May's Bird of the Month
Springtime is the hardest time for me to select a BOTM. The great spectacle of spring migration is going on, and so many wonderful birds are making “First of Year” appearances on my Year List. All of these birds, many of them plumaged in the fullness of their breeding glory, really make selecting hard for me. But, try I must.
Once again, as I reflect on my birding over the last month, one bird does indeed stand out in my mind. It actually wasn’t the bird singly, but it was the situation in which I’d seen a group of these birds. This month’s Bird of The Month is the Fox Sparrow.
In Indiana, of the 30 or so different types of “sparrows” that one can see in the course of a typical year, the Fox Sparrow isn’t the most well known. It’s not that this is a rare bird; it’s just that they tend to be a bit shy and don’t hesitate to hide when they sense the possibility of being observed. They also aren’t very well known because they're generally only in Indiana 6-8 weeks over the course of a year. (3-4 weeks in the early spring and 3-4 weeks in the late fall).
However, when one does find themselves in a position to observe this bird, you will see a relatively large and chunky sparrow. A sparrow that is heavily streaked on the chest, with those streaks converging into a dark spot at the chest's center. You will also see that the bird is aptly named, as the coloring of this reddest of sparrows does indeed resemble that of the Red Fox.
This sparrow isn't known to congregate in flocks. Matter of fact, that is the reason this bird stands out in my mind and is elevated to the BOTM. While birding a few weeks back, I found myself amongst about 20 or so Fox Sparrows. I'd never experienced a group even half that number before with the Fox Sparrow. I believe one of the reasons folks fall in love with birdwatching and birding is that you get surprised by what you see and come across every now and again.
Douglas “Birdman” Gray has been birding almost all of his life. He grew up on a family farm near Clarksville, Tennessee, where they grew crops ranging from apricots to wheat, and most things in between. They also raised chickens, guineas, pigs, horses, and a cow named…….Apples. Doug’s grandfather identified the birds they would see daily on the farm.
Doug now resides in Indianapolis and works in Parenteral Engineering with Eli Lilly and Company. Most of his current birding takes place in Indiana, with a concentration on Central Indiana, where he leads bird walks for “Backyard Birds”. Doug can be reached at 317-255-7333.
The Ghetto Plainsman Comes to California!
Meet Jarid Manos, Green Leader, Vegan Athlete, Youth Worker, Health Advocate, Father...
Jarid is headed to the San Francisco Bay Area in a few days to read from his first book, Ghetto Plainsman. Jarid Manos is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Great Plains Restoration Council, which is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Gritty, raw and spiritual, Ghetto Plainsman chronicles one man’s triumph over humiliation, self-defeat, anger and violence by taking us on a chaotic journey between urban survival and the life or death struggles of ravaged American Great Plains. Beautifully written, infused with a raw realism and an epilogue of practical solutions, Ghetto Plainsman is the searing journey of one of the Green Movements most original voices at a time when the world is in crisis and into ecological collapse.
Check him out!
Location:
Books Inc. in Alameda
1344 Park Street
Alameda, California 94501
Hey Youth! Join the Outdoor Nation Summer Summit Series!
From the Outdoor Nation Website:
What
The Youth Summit is a 3-day event with 249 of your peers (give or take) so that we can find solutions to the challenges that are keeping people indoors. And, work with us on a project that you help design.
Who
YOU! You can be a summit delegate if:
- You really want to change the world so that everyone has the chance to GTFO
- You are between the ages of 18* and 28
- Your application is chosen by our esteemed committee
* If you are under 18, consider yourself exceptionally mature and will hold your breath until we let you apply, email Ivan Levin directly at [email protected].
Why
Because the best person to make a change for this generation is YOU… and we finally have our own program, the power to set our own agenda and WE CAN make things happen with your help.
How
Day one: We adapt and reprioritze the Rights and Responsibilites declaration from the National Congress, vote on the top outdoor issues in our region, brainstorm solutions to the top issues, and vote on which solutions to fund with grant money. We'll use the real-time key pad voting system from last year to see instantaneous voting results. Boom!
Day two: We GTFO. With our national partner America’s State Parks, we'll set up a massive chill and play outdoors experience in each Summit city. We're calling it Summer Fun Day. We'll even invite the public to come hang out with us. Expect everything from rock climbing walls to kayaking, biking and hiking as well as music and entertainment. Seriously,you DON’T want to miss this…
Day thre: We go to the plan. This is the day we give you the training and tools you need to carry out the action plan from day one. By the end of day three, you're a fully-fledged crusader for the outdoors.
Uhm yeah, you'll leave the Summit with a lot more than just a pat on the back!
