Bird

2022 - 8 - 9

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Image courtesy of "Sports Illustrated"

SI:AM | The GOAT's Seattle Sendoff (Sports Illustrated)

The biggest crowd in Storm history packed Climate Pledge Arena for Sue Bird's final regular season home game.

At the 1912 Games in Stockholm, a team made up of U.S. track and field athletes played an exhibition game against a local baseball club. That’s about 2.4% of the estimated American population at that time. The urge to shoot bows and arrows has been with man for some 100,000 years. You’re telling me one in 10 American adults can shoot a bow and arrow, and does so on a somewhat regular basis? Four million people sounded like a ton of archers to me. Today an estimated 4 million men, women and children participate in some form of archery, and because it can be enjoyed by young and old alike, it is becoming America's fastest-growing family sport. It’s impossible to imagine the league without her. It’s impossible to imagine the franchise without her. The loss could end up deciding whether Bird gets to play another game in Seattle. The Storm are 20–13 with three games left to play, good for fourth in the league. Before 1992, baseball had been contested at some early versions of the modern Olympics but never as a medal event. … Bobby Bonilla’s ill-fated contract with the Mets sold at auction for nearly $200,000. “I’m not going to lie, it kind of sucks to lose my last game.

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Image courtesy of "SB Nation"

Sue Bird got a flower from a young fan for her last home game, and ... (SB Nation)

Sue Bird is retiring at the end of this WNBA season, and the legendary Seattle Storm point guard played her final regular season home game on Sunday against ...

Bird deserves her flowers on the way to retirement, and one young fan sitting courtside for her final home game took that sentiment literally. With the help of Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd, and the rest of her teammates, it’s certainly possible. “That was the sweetest.

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Image courtesy of "knkx.org"

Seattle says 'thank you' as sports icon Sue Bird prepares to retire (knkx.org)

Sue Bird played what might be her last game at home in Seattle in front of 18100 fans. Bird is a five time Olympic gold medalist, four time WNBA champion, ...

"Being a female athlete, Jewish, gay all those things…I remember when she came out and it meant the world to me," Acker said. Fans showed up to the game, which tipped off at noon, as early as 9:30 a.m. "She's arguably and I don't know how many, too many people that will argue it, but, you know, one of the greatest players in the game — man or woman," Gab said. Over the span of her basketball career, Bird has won five Olympic gold medals, four WNBA championships, and been named to the WNBA all-star team 13 times. In an interview with KNKX in May, Bird said the fans solidified her decision to return. She's played every season since for the team, making her a Seattle icon.

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Image courtesy of "Smithsonian"

How Bird Collecting Evolved Into Bird-Watching (Smithsonian)

In the early 1900s, newfound empathy for avian creatures helped wildlife observation displace dispassionate killing.

The days of skulking in the undergrowth with binoculars are a thing of the past, for most birders today are conveyed along wooden boardwalks toward cozy hides to watch birds in comfort. It is telling, however, that the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the United Kingdom has more members than all U.K. political parties combined. Once the war was over, interest in birds metamorphosed from a “comparatively rare eccentricity into a national pastime,” according to a 2007 history in the journal British Birds. As it did so, two increasingly distinct strands—that Nicholson would have identified as either purposeful (censusing) or aimless (birding)—started to emerge: surveys versus listing, or keeping a list of every bird the watcher has seen. A true scholar—he had been partway through a graduate degree at Oxford at the outbreak of war—Buxton subsequently transformed the mass of notes accumulated by his fellow prisoners into a monograph on the common redstart that was published in 1950. From his camp, Buxton wrote to Erwin Stresemann, Germany’s leading ornithologist, who in a wonderful gesture of collegiality responded by sending books and bird bands (rings placed around a bird’s leg to help identify them) to help with their studies. The obsession with bird collecting in the 1800s and 1900s was a continuation of this trend but much more widespread, because by this date, a higher proportion of people in Europe had the wealth and time to collect. As the interest in watching birds rather than shooting them increased, a view espoused by ornithologist Max Nicholson came to dominate the field. And for those confined in German prisoner-of-war camps, birds provided a much-needed antidote to boredom and despair. He will soon come to regard the killing of birds as not only brutal, but dreadfully silly, and his gun and cartridges, once so dear, will be to him, hereafter, as the toys of childhood are to the grown man. Bird-watching became one of the most popular pastimes globally, eventually making birding scientific and playing a pivotal role in the animals’ conservation. But now that I have watched birds closely, the killing of them seems to me as something monstrous and horrible.” By the start of the 1800s, the making of collections—of bird skins and birds’ eggs—had become increasingly popular.

