The Networked Bird Observatory Blog

This just in from the gushing-fanboy department: I’ve been in contact lately with both Professor Ken Goldberg (leader of the CONE Sutro Forest project) and with Craig Newmark, and they both say they like the blog. Yay! Craig posted an item about it on his blog, and in another item he mentioned the Bald Eagle photo, and seemed to be okay with the humorous intent behind it. Prof Goldberg solicited my input on ways they might improve the system (which he’s probably regretting, since I proceeded to email him a novel-length treatment of the subject), and generally was very nice.

Most importantly, Craig mentioned in his email that Ken is actually on his way over to Craig’s as we speak, to replace the tall cylindrical feeder (they were out of sunflower seeds). Hopefully while he’s there he’ll also be able to replace the purloined suet and fill up the birdbath (which I noticed just now had a bunch of gray hairs in it. hmm…) Ah, the glamorous life of a professor.

Update: Yes! Fresh bath (lovingly washed out with a paper towel, to remove all those unsightly gray hairs):

A refilled suet feeder:

And best of all, joining the restocked cylinder o’ sunflower seeds, a sock feeder. Yeah! Bring on those goldfinches.

There was even a brief, embarrassed wave at the camera from Professor Ken, though I wasn’t fast enough on the “Take Snapshot” button to catch it.

Anyway you slice it, that’s some excellent full-service birdcam work. Let’s see the Santa Cruz Island eaglecam muster a full professor with a roll of paper towels to tidy up after the birds. I don’t think so.

CONE Sutro Forest rules!

I didn’t get to spend much time looking at Sutro Forest pictures today (oops, yesterday), but I did notice the following.

7:19 a.m.:

7:20 a.m.:

7:34 a.m.:

8:16 a.m.:

Those last two are the two suet-feeder photos bracketing the time of the crime. Now, I realize the case against the suspect is circumstantial, but I’d really like to know what his alibi is for the 42 minutes in question. If you ask me, he had a sneaky look on his face at 7:34, like he was planning something.

Thanks to crack CSI Sutro Forest investigators noho_bird_club, asdourian, nosteps, and rnand001 for the images.

Things I’d like to have, or have happen:

A microphone. I realize there are probably any number of reasons why it wouldn’t be practical or wise, but it would be really cool to have the ability to stream audio from a high-quality microphone on Craig’s deck. Just a mic aimed at the forest; it wouldn’t have to be directional or move, or have the ability to record snippets for later cataloging and playback (though those things would make it even more awesome).

I have this sense that we’re probably missing half the bird species that are within range of the camera, just because we don’t know where to point it to see them. If they don’t come to the feeder (or, like the Robin, to the birdbath, or like the Anna’s, to the flowers), we just never see them. If we could hear what was going on out there in the trees, though, I bet we’d know a lot more than we do now. With forested/brushy habitat, if you can’t hear, you’re missing most of the action. Which we are.

A sock feeder. I’m bummed that I haven’t got a photo of the Lesser Goldfinch yet, and I think a sock feeder would really help draw them in.

A dripper on the birdbath. We’d get a lot more birds at the bath if there was a slow drip, drip, drip falling into it. A little flexible metal tubing and a low-volume recirculation system is all it would take.

A view of seeds on the ground. Again, I really wish I could see one of the Golden-crowned Sparrows or Song Sparrows that are (or at least were) hanging around there, and if they’re there, I bet they’re going to be a lot easier to see on the ground than up at a feeder. Can we get a few seeds scattered somewhere down low where we can see them? I bet there’s all kinds of action going on under the T-pole feeders, but since we can’t see it it doesn’t do us much good.

I keep scanning the road to the right of the feeders. I really want for there to be a California or Spotted Towhee in there, or (again) a sparrow. So far, though, the only bird I’ve ever seen down there is the Robin. A few seeds along the edge of the road would make a big difference.

A site report from an informant. See, here’s how I could get just about all of the above in one fell swoop. If someone who lives in the area knows where that road is, and if there’s public access to it, he or she could just casually stroll on down it, keeping their ears open and looking around, and scatter some wildbird mix along the path at the same time. Then he or she could come here and post about what they saw and heard.

It’s a simple dream, this dream I have. Sigh. One day, maybe.