Division of Bird Habitat Conservation

Birdscapes: News from International Habitat Conservation Partnerships

Editors' Page

Something new. We are trying something new. Tell us what you think of "In an Eggshell," a new Birdscapes department seen on pages 22 through 24. We thought this would be a perfect place for you to share those sound bites of newsy, educational, and fun items that don't need 500 words to get the story told. When you have information to share that fits into that realm, send it to us—no conference dates, please.

This issue carries another first: On page 16, the scientists at Ducks Unlimited Canada's Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research begin a series of articles on findings uncovered in their 8-year Prairie Habitat Joint Venture Assessment Study. For people who care about ducks, this and upcoming issues will be keepers.

Oops. Brian McCaffery and Allen Ratzlaff let us know of an error in a caption in Birdscapes Spring-Summer 2002 on page 19. The caption for the image of herpetologists Cecil Schwalbe and Phil Rosen with rancher Matt Magoffin states that they are examining a rare Chiricahua leopard frog, when, in fact, they are not. Allen and Brian think the men are eyeing a horned lizard. Good attention to detail, Brian and Allen. Clearly, it is not the frog featured in the article. We admit it. We are not perfect. Thanks, Brian and Allen, for pointing that out—about the frog/lizard, that is.

Congratulations! We have another Birdscapes award winner: Craig Springer. Craig entered an article he wrote for Birdscapes' Fall 2001 Issue (page 33) in the Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers and Photographers' 2002 Excellence in Craft Contest. His award reads: Craig Springer, First Place Writing-Newsletter, Birdscapes: A Weed Over Troubled Water. The Rocky Mountain group is a regional organization of professional and aspiring communicators dedicated to the improvement of communicating the outdoor experience. Craig said, "Birdscapes topped 19 entries." He is a humble man. His article topped 19 entries. Congratulations, Craig!

And more good news—another Birdscapes' winner. Gary Kramer entered the Winter 2001 Birdscapes' cover that featured his image of a snowy owl in the Outdoor Writers Association of America, Inc.'s, Art/Photo contest, the Natural History category. He received the third place award. Congratulations to you, too, Gary!