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Image courtesy of "Anadolu Agency"

'We love you': WNBA great Sue Bird honored ahead of retirement (Anadolu Agency)

Seattle Storm thank 41-year-old for her 2-decade long service - Anadolu Agency.

"Seattle was rockin' today for Sue Bird last home game! The Storm will visit the Chicago Sky on Tuesday, take a trip to Minnesota Lynx on Friday, and will be at the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday to conclude the regular season. "Sue Bird taking it ALL IN. In a sold out arena, Sue Bird is honored before her final regular season home game in Seattle," WNBA said on Twitter.

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Image courtesy of "Rappler"

'Thank you, Sue': Seattle legend Bird bids emotional farewell (Rappler)

Seattle Storm lifer Sue Bird is set to retire after 20 years in the WNBA.

A year earlier, Seattle fans urged Bird not to retire, chanting “one more year,” a moment that pushed her to stay in the game. “The WNBA has turned a corner in the last couple of years,” said Bird. “The one thing we could always count on was that the product on the floor was always going to be amazing.” Having been in the WNBA for all but five of the league’s 26 years, the grand dame of women’s professional basketball told reporters her hope was that “women’s athletes don’t have to fight for scraps.”

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Image courtesy of "Swish Appeal"

WNBA: A look at Seattle Storm legend Sue Bird's legacy as she sees it (Swish Appeal)

On Sunday, Sue Bird played in her final regular-season home game in the WNBA. She has played her entire career with the Seattle Storm.

But when I was a rookie, who was I really going to aspire to be like in terms of a really long career? “I know my name has become synonymous with this franchise and it’s become a little bit of a household name in this city and this community. Bird, the U.S. flag bearer at the 2021 Olympics, has always received a ton of attention because she is great with the media and the league has marketed her personality. It was fitting to hear Bird comment on the next generation as she has always been about continuing the legacy of the league and the game. And yet ... for a really long time there, you had to talk about me in shootaround. Of course, it was hard to shy away from that spotlight on Sunday, as January had already been honored in the team’s second-to-last home game. But I think it’s really and truly a celebration of Storm basketball.” So I think today was yes in honor of me and people showed up, showed out for sure, it really was amazing. But it mattered to the Aces too; they still have a shot at the No. 1 overall seed. “To see Stewie, A’ja dominate tonight, obviously they’ve been like the two MVP candidates for the last couple years, the two most important players on USA basketball, so it’s no surprise,” Bird said. Bird had nine points, six assists, four rebounds and a steal in 31 minutes and 42 seconds of playing time in the Sunday afternoon affair. She poked the ball away from Riquna Williams with 7:51 remaining and it led to her own fast break layup that cut the Storm’s deficit to five.

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Image courtesy of "MARCA.com"

Sue Bird net worth: What was the salary of the former basketball ... (MARCA.com)

Sue Bird is one of the most prominent female basketball players in the United States of America and as a result, she has been able to amass plenty of money ...

She is one of only eleven players in WBNA history to have won all of these awards. While in high school, she participated in track and field, tennis, soccer, and basketball. Since then, she has become one of the best players in WBNA history.

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Image courtesy of "al.com"

Watch Sue Bird get flower from young fan during her last home ... (al.com)

One young fan's in-game gesture to Sue Bird during the WNBA star's final game went viral Sunday. The 41-year-old Seattle Storm point guard was set to ...

Bird is the WNBA record holder for assists and games played. “That was the sweetest,” Bird told Lila Bromberg of the Hartford Courant. “She was so cute. And then I was like, ‘Oh, you want me to take this?’ ... And then I was like, ‘Oh, can you just hold this just for a second until I’m done?’”

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Image courtesy of "ICLG.com"

Bird & Bird builds Budapest IP practice | ICLG (ICLG.com)

A pharmaceutical industry veteran with experience across the contentious and non-contentious aspects of IP has joined Bird & Bird in Budapest.

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Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

The most awe-inspiring and exuberant birds are facing extinction ... (The Guardian)

From toucans and puffins to iridescent hummingbirds, the most unique creatures are the most vulnerable to human impacts, says Lucy Jones, author of Losing ...

While denialism in the face of climate breakdown and extinction seems hard to budge, could this new deepening of what the biodiversity crisis means – a less interesting world – be a warning that cuts through? I would tell them about the curlew, with its extraordinary curved beak; the kingfisher that bolts down the river like a turquoise meteor; the flamboyant antlers of a stag. I would tell them about the mandrill with its bright blue and pink face and rump. In short, we can expect the world to become “really simple and brown and boring”, Dr Eliot Miller, of the Cornell lab of ornithology, told the New York Times. More sparrows; fewer puffins. “The global extinction crisis doesn’t just mean that we’re losing species,” says the study’s leader, Dr Emma Hughes. “It means that we are losing unique traits and evolutionary history.” For decades ecologists have been warning about the homogenisation of diversity – species becoming more alike – in the living world.

