№ 367 № 3674 Jan 2026
Can Parakeets Eat Boiled Eggs? Yes, in Small Amounts
Parakeets can eat boiled eggs - they're a useful protein supplement during breeding and moulting. The honest guide to portion sizes, how often, and what to skip.
The Journal · Page 10 of 40
Field notes,
Field notes,
page 10.
Continuing the archive — slow essays and observations from marshes, mangroves, and pondsides around the world.
475essays archived
10of 40 pages
weeklynew notes
All dispatches
№ 367 № 3664 Jan 2026
Can Swans Be Eaten? Legally, Mostly No
A naturalist's read on whether you can legally or sensibly eat a swan - the British royal protection rule, the modern UK and US legal status, and what swan actually tastes like historically.
№ 366 
№ 365 № 3653 Jan 2026
Can Geese and Ducks Mate? Very Rarely, Yes
A naturalist's read on whether geese and ducks can produce hybrid offspring - what the rare documented cases show, why it almost never happens in the wild, and what such hybrids look like.
№ 3643 Jan 2026
Can Geese and Swans Mate? The Honest Answer
A naturalist's read on whether geese and swans can produce hybrid offspring - what the genetic and behavioural barriers are, and the rare documented cases where it has happened in captivity.
№ 364 
№ 363 № 3633 Jan 2026
Can Geese Eat Bread? No, and Here's Why
Bread is the single worst common food fed to wild geese. A naturalist's read on why it causes angel wing in goslings, fouls park ponds, and what to feed instead.
№ 3622 Jan 2026
Can Ducks Eat Rice? Yes - And the Wedding Myth is Wrong
The myth that uncooked rice harms birds is false. Cooked or raw, rice is safe for ducks. A naturalist's read of where the misconception came from.
№ 362 
№ 361 № 3612 Jan 2026
Can Ducks Fly? Most Species Yes, At Surprising Speeds
Most wild duck species fly 40-60 mph for migration. Domestic breeds mostly can't. A naturalist's read on which ducks fly and how well.
№ 3602 Jan 2026
Can Eagles Kill Humans? The Honest Answer
A naturalist's read on whether eagles can or do kill humans - the documented cases, the species capable of it, and why the chance of being attacked is essentially zero for adults.
№ 360 
№ 359 № 3591 Jan 2026
Best Feeders for Ducks: What Actually Works at the Pond
Ducks won't use songbird feeders. They need low, open, easy-to-access setups. A naturalist's guide to the four feeder types that actually work for waterfowl.
№ 3581 Jan 2026
Best Plants for Ducks: What to Grow Round a Pond
A naturalist's planting guide for a duck-friendly pond - the four plants ducks actually eat, the cover plants that keep ducklings alive, and where to put each one.
№ 358 
№ 357 № 3571 Jan 2026
Can Baby Ducks Swim? Yes, But With Important Limits
Ducklings can swim within hours of hatching, but their feathers are not yet waterproof. A naturalist's read on how long they can safely be on water.
№ 3561 Oct 2023
Blue Birds in Alabama: 14 Species You'll Actually See
A field naturalist's guide to the 14 blue and blue-tinted bird species you'll actually encounter in Alabama - which habitats, which seasons, and how to tell the Eastern Bluebird from the Indigo Bunting.
№ 356