How Much
Fuh-Ree! AND thanks to our freaking awesome sponsors, food and lodging are totally paid for. All you have to do is apply, and get there! Road trip!!
Where/When
We’ve got options. Choose the location nearest to you so that you can make change in your community.
Visit the Outdoor Nation page to get on board!
Games Outdoor Afros Play - Dominoes
As we unloaded the taxi before a small concrete building, I heard the unmistakable sound that told me, “Oh, but yes,” SLAM! SLAM! SLAM! and the boisterous laughter and chatter of old men playing dominoes. We were greeted by Ms. Suzette Hinds, secretary of the club that hosts rounds of play on weekdays and tournaments on Sundays. I felt instantly at home, well at least that scene of down-home like being at a family reunion in the park or out in the country or on the porch or patio at Big Momma's house.
Similar to how we play in the States, Bajan Dominoes plays with a box of double six pieces, each player takes 7 pieces each, double six preferential starts the game, a round of play ends when the first player's hand is empty or the board is locked, and players 'wash' the bones to shuffle them around before selecting pieces. Games can be played with three or four players and folks trash-talk, count pieces, and knock on the table to pass. And of course people SLAM bones on the table. But the pace of play and score taking is much different.
In the United States, points are claimed by players at each turn whenever the ends add up to a multiple of five. In a 3-man game, you don't go fishing for a piece if you can't play. Those extra pieces are simply out of play. Wins are a tallied according to who finishes the game first (domino!) or has the least points left in hand at the end of the game. I actually did quite well playing Bajan Dominoes because I employed the same strategy I use in American Dominoes – play the highest value pieces first. Points are tallied according to how many games you win (not the points you claim at each turn). As a result, rounds are very fast, on average 3-5 minutes. You mark your win on the table with a piece of chalk. The first person to win 6 total games wins that match. Several matches can be played.
Four-man dominoes is a team effort. The play is the same, except the winner of the previous round plays the first piece. Double six is still the preferred leading piece but if s/he doesn't have it then s/he will play what s/he can. The first team to win 6 rounds wins the match.
It was quite a lot of fun. Our teachers were great sports and were quite patient with us.
Of course, they were counting pieces and making plays before we could knock. I swear I was at a family reunion picnic. They were talking all kinds junk – with their thick Bajan dialects: "You no have no fives” Slam! Slam! “C'mon.” "Girl knocking.” “Ere go!” Slam! My only response was to reply “Get out outta my hand!” and laugh in full agreement.
I had a blast and I actually like playing dominoes the Bajan way! I can't wait to show off what I have learned at the next Outdoor Afro summer gathering with family and friends.
Games Outdoor Afros Play - Dominoes
As I read the proposed itinerary for the US Journalists Experiential trip to Barbados sponsored by the Barbados Tourism Authority, I got quite excited to see that we would “Learn to play Dominoes the Bajan Way” hosted by the Barbados National Domino, Whist and Hearts Club. The first thought that went through my mind was “Do they play bones the same in the Barbados as we do here in the States? Oh, boy, I can't wait to find out.” I was also curious if the Whist in the Club name referred to a card game similar to Bid Whist I have played before. (I'll answer that second question now. I didn't get a chance to see or play a hand of cards. I explained to a nice Bajan gentleman our game of Bid Whist in the States and he told me yes, that is the game they call Whist in Barbados. The number of ways African-American and Barbados culture are alike are amazing. But I digress.)
As we unloaded the taxi before a small concrete building, I heard the unmistakable sound that told me, “Oh, but yes,” SLAM! SLAM! SLAM! and the boisterous laughter and chatter of old men playing dominoes. We were greeted by Ms. Suzette Hinds, secretary of the club that hosts rounds of play on weekdays and tournaments on Sundays. I felt instantly at home, well at least that scene of down-home like being at a family reunion in the park or out in the country or on the porch or patio at Big Momma's house.
Similar to how we play in the States, Bajan Dominoes plays with a box of double six pieces, each player takes 7 pieces each, double six preferential starts the game, a round of play ends when the first player's hand is empty or the board is locked, and players 'wash' the bones to shuffle them around before selecting pieces. Games can be played with three or four players and folks trash-talk, count pieces, and knock on the table to pass. And of course people SLAM bones on the table. But the pace of play and score taking is much different.
In the United States, points are claimed by players at each turn whenever the ends add up to a multiple of five. In a 3-man game, you don't go fishing for a piece if you can't play. Those extra pieces are simply out of play. Wins are a tallied according to who finishes the game first (domino!) or has the least points left in hand at the end of the game. I actually did quite well playing Bajan Dominoes because I employed the same strategy I use in American Dominoes – play the highest value pieces first. Points are tallied according to how many games you win (not the points you claim at each turn). As a result, rounds are very fast, on average 3-5 minutes. You mark your win on the table with a piece of chalk. The first person to win 6 total games wins that match. Several matches can be played.
