Much can be learned from a plant's name or a bird's name. Concluded by reading Jim Harrison's "Oriole," because Scott's and Bullock's Orioles will get new names.
I've always thought it pompous to name a species after one person. The descriptive names are much more useful (and beautiful). Thank you for all you've illuminated here. Harrison's poem is a great finish. Those of us who've been to the edge of the hole and made it back know something about the joy of being vertical and in motion on a glorious autumn day--or any day.
Pompous is a good word for it, and sometimes they didn’t even like birds. I’m glad you liked the poem. Vertical and in motion is a lucky way to be, people take it for granted. When you make it back from the hole you gain a new joie de vivre—and orioles make it even better.
James, this was such a great read. I saw something about the bird names being changed. Your explanation of bird names and other names was so helpful and interesting. It will interesting to see what the new names of the birds and other wildlife will be.
Thank you so much for the mention, so appreciated.
You mention that just knowing a name but no more is like knowing who wrote Anna Karenina. Not of much value. That makes me realize that I would rather know a few birds and their behaviors by watching them, spending time with them, than lots of birds just by reading and memorizing. For instance I know the calls and sounds of the Eastern Towhee, the gray catbird, and the blue jay, AND I know the towhee scurries about from bush to bush close to the ground, the catbird hides mewing in bushes a little higher up, say four to six feet off the ground, and the bluejay flies from tree to tree up much higher; like, crane your neck high. I know these things because I've watched them all in the woods. But I don't know much about ducks, warblers, and tons of other birds. And that's okay! 😊
By the way, thanks for the mention and the link and the quote. What a pleasant surprise!
Thank you, Don! Knowing the birds you spend time with allows for a better type of knowledge—a lived intimacy—than rote memorization of names, facts, and field marks. Better to know towhees and catbirds well than to know 50 warbler species you will never see at the price of knowing the Blue Jays well. Happy to mention your writing, you bring such patient wisdom to being a human being.
Brilliant article James, I hadn’t heard of a serviceberry before but to hear the meaning behind that name was fascinating! Loved the photos too, especially the Baltimore Oriole. I also feel the Clouded Sulphur image fits so nicely into this theme, at first glance you might miss it but - just like with the meanings of names but when you look closely you might find something beautiful. And thank you so much for recommending my article, it means a lot :)
Thank you Amaranta, i was already including your article in the recommendations, and now I see you want 60 subscribers by end of the month so I hope this helps! I agree about the Clouded Sulphur, I’m happy I didn’t just walk past that butterfly!
An excellent post, James. I really liked listening to that clip of the Gray Catbird. Also nice to hear the Mourning Dove in the background.
I am eager to see what naming conventions are assigned to wildlife and birds in particular. I am in favour of the naming convention tell us something about the animal and plant rather than someone's surname attached. Much more descriptive and respectful. For me, 2024 has truly been the year of the Cooper's Hawk. I would much rather remember these birds as perhaps the Swift Hawk, Grey/Gray Hawk or something similar.
That quote by Barry Lopez is 100% spot on: "I would say the first rule in connecting with nature is to pay attention, and part of paying attention is choosing to listen instead of speaking..."
Also, thank you for the mention - very much appreciated.
Thank you Neil. I like the name Swift Hawk—if you petition to change it to that you have my signature. Happy to mention your writing, always great to see a new Sijo from you
Have you read Braiding Sweetgrass James? I love what Robin Wall Kimmerer writes about the names of things, and what you wrote about the serviceberry (what a beautiful fact) has made me even more excited for her new book on the serviceberry. https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/braiding-sweetgrass-excerpt/
I love what you wrote about what we can learn from names. It's one of the reasons I love learning all the old colloquial names for birds too.
I’ve started and failed to finish that book an embarrassing number of times—a shortcoming of the reader, not the text. I loved her book, Gathering Moss. I didn’t know she has one about serviceberry but now I am also very excited, thank you Sarah. Names like Marsh Hawk, Fish Hawk, or Chicken Hawk make me smile. I still like to call Osprey Fish Hawk.
This is a wonderful photo essay, James. I especially appreciate learning about many of the species here. It’s a chance for me to be immersed in a region far away from where I live. A great learning opportunity and walk in nature. My personal favorite photo, out of everything which is outstanding, is the painted turtle. Thank you so much.
Thank you Heidi. I am glad you like the turtle, I wanted to switch it up from just birds and there's a birding spot I go to where the turtles abound, so I'll share more turtles in the future. A great thing about serviceberry is you can find it where you live!
I agree about the importance of learning names, though I have sympathy with people who say they can't remember all the names of things well enough.
I also agree that it's a good idea to rename the species that have been named after individuals. Though I'll be sad to see the loss of Wilson's Phalarope, Wilson's Snipe, Wilson's Storm Petrel etc. I've always felt an affinity with birds that have my surname!
