Nature Note: A Naturalist's Travels Through Nature

As the end of the year draws close, I'm increasingly drawn to the idea of combining my nature blog with my birding blog. I came to this conclusion as I don't tend to update either in a timely manner, that having one blog to worry about would be easier than coming up with content for two. So I'll be posting other nature-based stuff from this account as well. Another announcement I wanted to make was that I'm restarting the Babe Ruth of Ornithology tournament. I felt that I didn't leave it off on a good note (considering I didn't even finish it either) and that I didn't learn what I wanted to in order to complete the goal. The format I'm pursuing this time around is one of multiple sources, as well as inquiring the input of others rather than my own biased opinion. Most of all, I'm curious to see where my quest will take me. My parents have mentioned multiple times that this idea should be published and I'll admit, I have thought about it. First ...

Sorry for the lateness this week, but I'm determined to get underway. This week's challengers are Ludlow Griscom vs. Sir Peter Scott. This week's theme will feature the philosophies and methods of two completely different men who happened to have a mutual love of birds and the natural world they shared. Griscom is probably most famous for inspiring famed bird artists and field guide author, Roger Tory Peterson to create and market his all important "Field guide to the Birds". His go-get-em style and vigor when it came to birding and identification made him an icon in the initial drives to recognize birds by distinctive field marks present on their bodies and wings and through their behavior and demeanor. Scott on the other hand is famous for starting two organizations with the goal of conservation and preservation hand in hand. While more famous for his work with waterfowl, he also had a hand in founding the World Wildlife Fund. However, the WWT was his first ...

The next round of the Babe Ruth of Ornithology begins now! As the updated brackets show below, Alexander Wilson faces off against Charles Lucien Bonaparte this week followed by Peter Scott vs. Lulow Griscom, Margaret Morse Nice vs. Florence Augusta Merriam Bailey, and Konrad Lorenz vs. Charles Darwin. As I explained last week, the goal of the second round is to determine whose argument involving birds was more persuasive and had a larger impact upon the bird world. So without further adieu, let the games commence! Perhaps the most well known aspect of both Wilson's and Bonaparte's careers was the compilation, editing, and final publication of one of the early crowning achievements of American ornithology. The work known as "American Ornithology" started as the brainchild of Alexander Wilson who was inspired by other naturalists at the time to create a reference guide for the bird species to be found in the relatively new and unexplored world that was North Americ...

The final round of the first round begins now. Famous northeastern bird artist Louis Aggasiz Fuertes vs. the queen of the Song Sparrows ( Melospiza melodia ), Margaret Morse Nice. But first, a quick side note! The next rounds will be focusing on an important idea advanced by the participants who won in this first round. While it might not be a famous idea like Darwin's finches or Griscom's field work, it has to have had a significant impact on the birding or ornithological world in order to have sway. Just wanted to give you guys a heads up for next week. Anyhoo, back to the contest! Lets get it started! As dapper as his paintings, one can see how he grew to rival the work of Audubon Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874-1927) is one of America's most renowned bird artists behind John James Audubon. He produced thousands of works in his life, usually from fresh specimens he collected himself. An eager practitioner of Coues' Golden Rule (a bird in hand is worth two in the bus...

Merry Christmas to all and I have a piece of holiday cheer that's in the form of the next match up of the Babe Ruth of Ornithology! This weeks challengers are the father of Indian ornithology, Salim Ali and the king of imprinting Konrad Lorenz. Let's get ready to RUMBLE!! Rocking the thick rims since 20th century began. Salim Ali (1896-1987) is widely regarded as the father of modern Indian ornithology and is well respected in the the scientific communities of Asia and most the Old World. While less well known in the Americas, his work identifying species throughout his native India made him well known for rediscovering rare species. Most famous for his bird surveys, the man also saved and vouched for two national parks and the Bombay Natural History Society so that they could continue with conservation efforts for the whole country to enjoy. Ali started collecting birds as a child after being encouraged to start a collection by W.S. Millard, an English naturalist based i...

