Promo Video: The New Birders
This short promotional video does a good job of explaining how some birders use birding smartphone apps in the field.
Movie (I'd like to Review): The Hide
Well, you can imagine I would be interested in a movie called The Hide, right? The Hide is a British thriller starring Alex MacQueen and Phil Campbell. It seems to only be available in PAL/region 2 format. Bummer, because it sounds interesting:
On the windswept Suffolk mudflats creaks a bird-hide, inside which hovers Roy Tunt, a prematurely aged, mildly obsessive-compulsive birder. With one more sighting - the elusive sociable plover - he will have 'twitched' the entire British List. Tunt has his shortwave radio, packed-lunch and a portrait of his ex-wife Sandra for company. Suddenly, in the midst of a conversation with Sandra's portrait, the hide door blows open and a bedraggled stranger - unshaven, edgy and bloodied introduces himself as Dave John, a fugitive from the storm. After a tense introduction, the two men discover that they have a good deal in common, sharing sandwiches, tea and personal exchanges which are frank, poignant and often funny. As the two men begin to form a close bond news of a police manhunt sets them both on edge driving their fragile relationship to a tragic conclusion.
It seems this title is available streaming on Amazon, but not in the United States. Here's the trailer:
Have you seen The Hide? What did you think of it? Was Red-tailed Hawk one of the rare ticks found by the main character? Because it sure sounds like one in the trailer. ;)
Upcoming Movie: Birdemic II
Ok everyone, get ready for a fall theatrical release of Birdemic II, the followup to 2010's Birdemic: Shock & Terror. The sequel, subtitled The Resurrection, is being filmed in 3D. A fun teaser trailer spoofing an Avengers post-credits scene was recently posted:
2 Quick Notes to Birders Re: The Big Year
I saw The Big Year last night at a midnight screening in Orlando. I'll try to get my review up soon but my in-laws are visiting from Europe this week so it might be...
Ridiculous Birdwatching Viral Video: we like watching birds
Writing partners Brian David Gilbert and Karen Han, popular on social media, delighted and confused birders with this surreal video. What do you think?