(8/25/2024 - Arnhelm Ornithological Center) - Ten months ago, volume 6 of a Modest Ornithological Proposal was released by this renowned institution, and I had every intention of issuing another within about 3-4 months, as a backlog of deserving souls had built up who had not yet been birbed. Alas, while researching a rare Antipodean Istillianbird, I found myself falling down a treacherous cliff, trapped on a treacherous ice floe with no plausible hope. I despaired, thinking that never again would I have a chance to bestow any birbings. The end was nigh. And then ... my salvation. A pair of Emperor Penguins who I named Herbert and Jiminy mistook me for a very large, very ugly penguin chick and adopted me into their ersatz penguin family. They graciously nursed me back to health, taught me the ins and outs of penguin society, and when they decided I was ready, they used their radio to call in a ship to come get me. Yes, the penguins had a radio. Yes, they could have gotten me off their ice floe at any time and chose not to. Don't dwell on it.

Anywhoo, the wait is over. Today, a motley crew of deserving Europeians find themselves the newfound recipients of birbings. Congratulations, and may you forever line your nest with all the best feathers, grasses, and other assorted fluffs - and decorate it with all the best shiny objects.

1.) The Provian Quail - formerly the Northern Bobwhite (in honor of Prov)

I thought long and hard about a suitable bird for Prov, but I knew that I wanted to reflect both his Midwest home and his fundamental French nature. Then, inspiration struck - Prov may not be a "hen" himself, but in the Twelve Days of Christmas the gift of the True Love on day three are three French Hens ... clearly, Prov's bird had to be a kind that had "hens." This led me to the lovely Northern Bobwhite, a smallish quail that would wonderfully fulfill the gift of three French Hens and that lives quite happily in Illinois. Like the very vocal Bobwhite, Prov can also be heard on occasion in Europeia on EBC radio ... yet another connection shared by the two.

This curious, intelligent, and pretty little bird can be found throughout Scotland, making it a suitable representative for one of Europeia's esteemed Scottish citizens. Even better, though, the Yellowhammer has inspired both poems (by the likes of John Clare and - of course - Robert Burns) and music (by none other than Beethoven!) ... just as Lime has inspired the Memelords of Europeia at various times during his tenure in the region. After all, in the immortal words of Rabbie Burns, "My mither wad gae mad, an' sae wad my dad,

If you play'd wi' my yellow yellow yorlin'." Uh ... yes. Yes, exactly Rabbie. Exactly.

A striking member of Euro's citizenry, Sanjurika has blessed the realm with service across numerous ministries, the Vice Presidency, and as a Vice Chancellor. He has done so with a grace and humility that have granted him a great deal of respect, and has made him a representative member of our regional leadership. Like the Oriole, you don't always see Sanju, but you can usually hear his song even when he isn't visible ... and if you look hard enough, you can usually spot his colors peeping through the green leaves. Just like the Oriole, Sanju is a fan favorite!

It is a reality of the bird world that lady birds often are forced to wear understated livery in relation to their male counterparts because, just as in humans, the women often have to do all the work and take care of the kids (for which camouflage is the most important consideration). Nonetheless, the female Cardinal is striking with her understated gray suit tinged with red highlights. It's a boss look that can only be pulled off by a powerful, articulate, and confident presence ... just like our own GK. Of course, this being Euro we have no problem with women wearing whatever they want to, and I'm quite confident GK could pull off the bright red look if she wanted to as well. The Cardinal is a much-loved and widely distributed bird, which perfectly matches GK's status as a beloved figure in multiple regions. Also important, Cardinals are known for being to keep mischievous Crows in check ... certainly something that is true in our region!

5.) The Ellenestral - formerly the American Kestrel (in honor of Azell)

Another cosmopolitan bird with a very wide range, the Kestrel is a beautiful and beloved falcon and is pound-for-pound a fierce hunter. Like Ellenburg, the Kestrel is a determined foe, sticking with its plans until it sees them through. Ellenburg rises to leadership seemingly everywhere that he appears, and this is a testament to his skill and leadership ability, as well as his willingness to see projects through to the end. They also are adaptable and capable of learning new skills (they are used in falconry despite their smaller stature because of these abilities). Always remember that the Kestrel is ever vigilant, watching and waiting for the opportunity to take the optimal action. As Ellenburg has proven by rising to so many leadership positions over the years, he shares this quality!

6.) The HummingDre - formerly the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (in honor of PhDre)

There is no one else quite like PhDre. A stunningly successful communicator, an innovator in Europeian Radio and a force in Euro politics generally, PhDre is a unique figure in our region and deserves a unique bird. One of the most amazing and unique birds to be seen in the US is the Ruby-throated hummingbird (there are about 15 species of hummingbird in the US but most of them are heavily localized - the ruby-throated is the only one widely distributed). There's nothing else quite like them, making them a suitable avatar for PhDre. Despite their small size, they also aren't especially easy to spook - probably because they are fast enough to get away from most threats without much difficulty. PhDre can similarly wend his way deftly through whatever disagreements and struggles he encounters through deft argumentation. I can't think of a better representative for him - a flashy, speedy, quick-witted and unique bird that captures the essence of PhDre's unique place in our region.

And so this list is complete for now! In putting this list together, I remained cognizant of the fact that there are a *lot* of people in this region who are very, very deserving of having a bird bestowed upon them. I am planning on issuing the next edition in a couple of months, so if you haven't yet had a bird bestowed upon you, keep up the faith and rest assured, it is almost certainly coming!

Until next time, this is Lloenflys signing off!

PREVIOUS EDITIONS

Volume 1 - July 26, 2019
Volume 2 - September 21, 2019
Volume 3 - January 27, 2020
Volume 4 - May 5, 2020
Volume 5 - June 11, 2021
Volume 6 - October 8, 2023