#irl merlins look so cool you should check them out.
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You know the drill, all tHE ASKS
Why
Spotify, SoundCloud, or Pandora? I don’t actually use any of them
is your room messy or clean? Room is okay, but desk looks like a war zone
what color are your eyes? brown
do you like your name? why? Yeah? It’s fairly unique but it’s spelled how it sounds, which is nice. And I’m used to it so
what is your relationship status? in a polyamorous relationship with about a dozen fictional characters
describe your personality in 3 words or less um…. obsessive, spontaneous, triestobeagoodfriendbutidkhowconsistentlyisucceed (that counts as one word right?)
what color hair do you have? brown
what kind of car do you drive? color? 20 years old and don’t have a driver’s licence eyyyy
where do you shop? At stores? Mostly of the grocery variety
how would you describe your style? Pretty casual I guess. Jeans and tanktops/t-shirts, dark colors, boots, army jacket
favorite social media account Does the OT count as social media? If so that
what size bed do you have? Sad little twin-sized mattress with very broken innersprings (yay college apartments)
any siblings? one younger sister
if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be? why? I’m honestly loving Edinburgh so staying here for the time being would be great
favorite snapchat filter? don’t have snapchat, so don’t know
favorite makeup brand(s) whatever’s cheap and doesn’t smudge
how many times a week do you shower? Usually every other day, so, like, 3-4. If it’s hot out then closer to 5-6
favorite tv show? FIREFLY. With additional special mentions to Blackadder, M*A*S*H, and Merlin
shoe size? US size? UK size? European size? CAN YOU TELL I’VE HAD A CONFUSING TIME SHOE SHOPPING OVER HERE??? (US 8, Euro 39, UK a Mystery)
how tall are you? 5′5″
sandals or sneakers? COMBAT BOOTS (but converse are second place so sneakers)
do you go to the gym? pfffft no
describe your dream date A ride in the Millennium Falcon with Han Solo would be pretty cool
how much money do you have in your wallet at the moment? *checks* around £55
what color socks are you wearing? not wearing socks
how many pillows do you sleep with? two
do you have a job? what do you do? college student who really does need to start thinking about an actual job, seeing as how they’re graduating in a few months
how many friends do you have? I think that number really depends on where you draw the what-defines-a-friend line but, um, a decent enough number I guess? I do need more irl friends over here though
whats the worst thing you have ever done? Some high school friends and I were kinda shitty to this one girl in our group, so maybe that. Idk, I’ve done a lot of small-ish terrible things but nothing super dramatic so it’s hard to pick one as the /worst/
whats your favorite candle scent? IKEA had this one green-apple-scented candle that to this day I wish I would have bought.
3 favorite boy names That’s so hard to narrow down and now all I can think of are fictional characters that I like. Um… *throws darts at mental dartboard* Sam, Nathan, Adrian. Although those might be pretty heavily influenced by the fact that I’ve met awesome people with all of those names so. For fictional characters, Kaz Brekker is a fantastic name, as is Han Solo, as is Ronan Lynch, and…. I should stop. There are so many names that I like though
3 favorite girl names Same problem as above. *throws more mental darts* Sierra, Lyra, Clare
favorite actor? I’m currently in watch-everything-that-Diego-Luna-has-ever-been-in mode. More long-term favorites are Harrison Ford and Richard Armitage
favorite actress? Catherine Tate is pretty fantabulous.
who is your celebrity crush? I like how the question asks for “crush,” singular
favorite movie? Raiders of the Lost Ark and Jurassic Park
do you read a lot? whats your favorite book? Not as much as I used to. Favorites (yes, plural) include The Book Thief, Six of Crows, Illuminae, Inkspell, The Dream Thieves, Half Moon Investigations, and so many more…..
