Newsletter #79

A bird can use some of its feathers to fly, others to stay warm, and still others to attract a mate. And among the ten thousand species of living birds, evolution has produced...

… a staggering variety of feathers for each of those functions.

~Carl Zimmer, American science writer

Hello Friends!

Welcome, New Subscribers — and a heartfelt thank you to all paid supporters!

I wasn’t always a birder.

As a child, I spent summers in Maine, where I noticed the crows in the fields, the loons on the lake, and the osprey perched high in the trees. But that was about the extent of my awareness. That all changed about twelve years ago, when I began to see birds not as background scenery, but as fascinating, intelligent creatures with stories of their own, and so I’ve come to appreciate birds in a much deeper way.

Did you know that crows can make and use tools? One was observed using a small cup to carry water over to a bowl of dry mash. Or that migrating loons can reach speeds of over 70 mph? And that osprey often return to the same area—and even the same nest—year after year? ( I can vouch for them!)

Many years ago, when I had a cottage on a lake in Maine, a pair of ospreys nested at the top of a dead tree just outside my bedroom window. When their chicks hatched, I was woken every morning at 5 a.m. by their noisy and enthusiastic breakfast calls.

This issue is all about birds, feathers, and a few unexpected treasures:

🌿 Paper Made from Leaves

🌍 The health benefits of Earthing

🧪 A rare object in the Cabinet of Green Curiosity

🦔 A Possum Petition I started

📚 What I’ve Read, Watched, or Listened To this past month

🎬 And two beautiful bird-related short films

Thanks again for being here—whether you’re new or have been following along for a while.

Enjoy this month’s edition!

Onwards!

#1- Rice News

In case you missed the story in the news recently about rice and arsenic…

Dangerously high levels of arsenic and cadmium have been found in store-bought rice.