I and the Bird #138

Any and every publication that runs for a substantial length of time risks alienating new readers by taking certain knowledge for granted. Every so often, we need to refresh our shared understanding of basic facts. For example, when we’re talking about I and the Bird, perhaps now would be an auspicious time to talk about what the carnival is all about.

I and the Bird is meant to centralize and celebrate the best blogging in the world on the subjects of birding and wild birds. Anyone who blogs can participate and no qualifying post is turned away. Over time, we’ve found that most bloggers do strive to share only their best work, which leads to a routinely fascinating collection of links.

Of course, our focus on birding and wild birds excludes other seemingly related but actually inimical kinds of posts. One unassailable element of all IATB entries is that the relationship between human and bird depicted in the post must be non-hostile or exploitative. Bird rehabilitation and banding are certainly acceptable, but pet keeping, game hunting, and cock fighting are assuredly not!

At the end of the day, I and the Bird is about connecting bloggers who love to wax eloquent about birds to an international audience that loves to read about birds. Rest assured, we have room on both sides of the aisle. You can read I and the Bird, share your work through I and the Bird, and maybe, just maybe, you may one day be able to host I and the Bird.  On that happy day, you can join the ranks of ardent naturalists like Wanderin’ Weeta herself, Susannah Anderson. Susannah’s blog, based out of British Columbia, may be a bit frosty this time of year, but her writing is always warm and wonderful. See for yourself as you enjoy her insightful edition of I and the Bird #138!

So I imagine all the bird bloggers out there are sufficiently motivated to contribute to the next edition of I and the Bird. This is the right time to do it, as our next host is the inimitable world-wandering, photo-phenomenal TR Ryan of From the Faraway, Nearby.  Get involved by sending your link and summary to me ( mike AT 10000birds DOT com) or Tim (trryan AT aol DOT com) by November 28 for the 11/30 edition.