money or brains? For me or in others? Either way, both is always nice xD
do you have a nickname? what is it? Well the OT crew knows me as Clary so. My camp counselor name was Coconut
how many times have you been to the hospital? I’ve been to the ER once or twice, but I don’t think I’ve ever stayed overnight in a hospital
top 10 favorite songs How dare you. Okay, um…. *tries to pick from a variety of bands and not just my 1-2 faves* Save Yourself, I’ll Hold Them Back (MCR), Daze (Poets of the Fall), When Everything Comes to an End (Plan Three), Brush it Off (Plan Three), Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day), Morning Tide (PotF), Subrosa (Plan Three), What About Now (Daughtry), Ambulance (MCR), Rogue (PotF)…. that’s ten…. that didn’t even come CLOSE to covering them all (and so much for a variety of bands, heh)
do you take any medications daily? nope
what is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc) Pretty normal? Maybe slightly on the oily side
what is your biggest fear? jellyfish and plane crashes
how many kids do you want? ZERO, ZIP, ZILCH, NADA, NONE, KEINE, NUL. NO THANK YOU.
whats your go to hair style? Well seeing as how my hair’s kinda too short to do much with it, either down or in a partial ponytail
what type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc) grimy old student apartment woohoo
who is your role model? Nina Zenik
what was the last compliment you received? I have no idea
what was the last text you sent? “Honestly though I can’t say I’d mind if he actually did invade my hotel room. He’s one of the few people that could get away with it ;D” …..I’m not sure whether the context would make this better or worse
how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real? 8, maybe? There was never a dramatic earth-shattering reveal; understanding was kinda gradual
what is your dream car? a spaceship
opinion on smoking? it’s disgusting why would you ever
do you go to college? yes
what is your dream job? underwater archaeologist by day, bestselling novelist by night. space pirate is also an option.
would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs? Can I just say smack-dab in the city center? Is that not an option? Because that’s where I am now and I’m loving it.
do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels? No but the last hotels I was in provided instant tea/coffee/hot chocolate packets and I stole all the hot chocolate packets
do you have freckles? no
do you smile for pictures? usually
how many pictures do you have on your phone? 1248. I need to delete a bunch.
have you ever peed in the woods? Yes, many times. I’ve also peed in the desert many times.
do you still watch cartoons? Yes, although different ones than from when I was a kid
do you prefer chicken nuggets from Wendy’s or McDonalds? Neither, honestly
Favorite dipping sauce? There’s this one place in San Francisco whose french fries are, like, award-winning and they have a zillion dipping sauces, one of which is a lemon saffron aioli and it is heavenly.
what do you wear to bed? a t-shirt and sometimes pants, if it’s cold enough
have you ever won a spelling bee? no but I think I was in the top ten?
what are your hobbies? wasting time, reading, watching movies/tv shows, writing and drawing when I have the motivation
can you draw? Kind of?
do you play an instrument? Clarinet for 11 years, plus saxophone, mediocre piano, and mediocre guitar
what was the last concert you saw? Poets of the Fall. I died. Many times over.
tea or coffee? neither honestly, though tea if I absolutely had to pick
Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? Don’t really care
do you want to get married? If I somehow find a way to make fictional characters come to life, sure
what is your crush’s first and last initial? S.B.
are you going to change your last name when you get married? Unless I marry someone with an impossibly cool last name, no
what color looks best on you? probably black. purple and olive green look good too
do you miss anyone right now? The SOAR Squad
do you sleep with your door open or closed? Considering I share an apartment with five other students, closed, always
do you believe in ghosts? not really, no
what is your biggest pet peeve? When people are unwilling to look facts in the eye
last person you called? Maybe my mom?
