ABA Blog in Review: August 2012

I come to you today, friends, on the tail end (well, just beyond actually) of the best month ever here at the ABA Blog.  A big part of that was obviously the announcement that shook the very foundations of internet birding, the move of Jack Siler's well-loved and well-read Birdingonthe.net to new cyber-digs here at the ABA.  That move has attracted significant response, mostly positive but some negative, and I do hope you all continue to bear with us as we work out the kinks - and rest assured, they will be worked out - but it's something of a miracle that merely two weeks after the launch we're so close to a site that most everyone can be satisfied with. 

Actually, miracle is the wrong word, because it reduces to mere happenstance the hours and hours of hard work, primarily by Director of Communications David Hartley and Web Developer Greg Neise but by others as well, that have gone into this project in the last month or so.  They deserve the thanks of the birding community, but to the larger internet birding community, we at the ABA would like to thank you for your ideas, criticism, support, patience, and ability to put this baby through its paces.  Birding News is stronger because of it, and the ABA is stronger because of the presence of Birding News.       

But in addition to all that hullaballoo, here's the rest of what we served up this record-breaking month:

Events Coordinator George Armistead hopes to spread the word about some upcoming ABA Events, as well as get the blood pumping for the rally at Kiptopeke next month. 

Lynn Barber is still pushing on for the Big Day record in South Dakota, you can find her biweekly diaries here and here.

Ted Eubanks considers the effect of global climate change on the nearby islands of the Caribbean, whose conservation needs are dire. 

Birding editor Ted Floyd stirs the pot once more with a modest suggestion that threatens to overturn the whole heirarchy of Rare Bird Committees.  And check out the comments, the discussion is as good as the post!

Prez Jeff Gordon introduces Pledge to Fledge, and explains why YOU should get involved. 

Bird of the Year Coordinator Robert Mortenson shares a carnival of this year's Evening Grosbeaks, offering some fantastic writing and photography from around the blogosphere.

Winging It editor Michael Retter points towards the August issue of the newsletter, in full color. 

Bill Schmocker shares some footage from birding adventures with his son, and illicits a conversation about your favorite non-birding book for birders. 

And Rick Wright reviews Paothong and Vance's lovely Save the Last Dance. 

Open Mic posts included the release of an Osprey documentary from Jacob Steinberg, a nice piece on what we all can do to promote birding wherever we go from Kirby Adams, a plea for Pledge to Fledge from Richard Crossley, and an anecdote about how birders influence those around them from Scott Pendleton. 

Rare birds for the month included a Pin-tailed Snipe, Dark-sided Flycatcher, and Terek Sandpiper in Alaska, Illinois's first Wandering Tattler, Arkansas's first Brown Booby, Black-tailed Godwit in Virginia, Little Egret in Maine, Maryland's first Herald Petrel, Washington's first Wilson's Plover, Ontario's first Thick-billed Kingbird, Barolo Shearwater in Massachusetts, and Hawaiian Petrel in California.  Whew!

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Thanks for your continued support, and if you're a reader and you haven't already, please consider joining the ABA!  Your membership helps to support those who make this blog possible, as well as countless other initiatives that aim to keep birders doing what they do.  It means a great deal to us to have you along for the ride.

See you in September... er... the rest of September.