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Image courtesy of "Shanghaiist"

Birding Tourism and Bird Watching Market Is Booming Worldwide ... (Shanghaiist)

According to Qurate Research's research experts, "Global Birding Tourism and Bird Watching Market 2022 Insights, Size, Share, Growth, Opportunities, E.

Birding Tourism and Bird Watching Market Is Booming Worldwide It also sheds light on the vendor landscape, helping players to foresee future competitive movements in the global Birding Tourism and Bird Watching business. “Global Birding Tourism and Bird Watching Market Insights, Size, Share, Growth, Opportunities, Emerging Trends, Forecast to 2028,” according to a Qurate Research report. It is an admirable effort to offer a true, transparent picture of the current and future conditions of the global Birding Tourism and Bird Watching market, based on credible facts and exceptionally accurate data. As a result, the market’s expansion is anticipated to be constrained. As a result, the industry is being strained even further. — Latin America/South America Birding Tourism and Bird Watching Market (Brazil and Argentina), — North America Birding Tourism and Bird Watching Market (Canada, Mexico, and The USA) All percentage share splits and breakdowns were calculated using secondary sources and verified sources. Chapter 3 Birding Tourism and Bird Watching Market Insights • What market segments do Birding Tourism and Bird Watching Market cover? It’s a commendable effort to present a true, transparent view of the existing and future situations of the worldwide Birding Tourism and Bird Watching market, based on reliable facts and extraordinarily precise statistics. Scope of the Birding Tourism and Bird Watching Market Report:

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Image courtesy of "The Indian Express"

Bird rescued from PM Narendra Modi's residence after it collapsed ... (The Indian Express)

After reaching the location, the two-member rescue team provided drinking water and hydrated the bird, after which it was carefully transferred to a transit ...

The bird is currently under observation and will be released into the wild once declared fit, Wildlife SOS said. On Tuesday morning, after security personnel stumbled upon the bird which was unable to fly and sitting on the ground due to dehydration, Wildlife SOS was alerted. A two-member team of a wildlife body rescued a black kite from the prime minister’s residence here after the raptor collapsed due to dehydration, a statement said on Tuesday.

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Image courtesy of "NDTV"

Black Kite Bird Rescued From PM's Residence After Collapsing Due ... (NDTV)

A two-member team of a wildlife body rescued a black kite from the prime minister's residence after the raptor collapsed due to dehydration, a statement ...

On Tuesday morning, after security personnel stumbled upon the bird which was unable to fly and sitting on the ground due to dehydration, Wildlife SOS was alerted. The bird is currently under observation and will be released into the wild once declared fit, Wildlife SOS said. A two-member team of a wildlife body rescued a black kite from the prime minister's residence after the raptor collapsed due to dehydration, a statement said on Tuesday.

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Image courtesy of "Front Office Sports"

Sue Bird's Final Regular-Season Home Game Sets Attendance ... (Front Office Sports)

WNBA legend Sue Bird took the hardwood for her final regular-season home game on Sunday evening — to a historic crowd. About 18,100 fans packed into Climate ...

Bird, a UConn Huskies alum, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 draft. More fans showed up for the game than any other WNBA game this season. The rabid crowd watched a pregame retirement ceremony and got to listen to her live post-game speech.

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Image courtesy of "New Zealand Herald"

Robert Webb bronze sculpture project takes flight (New Zealand Herald)

Titled Moment of Release, the artwork tells the story of how Whangārei Native Bird Recovery Centre manager Robert Webb returned Albert Ross the albatross back ...

The artwork is planned to be unveiled in October 2023 and Tutukaka Marina has offered to provide maintenance for the artwork in the future. A statement on the statue's plaque will recognise Robyn Webb's decades of dedication and hard work behind the scenes at the Whangārei Native Bird Recovery Centre. "This bronze will last forever - as will its message of support for the Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre," said centre manager Robert Webb. Founders Robert and Robyn Webb have cared for and treated thousands of birds since August 1, 1992, when the Whangārei Native Bird Recovery Centre was established. The $5,000 target covers only 10% of the projected cost of the sculpture and the pair plan to apply for further funding from agencies like CreativeNZ. Titled Moment of Release, the artwork tells the story of how Whangārei Native Bird Recovery Centre manager Robert Webb returned Albert Ross the albatross back to the wild in 2005.

Bird campaign: To launch concert series (WisPolitics.com)

HALES CORNERS, WI—LuAnn Bird, the Democratic candidate for the 84th Assembly District will be hosting the first in a series of Bird Songs concerts on Friday ...

