January 2015: 2014 Bird Recap

Hello everyone, and welcome to Caitlin’s Corner! This is your captain, Caitlin, speaking! It’s finally 2015, a time to possibly turn over a new leaf or discover something new. Fly to another dimension with me this year, whether you are new to the wild bird club or have been here since the start! But before doing so, it’s time for a little throwback. I believe a great start is counting down some of the top bird-related things that went down in 2014. Now let’s see…

5. Over the Garden Wall: This isn’t a super popular TV show that aired in 2014, but it is sure one of the best, in my opinion! The whole mini-series, consisting of ten episodes, was released in November, with two main characters: Greg and Wirt. They travel through the forest, trying to find there way home, and come across many strange things, including a talking bluebird who had been a human once named Beatrice. I’m sure you will find this show a barrel of laughs, so don’t forget to check it out!

4. Flappy Bird: This came out as one of the most addictive electronic games in 2013, but really was very popular in 2014. People were devastated when it was deleted from the app store, at least from what I heard when the idea floated around. Some people still have it on their phones and will probably continue to play it into this year as well.

3. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1: Most of you are probably familiar with The Hunger Games book series as well as the movies. I don’t know about you all, but when Mockingjay Part 1 was released in theaters this past November, I had to go see it! If you haven’t seen it, I recommend the movie for sure! I’m just itching to see part 2, which is actually coming out this November. So hold on Hunger Games lovers, Katniss, representing the rebellion with her bird symbol, is going to return to the big screen doing all sorts of cool stuff soon to come!

2. The Super Bowl: Hey, sports fans! The 2014 Super Bowl was won by the Seahawks, who faced the Broncos, 28-24. To some of you, this might be a friendly reminder, and others not so much, but hey…it happened! This bird-related team won last year, and we will just have to cheer on our favorite teams this year and watch to see who wins next month!

1. Snowy Owl Irruption: I’m sure some of you have heard of this event that occurred other years as well, called a snowy owl irruption, or a reoccurring invasion. This is when snowy owl populations move more South in the United States. Last winter (2013-2014 so it still counts), populations of these snowy owls were largely sighted near the Great Lakes and the New England area. Some were even seen as far south as Florida! One idea on why the owls come here during this season is the surplus of prey. So, if you ever see a snowy owl in times to come, make sure you take a picture of it!