-- Leap Day --

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First, a quick note re: the Great Horned Owl webcam in California I linked to awhile back. Mama Owl has been diligently sitting on 3 eggs for several weeks and the first baby ought to hatch out any day now, so you may enjoy monitoring the festivities and childrearing as they unfold here:

http://www.cs.csubak.edu/owlcam/camera.php

Been over a month since Cornell's last updates, and approaching two months since an Auburn update. In the past, some have hoped that such time lapses might imply SOMEthing significant happening, but I've heard nothing positive coming from Arkansas quarters, and usually such previous silences merely reflected a lack of anything worth reporting. Would be nice to know exactly WHERE Cornell's Mobile Team unit is at this point, though.

Anyway, lack of news gives me more time to clutter up the left-hand margin of the blog with more schtuff. So I've added a very short blogroll of the following bird/nature blogs which I check in on semi-regularly (and BTW, most of these DON'T share my opinion on the IBWO):

http://birdstuff.blogspot.com

John Trapp's blog remains a favorite of mine for it's quirky, unpredictable subject matter and style. Not the standard sort of bird blog, so won't be everyone's cup-of-tea, but then that's what I like about it. Also contains a useful, extensive blogroll of other bird sites.
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http://www.birddigiscoping.com/blog.html

"Mike's Birding and Digiscoping Blog," another of my favorites and widely-read around the Web; hardly needs mention here. It's title however may scare off some who have no interest in digiscoping, so worth noting that Mike covers a lot more than optics and photography at his site, though many especially seek his advice in those areas. His digiscoped pictures are always a delight, but my own favorite posts are his thoughtful word essays on birds and our relationship to them. Enjoy...
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http://thedrinkingbird.blogspot.com

A relatively new, and somewhat oddly-titled blog; focuses a lot on North Carolina birding, somewhat limiting its audience (but does touch on other subjects), and the writing is consistently excellent and witty. Worth a read, just for the wordsmithing (as well as good info available), if you've never stopped by before.
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http://proregulus.blogspot.com

If you love British humor (and don't all Americans!?) British scientist/birder Martin Collinson gives you a serving of it every week on his blog. As a British site, his precise subjects may not always be of interest to American readers, but his style will usually plant a smile on your face.
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http://pinesabovesnow.blogspot.com

Not a bird blog, but writer Julie Dunlap's "pinesabovesnow" blog (the title being a phrase from Aldo Leopold) focuses on good nature writing to recommend to its readers. Something I for one can't get too much of.
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http://www.bornagainbirdwatcher.com/

Have just added John Riutta's 'Born Again Bird Watcher' blog to the mix. Why not! Again, a blog that hits upon slightly different topics from the more standard bird-news blogs.
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And then below the brief blogroll I've also listed a few commercial sites on the Web, of possible interest to readers.

hmmmm... maybe next I'll add a daily Sudoku puzzle. . . .
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