Just to remind everyone that David Attenborough's series "Life of Birds" will start tonight at 8 pm on Channel 26 (or check your local PBS listing). There is a nice preview in today's Post. This series was a smash hit in the UK last season. Why PBS has relegated it to the summer doldrums, rather than showing during the prime season as was Attenborough's "Life on Earth" is a mystery. Perhaps they are unaware of the huge interest (on the part of the public) in birds. Anyway, a nice change from the usual "lions and tigers and bears" fare of the PBS nature shows. A personal note: About four years ago, after I had posted my 1995 Jamaica trip report on Birdchat, I got a call from the BBC and then, later, from one of Attenborough's photographers asking for details on where to locate the Jamaican Blackbird! Now this is an unusual blackbird but not the most photogenic of Jamaica's birds, so I asked why they were so interested. Seems that the show was trying to film rare or "different" species, as well as those with unusual lifestyles, not just the "pretty faces." I never heard if they actually found or filmed the blackbird, or if it ended up in the final product, but it makes an interesting little story. Anyway, a welcome break from the heat and humidity...! Cheers, Gail Mackiernan