It's time for the next round in the Babe Ruth of Ornithology. For those of you who are wondering, this will carry over into the new year because what use would a tournament be if it stopped at the end of December?! Anyway, this weeks challengers are, the Messiah of birding himself, Roger Tory Peterson and one of the most successful women naturalists in American history, Florence Augusta Merriam Bailey! Let the battle commence! "Feed the birds. Tuppence a bag. Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag..." Roger Tory Peterson (1908-1996) is regarded by many in the American birding community as being the greatest birder that ever lived. People can try to imitate him, but the man staked his claim on the work of other greats in the field of ornithology to provide an easily understood platform with which beginners, experts, and everyone in between could utilize in order to properly identify birds in the field. He got his inspiration to create his own field guide after repeated ...

This weeks edition of Babe Ruth of Ornithology is the wild card of Charles Darwin and William Brewster. Lets get this started! This isn't even my final form... Charles Darwin (1809-1882) is considered a saint in science history. It can easily be argued that the man has the most recognized name in science and is idolized by lovers of geekery and biology the world over. His theory of evolution has stood the test of time (and attacks from creationists who we really just wish would go away) and is still the basis for how sexual selection plays the most vital role in determining the ultimate survivor in the constantly shifting environs of the world. His work with birds is almost universal as "Darwin's finches" are the most recognizable pieces of evidence when it comes to support for the theory of evolution. The finches that were examined were later determined to be members of the Geospizinae subfamily and it's still unclear even to this day, as to which group of ...

Round three of the Babe Ruth of Ornithology starts off this week with Alexander Wilson vs. Edward Howe Forbush. I hesitate to guess who'll win this round (but not really) Lets do this!! More birds named after him than Audubon could shake a boom stick at! Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) can easily be called the father of American Ornithology. After moving to America with his nephew in 1794, legend has it that the first bird he saw when he was in the New World was a Red-headed Woodpecker ( Melanerpes erythrocephalus ). While he always had a touch of intrigue towards the natural world, it was a famous naturalist named William Bartram, that gave him a passion for ornithology. It is Wilson that, more so than Audubon himself, has had more associated with him with regards to birds than any other American ornithological figure. As the aforementioned father of ornithology in America, his name is remembered with such species as Wilson's Storm-Petrel ( Oceanites oceanicus ), Wilson...

It's time for round 2 in the search for the Babe Ruth of Ornithology! This weeks contestants are Charles Lucien Bonaparte and Elliott Coues! The format will be the same as last weeks with a brief blurb about each contestants background and achievements and a summary of each of the positive and negative contributions they gave to ornithology. So without further adieu, here are this weeks contestants: As the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, he conquered the birds of the North American continent, not for glory, but instead for science! Charles Lucien Bonaparte (1803-1857) was the nephew of the Corsican-born ruler of France that everyone knows from history class, but this isn't his story. This Bonaparte was one of the most gifted, foreign-born ornithologists that ever graced America's shores and his work helped to cement him into the annals of ornithological history. Even before arriving the U.S., he discovered a new species of Old World warbler and upon arrival in the New Wo...

As promised last week, I will start the competition known as the Babe Ruth of Ornithology, the tournament designed to weed out the best contributor to ornithological history and practice in the modern era. The first round competitors this week are John James Audubon and Sir Peter Scott. Both greats in within their own time, they pioneered completely different campaigns for bird awareness with Scott focusing solely on waterfowl (and by extension wetlands as well) and Audubon being known for painting a good majority of the bird species found in North America. Below are two brief bios on both contestants which I will tabulate into which has more good points than the other. Any undesirable features that might be looked down upon by today's birding public will garner negative pointage. Thus, those with more good points (worth one point each) will win the round and move on. If however, there is a tie, I will institute a random sudden death challenge which will vary dependent on circums...

In the summer of 2010, I came up with a list of ornithologists (mostly American with a few Brits and other folk) and pitted them together in a March Madness style birding bracket that would determine who is the greatest ornithologist of all time. To keep with consistency this time around, my rules are as follows: 1. They have to be deceased. Clears up a lot of space including living people today like Kaufmann and Sibley that have still the rest of their lives to contribute further. So yeah, you have to be dead. 2. Any country is good, but mostly Americans will be listed as they are the most well know to me. 3. Has to have made a significant contribution to ornithology (revolutionized field birding, improved bird identification, improved methods etc.) Short rules indeed. So here's the list of candidates: 1. Salim Ali 2. Elliot Coues 3. Alexander Wilson 4. Charles Lucien Bonaparte 5. John James Audubon 6. John Gould 7. Charles Darwin 8. William Brewster 9. Ludlow Gris...