similarity to about 50 different warbler species) …
… and the Arctic Warbler (or perhaps another warbler wanting very comparable). For that species, there’s a paper with the considerably puzzling title “Habitat Selection in captive Arctic Warblers” (just like the seminal paper inspecting location preferences of prisoners within the US penal system, I assume. Sure, I made that up).
On a extra optimistic be aware, the tip of August additionally noticed the return of some Japanese Paradise Flycatchers like this one. Thoughts you, no lengthy tails on this season. That retains away about 80% of the pesky fowl photographers away from the males (although in all probability additionally a justifiable share of the feminine birds – can’t have it each methods).
Daniel Gustafsson and coauthors checked out chewing lice of the Gray-headed Lapwing. Their aim is easy but lofty: “We hope these redescriptions will arouse some curiosity within the chewing lice of shorebirds amongst researchers working with lapwings”.
As I discussed in considered one of my posts this spring, for me the private begin of the migration season is once I see my first male colourful flycatcher. For the autumn season of 2023, this is able to be the sighting of a male Yellow-rumped Flycatcher on August 27.
The feminine is much less colourful and in addition generally appears to be in want of some good brushing, just like the one I generally give to these of my cats who don’t run away quick sufficient.
The Asian Brown Flycatcher doesn’t rely as a season-starting fowl – discrimination, in fact.
For some cause, Lengthy-tailed Shrikes all the time remind me a little bit of Donald Trump, though I fairly just like the species (I’m not significantly keen on Mr. Trump). Maybe it’s as a result of loudmouth behaviour will be charming in a fowl however is way much less so in a serial liar.
Here’s a mugshot of a Lengthy-tailed Shrike. T-shirts might be out there quickly.
Thankfully, the Brown Shrike doesn’t make me consider Mr. Trump. The Latin species title “cristatus” is a little bit of a puzzle because it means “crest” – not an apparent function of the species, so far as I can inform.
The third shrike seen in Shanghai this month was the Tiger Shrike.
Thankfully – as that is China, not the US – there isn’t a “Three shrikes and you’re out” rule right here (and if this isn’t the worst joke you have got ever heard, then your life actually sucks).
When in search of papers on fowl species, it’s all the time a thrill to seek out very latest ones – a paper on the Black-winged Kite was simply revealed in Could 2023.
It seems at components figuring out the presence of Black-winged Kites on Taiwan, the place the species is a brand new resident. Curiously, the components cited there may clarify the increasing presence of the species in Shanghai.
The Oriental Magpie-robin additionally appears to be getting increasingly more frequent in Shanghai. Even in my compound, they appear to have fairly a steady presence now.
Heron/Egret medley (sure, I do know medleys suck, however with out the oral element, they may simply be okay):
Black-crowned Night time-heron …
… Cattle Egret …
… Chinese language Pond Heron.
Once I began watching birds in Shanghai, I used to be confused by this one:
It’s a juvenile Gentle-vented Bulbul – and naturally, the information I used then (Information to the Birds of China, John MacKinnnon) didn’t present the juvenile plumage (and extra disappointingly, the second version nonetheless doesn’t present it).
Anyway, not a foul search for a juvenile given the tasteless look of a few of the bulbuls I not too long ago noticed in Borneo, although in fact, the grownup fowl seems extra distinct.
The younger generally don’t get taken critically by the adults – one thing that this juvenile Oriental Dollarbird in all probability experiences each day.
It comforts itself by listening to Taylor Swift (“Cardigan”) – “When you’re younger they assume you realize nothing”. Any person understands it in spite of everything.
Often, the fowl even sings alongside.
City males usually have a neighborhood pub that they go to recurrently – they’re aware of the clientele, the beer on faucet, the standard environment, the songs within the musicbox … for ladies, such consistency is a bit much less frequent. For Pacific Golden Plovers, the state of affairs is analogous – in a single research, males confirmed robust breeding floor constancy, with 100% (8 of 8 birds) returning to a web site in Western Alaska whereas solely considered one of 4 females (25%) returned. Perhaps the males weren’t that spectacular. Perhaps the males in your native pub are usually not that spectacular both.
When you needed to go from location A to location B, would you be prepared to take a detour of 1500–3400 km simply to eat rather a lot? If sure, have a look in a mirror – you is perhaps a juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. And also you may suppose the detour is price it as a result of it lets you double your physique mass earlier than beginning a nonstop flight of 7000-9000 km (supply).
I additionally noticed a number of Snipe species however lack the ID expertise to provide the actual species names. You work it out your self. I assume when it comes to chance Frequent Snipe is the very best finest, however who is aware of …
Deep of their hearts, Cuckoo species in all probability know that their manner of elevating (or moderately, not elevating) children is improper and morally repulsive (you need to hear Ron DeSantis discuss this). As penitence, they generally power themselves to eat gadgets that look as disgusting as potential, as proven beneath.
Within the ongoing competitors for the nicest-looking blue fowl, the Siberian Blue Robin continues to be a promising candidate.
In Whiskered Terns, offspring desertion – that’s, leaving the chicks whereas they nonetheless require feeding – is kind of frequent. Surprisingly (a minimum of from a biased human perspective), 97% of the deserters are feminine (supply).
Total, the paper doesn’t appear to suppose too extremely of the maternal qualities of feminine Whiskered Terns: “Females make investments a lot much less in parental care than males, offering much less meals and deserting extra ceaselessly”. Perhaps the females simply wish to keep away from being cliches.
This juvenile White-cheeked Starling appears to have already got misplaced one foot however nonetheless struggles on. When I’m in the precise temper (that’s, in all probability the improper temper, as not useful for my very own survival), such a sight can virtually make me cry.
After this temporary interlude about birds (considerably annoying I do know, however vital as a consequence of my contractual obligations spelled out in my multi-year, multi-million greenback contract with 10,000 Birds, the worldwide market chief in fowl running a blog), again to music. I by no means actually acquired very a lot into Constructed to Spill however “Understood” makes me suppose perhaps I missed out on one thing.
And (virtually) lastly, Boygenius in “Not Robust Sufficient” not solely have an excellent track but in addition quote a probably even better one within the lyrics: “Drag racing by the canyon … Singing ‘Boys don’t cry’” …
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