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July 2026 How I became a professor at MIT; birds and art

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    When I was teaching, for the last class of the term, I would give a talk on  How I Became A Professor at MIT . I sent it to my friend Marisa the other day and she loved it so much I thought I'd post it here, too.  And, now, back to Nature Notes.  Tuesday July 7 On my way to a bird meeting in Newport RI, I stopped in Providence to go to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) museum and have dinner with a friend. I was tickled by this owl beaker, made in 1556, with a coconut shell body, gilded wings that flap and a gilded head that detaches to form a cup. The label said it was German, and that "Coconuts - shipped from India and South and Central America - were rare in the 1500s in northern Germany but valued as medicinal and restorative. Coconut milk was considered a remedy or aphrodisiac."   The Wilson Ornithological Society meeting was held at a college right next to Newport's famous cliff walk, handy for a little early morning or lunchtime birding. I...
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June 2026 Trolls, baby animals everywhere, Adirondacks, Maine

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Tuesday, June 2   Went to Rhode Island to visit my friends Di and Linda today. First, Di and I met up with their friend, Pam, an ornithologist who works at the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge to go for a walk. Pam said my bird book has "the perfect combination of nerdy and awe", which is, itself, perfect! Afterwards, we stopped at the Ninigret Park to see the Thomas Dambo troll sculptures - here's Greta Granite. When I got home, I went to Ward's Pond to check on the swan nest - 5 cygnets! But a week and a half later, they were down to just 2.   Friday June 5  Mama duck trying to get some alone time at Ward's Pond.  And in the evening, Jetta, the Arb intern staying with me this summer, saw this baby rabbit in my back yard. Jetta Boser  Sunday June 7 Walking at Broadmoor Audubon sanctuary in Natick, a turtle laying eggs.  Later in the day, along the path near Ward's Pond, someone finally added eyes to the crinkled bark mouth and nose on this tree. ...
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May 2026 Book talks, Art in Bloom, spring!

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  Book display for a talk at the Wellfleet Audubon sanctuary on Cape Cod. I've been busy giving book talks this month - at the MIT Museum and the MIT class reunion around graduation; at 3 Mass Audubon sanctuaries; and at a couple of bird clubs. Also doing some podcasts and radio interviews.  It's all going very well - the MIT Press bookseller says that that book is selling "gangbusters"!  They've already sold over 3/4 of the initial print run of 3000 and have it in the printer's queue to print another 1000. I think they're going to need more... Friday May 1 Susan and I went to the Art in Bloom show at the Museum of Fine Arts. Local garden clubs are assigned a work of art on which to base a floral arrangement. It was spectacular - dozens and dozens of arrangements, cleverly done.    Tuesday May 5 The spring songbirds are coming back. Hearing lots of warblers (but can't seem to find them). And here's an oriole in a bush at the end of my street.   Fr...
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April 2026 Book Arrived!

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  Wednesday April 1 Two advance copies of the book arrived today!! I'm very pleased with how it all looks. The only glitch is that due to a delay at the binder, the publication date has been pushed back to May 5.      MIT Press sent me a QR code that you can use to get a 20% discount on the book (only for US residents).   Saturday April 4 Allandale Farm had a little celebration of life, complete with a Scottish bagpiper by the pond, for their big, black, 17 year old Highland steer, Curtis, who died in January. About 60 people showed up for him. Several employees spoke about how sweet he was and how much customers loved to see him. At the end, one little girl gave the farm manager a drawing she'd made of Curtis and another gave spring flowers she'd brought. The Boston Globe even featured an  article  about him and the ceremony. Curtis, from the Allandale Farm website.  And on my afternoon walk, I spotted a tree in blossom! Spring is reall...
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