This first concert will be held in her backyard with the purpose of raising awareness of and funds for her campaign. When redistricting happened, it became competitive for the first time in decades. They will participate in spreading LuAnn’s message of restoring political civility.

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Image courtesy of "National Audubon Society"

Meet Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, the Scorekeepers of North ... (National Audubon Society)

Maintaining reliable bird population data makes bird conservation more effective.

First created in 1992, the ACAD contains the latest, peer-reviewed data on population size, trend, distribution, and threats for each bird species in North America, including an overall biological vulnerability assessment as well as assessments at regional scales that incorporate area importance to highlight core populations. Under his leadership, the ACAD has grown from hosting information on just the 448 landbirds found in the U.S. and Canada to encompassing all 1,604 bird species regularly found in North America, from Canada all the way south to Panama, including species found in off-shore waters. Arvind Panjabi, avian conservation scientist at Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, has managed ACAD in collaboration with Partners in Flight since 2000. Their Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR) program is the second largest breeding bird monitoring program in North America, stretching across private and public land in 14 states. They freely share the latest data on bird populations, land management and conservation practices to help advance the work of others and guide conservation on-the-ground. Scientific research and monitoring are at the core, strengthened by partnership and collaboration at all scales.

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Image courtesy of "Mongabay.com"

'Birds are messengers': An interview with BirdLife's Patricia Zurita (Mongabay.com)

But with bird populations and habitats declining worldwide, BirdLife still has much to do. BirdLife's CEO Patricia Zurita spoke with Mongabay's Founder Rhett A.

I would also say that we in conservation have to work with governments, philanthropy, and the private sector to close what we call the biodiversity finance gap. And that’s the positive side: shifting economies to boost biodiversity and human wellbeing simultaneously. On one hand, we have to end the toxic economic subsidies that prop up exploitation of species and ecosystems and unsustainable use of natural resources. This gave sustainable jobs to more than 2,900 people in the area and helped restore 45 square kilometers of wetlands. In the short term, one of our big priorities is our Regional Flyways Initiative. Last fall at the U.N. Biodiversity Conference, BirdLife launched a $3 billion undertaking with the Asian Development Bank and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership. This flyway is one of eight major global bird migration routes. What were the top things you learned from this experience and how are you applying that to your role at BirdLife? They’re already starting to show measurable conservation outcomes, and the collaboration between BirdLife partners and local allies are growing. We have to get real: We have to set good goals, measure our results, and adapt quickly if our results don’t meet our commitments. Ultimately, part of the resolution of the conflict included the creation of a nature reserve on the border. It has also identified and documented more than 13,000 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) – “places of global significance for the conservation of birds and other biodiversity” – and helped protect 2,000 high priority conservation sites around the globe. And then in college, I took a seminar on birds of the Andes, and my life was just completely changed. It has also identified and documented more than 13,000 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) – “places of global significance for the conservation of birds and other biodiversity” – and helped protect 2,000 high priority conservation sites around the globe.

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Image courtesy of "UND Events Calendar"

UND welcomes Bird e-scooters to campus - UND Today (UND Events Calendar)

The new personal-transportation option is meant to provide an efficient way to get around the University. Photo courtesy of Bird Rides.

For now, riders will be able to operate the scooters only within the University limits. When a report is submitted, someone is assigned to correct the issue. Scanning the QR code on the scooter will finalize the rental, and travel cost will be deducted from the rider’s credit or debit card account. Rides cost $1 to start up and 39 cents per minute afterward, so there’s no University funding involved. Cassie Gerhardt, associate vice president for student affairs, agreed. The app shows available scooters and their locations.

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Image courtesy of "Phys.Org"

Birds on island time: Study relates island characteristics with the ... (Phys.Org)

A new study examines how the geographic characteristics of the world's islands influence seasonal variation in the number of bird species.

The study determines how seasonal species richness of birds is affected by the size of the island, how isolated it is from the mainland and other islands, and the latitude in which it lies. The bigger the island, the more bird species. Species numbers reached their highest levels on islands located in the Northern Hemisphere at mid-latitudes during migration periods. Islands that occurred greater than 90 miles from the mainland contained substantially fewer species. "These findings emphasize the importance of evolutionary processes on the largest islands and the unique ecology of the world's most remote islands,",said La Sorte. "Overall, species richness was lowest across all four seasons on the smallest, most remote islands and species richness was highest across all four seasons on the largest islands located at intermediate distances from the mainland." The story changes during the non-breeding season when the number of species present on tropical islands peaks—reflecting the fact that the majority of the world's migratory birds breed in the Northern Hemisphere and head south in the autumn to winter in the tropics.

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