Welcome to the Weekend Dispatch. Here are our top finds for Jan. 15.
A bald eagle “flying towards Independence Day”. Photo by Geoff and Colleen Campbell / Instagram
01. Photographer pick: Geoff and Colleen Campbell
Geoff and Colleen Campbell are a husband and wife photography team whose travels take them all over the Western U.S., including iconic national parks like Grand Teton and Yellowstone that are marinated with wildlife. Looking for shots of birds, bears, elk, moose, mountain goats, or even porcupines? Check out their page at @conlincampbell_wildlife_images — you won't be disappointed!
All of their photos are available for purchase via email at conlincampbellphotography@outlook.com.
Photo by Andre Mouton / Unsplash
02. Article pick: Seven Remarkable Birds Of Prey
You may know birds of prey to simply be a species of bird that hunt and feed on vertebrates ... and theoretically they are. But true birds of prey — by the zoological definition that is — comprise only about 500 species and are bedazzled with predatory designs.
Also known as raptors, these massive-winged predators have the sharpest of eyesight for detecting food from a distance or while high-speed flying, and their hook-tipped beaks and sharp, curved talons allow them to catch prey with a deadly grasp and tear through the thickest of flesh at dinnertime.
This article identifies and describes seven of these resilient birds — the northern goshawk, Andean condor, swallow-tailed kite, African fish eagle, harpy eagle, peregrine falcon and brown fish owl. Even if you’re not a bird person you’ll be fascinated by what each can do.
"Gifts of an Eagle" by Kent Durden. Provided photo
03. Book pick: Gifts of an Eagle
A 20th-century nonfiction book, “Gifts of an Eagle” by Ken Durden documents the story of his father Ed Durden, a cinematographer who raised a golden eagle named Lady. The 16-year journey is beautifully explained and offers golden knowledge and understanding of one of the grandest creatures of nature. The combination of thorough observation with a unique, intimate human-to-animal relationship — something rarely seen in studies of wild creatures — makes the book stand out remarkably.
In addition to the book, Ed Durden — a passionate cinematographer at heart — documented the experience on camera, and a documentary under the same name was released a few years after the book containing the original footage taken from the 1950s to 1970s of Lady and Ed and their awe-inspiring connection. While there isn’t a streaming service for the full film, there are short snippets available on YouTube if visuals are more your thing. Watch this clip to see the Durdens testing Lady’s mind-boggling intelligence.
The book “Gifts of an Eagle,” however, is amply available on Thriftbooks and Amazon.
The Casual Bird Podcast. Provided photo
04. Audio pick: Penguins Part I and 2
Were you a fan of “March of the Penguins” or even the cutesy characters in “Happy Feet”? Then these podcast clips are for you.
Though not classified as “birds of prey” ornithologically, penguins do catch their meals alive and go through great lengths to ensure the survival of themselves and their loved ones. In two separate episodes, host of The Casual Bird Podcast Suzy Buttress is joined by her husband to reminisce about the penguins they befriended on a trip to Antarctica in 2014.
Both episodes are under 30 minutes. Give them a listen here, on Spotify or on Apple Podcasts.