My column for The Record today is about hummingbirds and hurricanes -- with the observations of  Victor M. Ortega-Jimenez, who did his post-doctoral research on the effects of precipitation on hummingbird flight.

As I mentioned in my High Mountain Zoom talk for The Nature Conservancy (you can view it here), I may have made a major discovery.

While hiking near the summit recently, I found a huge turducken-like feather with a quarter next to it  (see image below, note quarter)-- the 25-cent coin a well-known turducken calling card.

A few days later, I came across what could be the first-ever Wild Turducken egg found in the wild (see photo above, note telltale quarter).

I have been seeking these elusive birds for years, ever since Joe Koscielny spotted one at the Celery Farm -- but to no avail.

I have tried every fowl and owl call known to science, including a Wild Haggis call imported from Scotland (see below, upper right), but have not been able to lure a wily Turducken yet.

(The Wild Haggis call did lead me to the discovery of the Wild Turken egg.)

I have notified the state about the egg discovery and sent the egg for DNA testing. I am told that because of the flood of Coronavirus testing, the lab probably won't report back to next spring -- perhaps by early April.

Stay tuned!

The Birdfair is the United Kingdom's largest birding event,  typically attracting thousands of visitors.

Billed as the "the world's largest fundraising fair," the event has raised roughly $5 million for a wide range of conservation projects worlwide.

Because of the pandemic, the event has gone virtual, and it runs today through Aug. 23.

What's more, the organizers have made it free for birders all around the world to see all the events.

You can enter the virtual fair here.

I am tickled to present a short talk about the real James Bond and Caribbean conservation on Friday.

I will post a link to the talk then.

The last two weeks I've had insect mysteries. Today it's a spider. Next to our vegetable garden, next to the Celery Farm.

What is it? (Reminded me of a Banana Spider I saw in the Louisiana Bayou last fall.)

I'm doing a free Zoom talk about The Real James Bond on Wednesday, Sept. 9, to celebrate my hometown library -- Lee Memorial Library.

As a library fund-raiser, signed copies of my lavishly illustrated book are for sale at Lee Memorial and at Bergen County Camera in Westwood

The books are $25, with the net proceeds from each sale going to benefit my terrific library. (It's great even though I'm a trustee.)

You can also borrow a copy at Lee Memorial Library or another local library.

E-books are available for digital loans.