I and the Bird #45

I've been away from cyberspace lately, except for an occasional short visit, so I've missed developments at I and the Bird. The most recent edition is up at Journey through Grace, a birthday celebration for host Jayne's 45th birthday. It's another wonderful selection of the best of recent bird and birding blogging, but what's striking about it for me is how many new blogs are represented.

Mike at 10,000 Birds recently wrote a metablog post about nature and birder blogging (see also John's thoughts on the matter at A DC Birding Blog), acknowledging that we are a small niche in the great blogosphere--but the growth seems to me to be exponential.

Check out I and the Bird #45 and you'll see what I mean.

Friday Turkey

Jake in the Yard (courtesy of Bill Newman)

All aboard the Friday Ark!

Happy Birthday, PZ Myers!!

Today the great defender of evolution and lover of all things cephalopodic, Professor Myers of Pharyngula is fifty!

I came across Pharyngula early on in my forays into the blogosphere (2005), while searching for science and nature blogs, and have been a faithful reader ever since. I was dismayed to learn that the threat to science education in the United States is real, heartened to see science defended so passionately, fascinated by the beautiful images of ocotopuses and squids, and interested and entertained by the rest of the eclectic selection of science and political posts offered by the erudite and often funny PZ Myers.

So on this, his special day, at the threshold of the second half of life (one I will reach in a few short months), I salute him. And take this opportunity to recommend that the few people who might come across this small blog who have not visited Pharyngula, rush on over!!

Happy Birthday, PZ! And may there be many more.