Thank you Juliet! I should have written more directly about the difficulty of remembering names, especially as we age—foolish of me—but I was more trying to highlight the value of putting forth the effort in an intentional way to learn one’s surroundings.
It will be sad to no longer share your surname with a snipe, storm petrel, warbler—lots of birds! But it will be nice when their names are descriptive
I love the images you have captured James. And every time I see the east coast birds part of me aches to return there for a visit. It kinda tickles me that I still recognize so many from when I lived back there..
I would SO love to do that. Alas, the only trips I am taking for the last four years are ones for surgical procedures or surgeries. Maybe in a couple years. In the meantime, I will swoon over your amazing photography.
I always learn so much from you! Just wish I could retain it all. Interestingly, I wrote a poem about a serviceberry just this spring, and I made jam from some of the berries while being scolded by robins. They had plenty left when I was done. My serviceberry doesn't have flowers that look like the ones you have photographed, so I must have a different variety. I've watched it grow for about 30 years. Now I know why they call it a "serviceberry." Maybe "juneberry" would be less morbid.
That’s a wonderful poem! I liked the part about having to fend off the robins for the fruit. I didn’t take the photos of serviceberry—I wish I could take credit— those were Creative Commons. I’d love to know what kind it is, once it’s an amenable time of year please share a photo on notes!
It was really quite comical to see, with the robins making a racket and dive bombing the tree. That’s a favorite food for them. I’ll have to figure out what type it is. Leaves seem to be a different shape than the ones in your pictures. Interestingly, my daughter now has her own house, and when she landscaped it, she put a serviceberry in her front yard that I didn’t notice until I visited when it was full of berries. I made jam off of hers, too. That tree goes way back with us. She might know the exact species if she still has the landscaper’s plan.
I've always thought it pompous to name a species after one person. The descriptive names are much more useful (and beautiful). Thank you for all you've illuminated here. Harrison's poem is a great finish. Those of us who've been to the edge of the hole and made it back know something about the joy of being vertical and in motion on a glorious autumn day--or any day.
Pompous is a good word for it, and sometimes they didn’t even like birds. I’m glad you liked the poem. Vertical and in motion is a lucky way to be, people take it for granted. When you make it back from the hole you gain a new joie de vivre—and orioles make it even better.
Absolutely James!
James, this was such a great read. I saw something about the bird names being changed. Your explanation of bird names and other names was so helpful and interesting. It will interesting to see what the new names of the birds and other wildlife will be.
Thank you so much for the mention, so appreciated.
Thank you Pamela. I wonder what they are going to change names too. Blackburnian Warbler -> orange-throat? We will have to see!
Fascinating read, James, thank you!
You mention that just knowing a name but no more is like knowing who wrote Anna Karenina. Not of much value. That makes me realize that I would rather know a few birds and their behaviors by watching them, spending time with them, than lots of birds just by reading and memorizing. For instance I know the calls and sounds of the Eastern Towhee, the gray catbird, and the blue jay, AND I know the towhee scurries about from bush to bush close to the ground, the catbird hides mewing in bushes a little higher up, say four to six feet off the ground, and the bluejay flies from tree to tree up much higher; like, crane your neck high. I know these things because I've watched them all in the woods. But I don't know much about ducks, warblers, and tons of other birds. And that's okay! 😊
By the way, thanks for the mention and the link and the quote. What a pleasant surprise!
Thank you, Don! Knowing the birds you spend time with allows for a better type of knowledge—a lived intimacy—than rote memorization of names, facts, and field marks. Better to know towhees and catbirds well than to know 50 warbler species you will never see at the price of knowing the Blue Jays well. Happy to mention your writing, you bring such patient wisdom to being a human being.
Brilliant article James, I hadn’t heard of a serviceberry before but to hear the meaning behind that name was fascinating! Loved the photos too, especially the Baltimore Oriole. I also feel the Clouded Sulphur image fits so nicely into this theme, at first glance you might miss it but - just like with the meanings of names but when you look closely you might find something beautiful. And thank you so much for recommending my article, it means a lot :)
Thank you Amaranta, i was already including your article in the recommendations, and now I see you want 60 subscribers by end of the month so I hope this helps! I agree about the Clouded Sulphur, I’m happy I didn’t just walk past that butterfly!
An excellent post, James. I really liked listening to that clip of the Gray Catbird. Also nice to hear the Mourning Dove in the background.
I am eager to see what naming conventions are assigned to wildlife and birds in particular. I am in favour of the naming convention tell us something about the animal and plant rather than someone's surname attached. Much more descriptive and respectful. For me, 2024 has truly been the year of the Cooper's Hawk. I would much rather remember these birds as perhaps the Swift Hawk, Grey/Gray Hawk or something similar.