Four-man dominoes is a team effort. The play is the same, except the winner of the previous round plays the first piece. Double six is still the preferred leading piece but if s/he doesn't have it then s/he will play what s/he can. The first team to win 6 rounds wins the match.
It was quite a lot of fun. Our teachers were great sports and were quite patient with us.
Of course, they were counting pieces and making plays before we could knock. I swear I was at a family reunion picnic. They were talking all kinds junk – with their thick Bajan dialects: "You no have no fives” Slam! Slam! “C'mon.” "Girl knocking.” “Ere go!” Slam! My only response was to reply “Get out outta my hand!” and laugh in full agreement.
I had a blast and I actually like playing dominoes the Bajan way! I can't wait to show off what I have learned at the next Outdoor Afro summer gathering with family and friends
Outdoor Fun in Barbados: Fun at Sea!
The Barbados Tourism Authority took a group of US Journalists on an Experiential Tour of the beautiful island and we enjoyed the best of Bajan culture and activities, including Outodoor Fun at Sea! Barbados is a small island, 14 miles wide and 21 miles long; however, it has 60 miles of coastline giving you a number and variety of ways to enjoy Barbados' top attraction – the seaside!
1. Beachside Activities
Beach combing and lounging are always in style. All of the fine white sand beaches are public so you're sure to mix and mingle with tourists and residents alike. The friendly people are happy to greet you, share a conversation with you or invite you to join them in activity. Vendors are also common. If you are staying at a beachfront hotel, like I did at Hotel Tamarind along the West Coast, outdoor living space is also maximized: sun beds, chaise lounges, beach sofas made for two, and outdoor dining facilties. As lovely as the accommodations were, it was hard to stay inside with lovely views as these.
2. Water Sports
Sea water is naturally bouyant, so simply splashing and swimming around the roped off sections (for your safety) of the sea are always a hit. However, one must be mindful of the coral along the beach and on the ocean. Unlike the other Caribbean islands, Barbados is a coral island and not a volcanic one. Parts of the sea floor are stone and coral cover which is beautiful, but has been known to cut the skin if one isn't careful. Included in the cost of rooms at Hotel Tamarind and the other Hotel Elegant properties is pre-paid water sport activities such as windsurfing, sunfish sailing, standup paddle surfing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. I gave standup paddleboarding a try. It was lots of fun but not as physically rigourous as I thought. The trick is to find your balance and just go with the waves. However, I fell a lot. It wasn't traumatic at all. The water felt great and after blinking a million times to wash the salt out I was fine. I slid myself back on the paddle surf board (a modified surf board) and gave it a try one more try.
3. Deep Sea Leisure
Barbados sits in both the Caribbean sea and on the edge of the Atlantic ocean. The East coast is quite choppy each each year, the area known as Bathsheba hosts surfing competitions attracting folks from all over the globe. However, many of these beaches are not for general activity. However, boating and sailing are also popular on the island. Tiami Catamaran Cruises is a commericial tour that takes visitors out to swim with endangered Barbados sea turtles and snorkel over beautiful coral beds along south and western seas. The cruise itself was adventurous and offered spectacular views.
Barbados was a grand time.
Have you and your friends and families visited Barbados or the West Indies before? What are your favorite water-side memories from your Outdoor Afro Adventures?
Spotted on Sunday (SOS)
Son of Outdoor Afro trying his hand at kite flying - Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA.
Where where you spotted on Sunday?
Unnatural State of Mind
Contributed by Roger Porter, who discovers something amiss during his recent trip to the beach with his daughter. He shares a thought provoking perspective. Please leave a comment below with your reactions.
Today I found myself at Natural Bridges State Park near Santa Cruz, CA. Natural Bridges is the perfect place to go on a warm spring day because of its magnificent beach and the breathtaking views. The people are beautiful too, and they seemed to represent every corner of the world…every corner except mine. I realized as I was showing my daughter the amazing tide pools at the park that outside of us there were no other black people there.
The beach was really crowded as a matter of fact. There were Pakistanis, Indians, Filipinos, French people, Mexicans, Whites, Asians, but no black folk to be seen. I thought to myself maybe it’s because Santa Cruz has a very small African-American population, but as we walked through the park I heard several different languages being spoken and I smelled a very diverse array of ethnic foods being cooked on the grill. It became pretty clear that everyone there was not from Santa Cruz proper or even the surrounding area.
