The Big Year and the Big Rescue

THE GREAT SAPSUCKER RESCUE OF 2011

So this is not really news anymore, but I didn't write about it when it happened. Anyways, a coworker of mine, Ron, and I were grabbing coffee when we noticed a bunch of smokers outside the building looking at something. Didn't take long for us to see it was a poor bird shocked and stuck near the entrance of our building. It was a little yellow-bellied sapsucker, seemingly confused that the siding of the building was a not a tree, and apparently very confused about how to get out of that maze of concrete and metal.

I really felt we needed to do something and luckily Ron was there, ready to do a good deed. I donated my cardigan to the cause and Ron managed to get it in my sweater, where it made very loud screeches for a few moments before quieting down completely and apparently becoming quite comfortable in Ron's arms. We debated where to take it, and instead of just releasing it in the concrete jungle we opted to take it over to the nearest park space. On the way Ron casually mentions, "by the way, I took a course on animal rescue."

So we head over and he puts it on the ground, and wants to check its wings when the thing just takes off like a bat out of hell, headed for the closest tree. Judging by how fast he took off, we think it was just fine. Well, my first sapsucker in the downtown core! Although we do have lots of birding stories at the office...another recent on is the peregrine that caught a pigeon and sat on the ledge opposite our office defeathering the thing...amazing to watch!

Hero Ron and Woodpecker!

Oh yeah, so remember what seems like ages ago they came out with a movie about birding? Woops...this post has been in my drafts for a while now...

I'd been patiently waiting for the Big Year to be released. Knowing it was coming out made me acutely aware of just how long it takes for a film to be made and finally released. I found out about it when it was already being filmed, which seems like AGES ago. Matt and I headed out on release night to catch it, not knowing exactly what to expect. I was curious to see how they would adapt a book with so narrow a focus to such a broad audience.

I wasn't sure what to expect--I didn't think this could possibly be a blockbuster--I just couldn't see the general public rushing out to see it, except maybe for the all-star cast. I don't know what a theatre normally looks like on a Friday night these days, but it was pretty quiet in there. We arrived just 9 minutes before it started, and when I asked if there was much room left, the cashier looked at me and said, "well, we've sold 35 seats so far." Hmm, so nobody rushing out to see it on opening night. We headed into the relatively empty theatre, and the previews had already started.

I got a few laughs and chuckles in, and a few when nobody else was laughing (especially when a coworker asks Jack Black what he's listening to on his headphones and he replies "Clark's Nutcracker," partially because I have been known to this in my own cube).

Normally I would have passed this one off as pure fluff, but I was lenient with it because I wanted to be. Would I recommend it? No, probably not. It's not enough for a serious birder, and can't carry its own weight for non-birding fans. Ok, I'm going to go ahead and admit....it was pretty terrible. Ah well. My recommendation would be...just the read the book. It's great.

in line for the movie...had waited for what seemed like forever for it to be released!