favorite ice cream flavor? COOKIE DOUGH
regular oreos or golden oreos? Does golden mean no chocolate? If so then regular, why would you take away chocolate
chocolate or rainbow sprinkles? always chocolate
what shirt are you wearing? a purple one that for once isn’t fandom related
what is your phone background? Sir Gwaine in sunglasses
are you outgoing or shy? It honestly depends. I think I’ve gotten a lot better at pretending to be outgoing
do you like it when people play with your hair? Depends who that person is
do you like your neighbors? I’m gonna interpret this as apartment-mates and while I don’t really know them too well yeah they seem pretty alright
do you wash your face? at night? in the morning? Whenever I shower
have you ever been high? Only on sugar and sleep deprivation
have you ever been drunk? Yes, but not enough to black out or give me a hangover
last thing you ate? Cheesy bacon-ey mushroom-ey salsa-ey scrambled eggs
favorite lyrics right now “And now assassination is just the only waaaaayyyyyy…..” by the cowboys in Dr. Horrible
summer or winter? Winter if there’s snow, but summer’s great too. idk
day or night? Night
dark, milk, or white chocolate? All of the above?
favorite month? October has the best weather
what is your zodiac sign? go away
who was the last person you cried in front of? My friend Josh (some of you might know him as medieval dude 1.0) because I went to see Rogue One with him
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Birding From Home: Your Guide to Birding during a Pandemic
For millions of people stuck indoors following the state-mandated “stay at home” order, life inside can quickly get pretty boring. With a smorgasbord of social media served on glowing screens, one has a near-infinite variety of websites at their fingertips and new apps to download on their smartphones. But no matter how many times we refresh the CDC website or check the investment portfolio (Hint: the stock market is still down) there’s something else to grab our quickly-crumbling attention online. Besides, the vitriolic rivalries in the exotic animal world can only keep us busy for so long...
When you've been self-quarantined for what feels like an eternity (has it really only been a couple of weeks?) you’ve made the decision to take a break and get outside. Upon stepping outside, the unfamiliar sunlight blinds your eyes, and the smell of fresh air seems foreign. It’s Spring now, after all. You notice birds chirping. Many of the typical sounds--cars, sirens, and airplanes have been dampened as people are traveling less and staying home. Suddenly you realize that the birds are louder than you remember… You might even wonder, what am I hearing?
What’s next? Maybe it’s time to try birdwatching.
Most people think birdwatching is just a hobby for retired people, like golf or crochet. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In recent years, birdwatching has exploded in popularity. Millions of people from all backgrounds and age groups have ditched surfing the couch and picked up their smartphone and binoculars. That’s right, folks--birdwatching has gone digital. Millions of people now carry their phone birding with them, armed with a variety of applications capable of identifying and recording birds, finding and sharing bird sightings with a worldwide community, and live-streaming that cacophony of noisy birds perched on the powerlines outside Wal-Mart. The truth is, birds are everywhere, and can be enjoyed in an infinite number of ways. While some people choose to bird with binoculars and spotting scopes and cameras, the barriers to entry are low and all one effectively needs to begin birdwatching is a desire to go outside, open your senses, and a willingness to learn. The equipment can come later on.
You Already Call it ‘Birding’... You’re Basically A Pro
Maybe you picked up a pair of binoculars years ago, or took Grandma’s bird book outside and figured out that the noisy blue bird in your parent’s backyard was not an Eastern Bluebird, but actually was a Blue Jay. Congrats! You got into social distancing before it was cool--you’re already a birder. One of the simple joys about birdwatching is that it’s accessible to everybody, no matter where you are, just step outside and look up, and chances are you’ll encounter birds.
Chances are your world has changed too. The local areas you are used to birding with regularity (The area known among birders as your “patch”) are now closing. State Parks, Wildlife Areas, National Parks are shutting their gates in response to COVID-19 in an effort to flatten the curve. What’s a birder to do? Well, you’re not alone in navigating these changes. To help in this transition, I’ve put together a few suggestions of ways you can still engage with birds and the birding community no matter what your interest level is.
