link bounty: migration madness, vole traps, more

I MET JACK THE DEMON CAT on September 11, 2001; he was here in the driveway, a stray who’d apparently chosen me, when I arrived from Manhattan late that morning. This year, September 11 was marked by flocks and flocks and flocks of raucous birds flying overhead, a winged migration of dramatic proportion that had me sitting outside listening, and watching (and Jack going mad inside, where he belongs, watching me watch).

Imagine how frustrated Jack was when the black-throated blue warbler (below) stunned himself on the glint of the glass porch door. I gently righted him, and then we sat awhile together, talking softly, until he was ready to continue on, Jack staring in disbelief from indoors, where I hold him hostage to protect my avian friends.

But our show here was nothing compared to the one that night at the site of the World Trade Center, where the memorial beams of light proved confusing to migrants trying to navigate their way to wintering grounds. The NPR piece on it, with an expert guest from New York City Audubon—was chilling, and beautiful. A must-listen.

WOW, BIG SURPRISE. A new study in Argentina confirms that Roundup is linked to human birth defects. Enough said; you know what will happen if I get going. Have a read for yourself, thanks to GM Watch dot org.

I HAVE THE NICEST READERS (that would be you). Almost 14,000 comments into our two-and-a-half-year relationship, I