The lack of blackness at the beach puzzled me a bit. I can’t understand how a group of people who lived on the coast of Africa for thousands and thousands of years, unlearned loving the beach so quickly. And it isn’t just the beach either. It’s also understood that hiking, and camping are extremely uncool things for black people to do (incidentally I enjoy doing all of these activities regularly). How did this happen? How did appreciating the beauty of the Earth become strictly forbidden for the Earths original people?
I can’t give a very thorough answer to that question; however, I know it has a lot to do with the legacy of slavery and segregation. I know a large part of institutionalized racism is confining an oppressed group to a certain space and disallowing them to ever come out. That’s what ghettos, barrios, shantytowns, and favelas are all about and today was proof as to how effective those constructs have become. After a while people don’t even try to leave their boundaries. Not even on a gorgeous Saturday in the liberal state of California.
It was a very nice day at the beach though. We saw starfish, crabs, and jellyfish, built a sand castle and played in the water until close to sunset. I made it a point that we were among the last people to leave just to represent because after all, you know how we do— LOL.
Roger Porter is a writer and educator from Oakland, CA USA whose first book, "The Souls of Hood Folk," is available at lulu.com. He has a degree in English from UC Berkeley and an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. He describes himself as "An average everyday man from East Oakland who writes about average everyday hood life."
Barbados Bound: An Outdoor Afro Adventure in the Caribbean
I'm excited about visiting Barbados. I've never been before, but I have experienced other Caribbean countries, and know first hand how amazing the Caribbean is. For the novice outdoor recreationist and the seasoned outdoor lover, the Caribbean is equally compelling. Something about the weather, the scenery, the sounds and people that make me feel at home. The weather is simultaneously hot, sunny, humid, and rainy. The scenery is green, gold, orange,red, violet and blue – encompassing the beauty of the horizon, the water, the trees, the sand, and the sky. The sounds are beyond description: birds chirping, monkeys frolicking, frogs chorusing, wind blowing, waves of water lapping, and your heart beating to the rhythm of the local music. And the people, aaah! Visiting the Caribbean was the first time, I had truly felt completely sucked into a place and was culturally reborn. Finally, with people with ancestors hailing from the Old and New Worlds - it's an island nation shaped by colonialism, servitude, displacement, and renewal, all at the same time.
Today, I go to Barbados to revel in its re-birth as a vacation destination of lovers and nature lovers. Among many African-Americans, it is a rather well-known and visited romance destination. I know several couples who have honeymooned, become engaged, or just enjoyed the private company of one another in this beautiful place. And beautiful, it is. For the nature lovers, Barbados offers a host of ways to fall in love: Amazing sunrises, breath taking sunsets, miles of public beaches, water sports, snorkeling and marine life watching, bird watching, enjoying the fragrances of the wild flowers or falling asleep to the chorus if Whistling Frogs. You'll fall in love, no doubt.
And thanks to the The Barbados Tourism Authority for sponsoring an Experiential Group Trip for USA Journalists, so Outdoor Afro can share this experience with you.
Outdoor Afro will be staying the Tamarind Hotel (apart of the Elegante Hotel Group). It is a newly renovated hotel will amazing beach front views, three swimming pools, and maximum outdoor living space.
The itinerary includes up-close wildlife encounters – swimming with the turtles, a nature photography hike, learning to play dominoes the Bajan way, experiencing a polo exhibition, and plus the best of Barbados hospitality -- food and drink.
Oh, yes! Of course, I've packed all of the essential gear for outdoor adventure and enjoyment: swim suit, flip flops, sneakers, sun hat, sun block, Polo clothes, shades, light rain jacket, and my camera and computer to share it all with you.
Stay tuned and follow the tweets @OutdoorAfro on Twitter or follow the hashtag #OABarbados.
GirlTrek Founder Talks About Her Outdoor Awakening
Vanessa G. (33) is the co-founder of GirlTrek, a non-profit that organizes walking campaigns for African - American women around the country for health, wellness, and outdoor engagement. I was simply thrilled to find her and her inspiring site, and I think Outdoor Afros will dig it too!
Vanessa wrote, "I was hiking with my husband in Red Rocks outside of Las Vegas in this photo. I'm actually relatively new to the outdoors. I had grown up in Seattle, WA and never even been to Mt. Rainer! I now live in DC, but 15 years ago you couldn't pay me to go hiking, camping or anything that I thought would not involve makeup and room service. But alas, I married a (now retired) professional rock climber and my eyes were opened to so many new things. I am now officially hooked on being outside! Last August we rode our bicycles 400 miles through Montana and the Canadian Rockies. I also run 4-5 days a week, and I love to hike! This picture was taken on a moderate/strenuous hike of 7 miles."
Be sure to check out Vanessa, and her inspiring work and website: GirlTrek