Support Citizen Science
Backyard birding has grown in popularity. In 1998, Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology partnered with the National Audubon Society to create the Great Backyard Bird Count. Each year, thousands of people count the birds they observe in their own backyards, and submit their sightings over a four-day period, providing scientists with a snapshot of bird populations across the globe. This past February, nearly 7,000 species were reported across the globe over a four-day period. That’s pretty incredible! This project, where citizens all follow the same protocols and share their observations is called citizen science-- and generates a data set that researchers, scientists, and students can use to analyze and study. Cornell’s Laboratory of Ornithology has since launched eBird, a free citizen science portal to report the birds you see anytime, anywhere. Their Merlin Bird ID app has helped bolster Cornell’s place at the cutting edge of using technology to identify and record birds from wherever you are.
Take the Leap! Create an eBird Account
If you haven’t already, consider making an eBird account. Visit the link above, sign up, and start learning how to submit checklists. Consider downloading the eBird app, and submit a checklist from your own backyard. If you need help identifying a bird you see, download the Merlin app and follow the prompts to make an identification. You can even upload a photo! If you need help, just email [email protected] and I’ll be happy to identify it for you.
Travel Around the Country From Your Desk
Move over Fantasy Football, Fantasy Birding or “fanbirding” has become a real thing
Bird enthusiasts who can’t get outside IRL (In Real Life) have taken up Fantasy Birding. Similar to the fantasy sports we already know and love, fantasy birding follows real-time sightings recorded by birdwatchers who submit their observations from parks, yards, and wildlife refuges all over the world through Cornell University’s citizen science app eBird
Just like its athletic counterpart, Fantasy Birding users create an account and choose from a variety of games to play, including the “traditional” ABA Big Year, and a variety of Big Day games around the country. Feeling ambitious? It’s never too late to join the global Big Year. After joining a game, you select a birding location for each day, and enjoy watching real-time bird reports filter in throughout the day from the comfort of their own home. Each bird “sighting” is added to your list, and you can learn more about the birds reported, the locations you visit, and start planning that dream birding trip to Thailand you’ve been wanting to take. Disclaimer: with COVID-19 prohibiting travel and birding, the real-time results are much more limited and local to areas, but this just makes the game more challenging and exciting. (With many organized bird tours being cancelled this year, if anyone has tips on where to find Greater Sage-Grouse please let me know) Happy Birding!
Join New Facebook Groups
One new Facebook group that has popped up within the last two weeks (currently 1.9K members strong) is #BirdTheFeckAtHome A play on the popular hashtag to keep people from venturing outside and spreading the coronavirus, this group is self-described as being “for Birders Self-isolating and Socially Distancing” to avoid the risk of spreading COVID-19 “for the sake of an extra tick or another overrated photo…” With the goal to collectively amass 1,000 species from group members’ backyards in a shared online bird checklist, the group is well on its way--having already spotted more than 1,300 species globally. If you’re looking to join a global community of bird enthusiasts, or live somewhere cool with unique bird species you can add to the checklist, consider joining on Facebook. Just search “birdthefeckathome” in the search bar on Facebook.
Join the ABA
The American Birding Association, or ABA is an organization all bird-lovers should support. A hub of resources ranging from bird identification, to free podcasts, to a digital and print magazine that covers all things birdwatching, the ABA is a resource unlike many others--a luxury that members have had for over 50 years! Like many nonprofits, the ABA is navigating the changing landscape due to COVID-19 and working to adapt and make changes during these times.
For a look at 5 Things Birders Can Do During the COVID-19 Crisis, click here:
ABA President Jeff Gordon recently shared a Facebook video encouraging building the birding community and fostering connection. “We really need you right now. Our revenue has really taken a hit. We have postponed events, advertisers and sponsors have had to regrettably pull back on their support... “ Jeff emphasized that these unforeseen factors make membership “triply important” and the ABA is incentivizing joining by offering membership discounts. If you are a lister, you should check out ABA’s new Listing Central 3.0 You can now add photos to your checklist, and easily import eBird checklists to arrive at your total ABA number that includes recent lumps and splits, and Hawaiian birds. I know what I’ll be doing next week…
The ABA has some great online content, and new ideas for content on the way. I suggest joining to see these new changes, and to support our own. If you’ve ever helped another birder get on a bird, lowered your scope for someone else to look through, or stopped to share birds with someone new to birding, this is no different. This is a way you can help the birding community at a time when we need you.