That quote by Barry Lopez is 100% spot on: "I would say the first rule in connecting with nature is to pay attention, and part of paying attention is choosing to listen instead of speaking..."
Also, thank you for the mention - very much appreciated.
Thank you Neil. I like the name Swift Hawk—if you petition to change it to that you have my signature. Happy to mention your writing, always great to see a new Sijo from you
I planted a service berry 5 years ago. This spring was the first time it had flowers. Hopefully it means berries in June.
Hopefully those berries can become tasty treats!
Having just planted serviceberry, now I’m curious about what species. Because I’m just now learning there are dozens of them 😅
That’ll be interesting to find out! I used to think it was serviceberry and that was all, but it turns out there is much more to it
Allegheny serviceberry! Makes sense since Allegheny is the county I live in :)
Thank you, James. So much to learn from this essay. 🙏 I really enjoyed your stunning photographs, just beautiful! 🙏❤
Thank you so much, there is always more to learn with Nature
Have you read Braiding Sweetgrass James? I love what Robin Wall Kimmerer writes about the names of things, and what you wrote about the serviceberry (what a beautiful fact) has made me even more excited for her new book on the serviceberry. https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/braiding-sweetgrass-excerpt/
I love what you wrote about what we can learn from names. It's one of the reasons I love learning all the old colloquial names for birds too.
I’ve started and failed to finish that book an embarrassing number of times—a shortcoming of the reader, not the text. I loved her book, Gathering Moss. I didn’t know she has one about serviceberry but now I am also very excited, thank you Sarah. Names like Marsh Hawk, Fish Hawk, or Chicken Hawk make me smile. I still like to call Osprey Fish Hawk.
This is a wonderful photo essay, James. I especially appreciate learning about many of the species here. It’s a chance for me to be immersed in a region far away from where I live. A great learning opportunity and walk in nature. My personal favorite photo, out of everything which is outstanding, is the painted turtle. Thank you so much.
Thank you Heidi. I am glad you like the turtle, I wanted to switch it up from just birds and there's a birding spot I go to where the turtles abound, so I'll share more turtles in the future. A great thing about serviceberry is you can find it where you live!
Thank you, James. This post is really educational. I also wanted to add that your comments on naming are important and give us much to consider.
I agree about the importance of learning names, though I have sympathy with people who say they can't remember all the names of things well enough.
I also agree that it's a good idea to rename the species that have been named after individuals. Though I'll be sad to see the loss of Wilson's Phalarope, Wilson's Snipe, Wilson's Storm Petrel etc. I've always felt an affinity with birds that have my surname!
Thank you Juliet! I should have written more directly about the difficulty of remembering names, especially as we age—foolish of me—but I was more trying to highlight the value of putting forth the effort in an intentional way to learn one’s surroundings.
It will be sad to no longer share your surname with a snipe, storm petrel, warbler—lots of birds! But it will be nice when their names are descriptive
I love the images you have captured James. And every time I see the east coast birds part of me aches to return there for a visit. It kinda tickles me that I still recognize so many from when I lived back there..
If you still recognize them, maybe it’s time for a trip to go see them in person! Thank you for reading and commenting Teyani
I would SO love to do that. Alas, the only trips I am taking for the last four years are ones for surgical procedures or surgeries. Maybe in a couple years. In the meantime, I will swoon over your amazing photography.
I always learn so much from you! Just wish I could retain it all. Interestingly, I wrote a poem about a serviceberry just this spring, and I made jam from some of the berries while being scolded by robins. They had plenty left when I was done. My serviceberry doesn't have flowers that look like the ones you have photographed, so I must have a different variety. I've watched it grow for about 30 years. Now I know why they call it a "serviceberry." Maybe "juneberry" would be less morbid.
Anyway, here's the poem...
https://open.substack.com/pub/caroleroseland/p/worth-the-chance?r=3myco9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
That’s a wonderful poem! I liked the part about having to fend off the robins for the fruit. I didn’t take the photos of serviceberry—I wish I could take credit— those were Creative Commons. I’d love to know what kind it is, once it’s an amenable time of year please share a photo on notes!
It was really quite comical to see, with the robins making a racket and dive bombing the tree. That’s a favorite food for them. I’ll have to figure out what type it is. Leaves seem to be a different shape than the ones in your pictures. Interestingly, my daughter now has her own house, and when she landscaped it, she put a serviceberry in her front yard that I didn’t notice until I visited when it was full of berries. I made jam off of hers, too. That tree goes way back with us. She might know the exact species if she still has the landscaper’s plan.
It’s special that you and your daughter share a common story with serviceberry—and that you can make good jams!