interventions: The Song of One Bird
A bird's song is only one type of sound that birds make, but it is the most recognizable. Birds have very complex vocalizations, often with more than one tone produced simultaneously, thanks to the specialized syrinx (their equivalent of a voice box) that allows them to create independent sounds in different parts of their trachea. Songs may last 2 to 10 seconds or more and are often repeated in long sequences. A song is generally more musical than other calls, and often incorporates a range of pitches and rhythms into one connected sequence.
A native of Edgefield, South Carolina, J. Drew Lanham is the author of, The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature. He is a birder, naturalist, and hunter-conservationist who has published essays and poetry in many publications. His advice to black birders: "Be prepared to be confused with the other black birder. Carry your binoculars — and three forms of identification — at all times. Don't bird in a hoodie. Nocturnal birding is a no-no. Black birds— any black birds — are your birds."
Fair Isle is an island in Shetland with the northern half consisting of rocky moorland. It is known for its bird observatory and a traditional style of knitting. "Fair Isle" for the characteristic patterns of the Shetland Islands. A Fair Isle sweater makes use of a traditional knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colours. Fair Isle knitting gained considerable popularity when the Traditional Fair Isle patterns have a limited palette of five or so colours, use only two colours per row, are worked in the round, and limit the length of a run of any particular colour.
unsanctionedintervention, 2021, New York, NY,
materials: acrylic paint, acid-free ink, Fabriano paper (23 X15 inches)