If you’d like to help the ABA, consider signing up, renewing your lapsed subscription, or giving a year’s subscription to a young birder who might love reading ABA’s outstanding Birding magazine. You know they’ll love it!
Use Code BIRDWELL2020 for a discounted membership.
Connect with Other Birders Digitally
Use technology to virtually connect with your birding friends, for a chat
Zoom is a video collaboration platform that people can use to teach online classes, run business meetings, host late-night television shows, or hold family game nights and social gatherings, all from the comfort of your living room. It’s free (to an extent) and can be easily downloaded and learned in a short amount of time.
Today I had a fantastic Zoom chat with six other birders from around the country. After birding alone for the last two weeks, it was refreshing to see and talk to my birding friends. We checked in with one another, talked about the positives of self-quarantine, and commiserated over the closing of many of our favorite birding hotspots close to home. We discussed how to properly self-distance while birding, and the ethics of posting about rare birds during a time when chasing across town or county lines might not be the best (or easiest) thing to do. Zoom is free to create an account, and you can host sessions with all of your friends, using video and audio and a chat feature. Now that I’ve learned some of the in’s and out’s of this software, I will definitely will be hosting more meetings with birders, and using it as a platform to teach and “virtually” bird with friends across the continent and the world during these next few uncertain months.
Review Your Bird Photos and Find Banded Birds
Do You Have Photos of A Banded Bird?
If you’re like me, you’ve been using this extra time at home to go through past files of bird photos. Perhaps you’re cleaning out the out of focus shots, or maybe you’re viewing some photos for the first time on your computer. Like me, you might have photos of a banded bird. You might be wondering, what can you do with these photos?
According to the Bird Banding Laboratory, over the last 116 years, nearly 60 million birds have been banded across North America. Of these, nearly 4 million bands have been recovered and reported. Many of the band reports come from hunters who harvest waterfowl and migratory game birds, but more and more of these reports are being submitted by birdwatchers and photographers who can photograph the bands, without having to capture or stress the bird! Advances in digital camera technology has made it possible to photograph tiny songbirds and recover band data, helping to gain a better understanding of birds without killing them.
These reports are an important tool that help researchers study the movement, survival, and behavior of birds. This data helps scientists monitor populations, set hunting regulations, as well as lower hazards at airports keeping planes and birds safe. Banding studies done by partner organizations also support international conservation partners, including Partners in Flight and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan
This week alone I’ve sorted through thousands of photos, from geese gracing the Hawaiian islands to ravens in Yellowstone and avocets in Arizona. So far, I’ve come across nearly a dozen photos of different species all sporting “jewelry” (a term hunters use to reference banded birds) These birds might have an aluminum leg band, with a series of numbers and letters stamped on it, or have a color band, neck collar, tarsal flag, wing tag, or other marker (even spray paint!)
HOW TO REPORT BANDED BIRDS
Visit USGS Bird Banding Laboratory Home Page: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/bird-banding-laboratory?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects
Click ‘Report a Band’ or visit https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/bblretrv/
Follow prompts
When finished, you’ll receive a certificate with the data about the bird you reported. It’s fascinating to see when and where they were captured and banded, and where they have been since!
I save and print these certificates and keep them in a binder with photos of the birds I’ve reported over the years. It can be a fun way to look back on those exciting birding days you spotted and photographed a banded bird!
That’s all for now… I have many more ideas to add so I’ll likely update this post, or write another one soon.
Be well, stay safe, and be kind to others.
Your birding friend,
Christian
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