Hella Cool? Or Gross, Nonsensical, and Largely Unappealing?

The word "crushed" is seeing rampant use lately. If you don't know what that means, just know that I crushed this Broad-winged Hawk (in Golfito, Costa Rica). Hard. This new and wonderful definition of crushing first entered the Birdosphere on January 30, 2013, when I spoke of crushing Crimson-collared Tanagers, but as I said before I believe the term was passed to me by one Dave Pereksta.

Hey everyone. It's been quite the week in the birdosphere, and for actual birds across the continent. Late September means either being awash in vagrants or catastrophic disappointment...this time of year, you are experiencing only one or the other.

First on the BB&B agenda, I would like to introduce you to Birdcrusher, the most recent blog by none other than Dipper Dan, pilot of the now defunct TPAD. The photos? Better. The vocabulary? More extensive. Dan is currently posting from Southeast Farallon Island, off the coast of San Francisco, where no birds migrate to or otherwise care to visit.

The big news in the Birdosphere this week was a post by Lukas Musher at Nemesis Bird (also of Boom Chachalacha) on so-called birder coolness, and lack thereof. It echoed of things Felonious Jive and I have said over and over again, but it did not fail to generate quite a bit of both praise and dissent, since Nemesis Bird has a vast readership compared to BB&B (probably due to its hoard of authors, slick web design and not having a penchant for profanity-laden hyperbole). Out of the 12 tips offered, I agree with about half of them, but I like spirit of it all. So, as a leading tastemaker in the Birdosphere, I suggest you give it a look, even (especially?) if it causes bitterness and resentment.

Look. I went to a bar wearing a giant cardboard Starry Flounder I made. This is what edgy, I-don't-give-a-fuck coolness looks like, right?

In the post, BB&B was for reasons unknown designated one of the "cool" birding blogs (personally, I think that's an oxymoron), which may have brought a few new readers to this site...so welcome to you folks. I don't know what you expect, though. Going from Nemesis Bird to BB&B is not a smooth transition for some. Nemesis Bird brands itself as "fast paced birding"; BB&B is all about "the strange and terrible saga of being a birdwatcher"...a much more convoluted and absurdist worldview. Switching from Nemesis Bird to BB&B is like going from listening to The Arcade Fire to Minor Threat. From eating the trendiest fushion sushi to a burrito that doesn't taste too bad but makes you sprint for the nearest toilet later. From the newest and most futuristic Patagonia outerwear to a disgusting band shirt that smells of BO and stale beer.

If that doesn't relate, how about this...it's like going from looking at an adult Ivory Gull 20 feet away while simultaneously getting a back massage by your dream lover to squinting at a sunbleached 1st summer Herring Gull through heat haze a half mile away while just realizing that putrid dog shit you smell is actually caked to your shoe.

Even the most sheltered birder should be able to relate to that. Anyways, thanks for the linkage Lukas.

BB&B is gross, nonsensical, and largely unappealing, much like this California Gull. Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA.

Right. Moving on, you all know what is going on with Blue-footed Boobies. They are everywhere, with a recent record from British Columbia and a plethora of them at the Salton Sea. I saw one in San Francisco last week. Sightings along the California Coast are still occurring all the way up to Bodega Bay, and there is little doubt these birds have pushed even further north. This has led many in the California birding community to criticize birders in Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties as "incompetent", "apathetic" and "stoned". I do not stand by any of this, of course, and BB&B denounces this language.

This Nutmeg Mannikin video has made the rounds recently, but if you haven't seen it yet, now is the time. And yes, Hitler is involved.

Oh yeah, and if you haven't already, I recommend you scroll up a little bit, look for the Facebook badge and follow the shit out of us. It will enhance your life, and has already led readers to experiencing the wonderful sexual encounters they have always deserved, countless life birds, B-list fame and other fictional events. Things may never be the same.