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ccthewriter · 1 year

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CC's New Watch Ranking - April 2023

Every month on Letterboxd, I make a list of the 10 best films I’ve seen for the first time. It’s a fun way to compare movies separated in time, genre, and country of origin, and helps me keep track of what I’m watching! This is a breakdown of those films.

April! An early heat wave broke and gave us the rainy, misty days that this month is supposed to contain. My vegetable garden is starting to take root. This is the first year I’m planting in earnest, prepping trays of seeds to make their way outside. I’ve been learning a lot, and keeping my eye on the backyard window as I’ve been settling in to watch these films. Plants like music - do they like film scores? Maybe I’ll take my speakers outside and find out. I bet they’d love Angelo Badalamenti, whose work is featured heavily in this month’s list. After a slow start due to several exciting new work opportunities (yay!), this month ended up containing some cinematic heavy-hitters!

Click below to read the breakdown! Click HERE for the list on Letterboxd!

10. The Hawks and the Sparrows

1966 - Pier Paolo Pasolini

A delightful absurdist tale by one of Italy’s greatest directors. A father and son, whose attitude seems ripped right out of Waiting for Godot, wander a road with indeterminate purpose. Along they way they meet a philosophizing talking bird, and fall backwards in time to the life of St. Francis. Interspersed are some scenes of modern (1960s) Italian life, including the real funeral procession of a Communist leader. It’s a strange, lopsided work, perhaps not achieving the thought-provoking or artistic heights that the director intended, but contains some brilliant gems of absurdism. I’m particularly struck by several shots and discussions that focus on the Moon. You may know, reader, that I am obsessed with Fellini’s Voice of the Moon. That is an absurd, wandering meditation on the moon’s symbolism and power, and echoes of those ideas are found here, too. It gets me wondering about what Fellini and Pasolini shared, the experiences that united their thought, and got them to create such interesting, parallel pictures.

9. For a Few Dollars More

1965 - Sergio Leone

Impeccable craft. The platonic ideal of a Western that so many movies/other media try to grasp, but can never quite achieve. (Looking at you, Mando.) While The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly might be the ultimate piece in this trilogy, For A Few Dollars More still manages to hold all the compelling, subtle characterization and breathtaking conclusion that makes that capper so legendary. Two bounty hunters seek out a mad fugitive - they all double-cross one another in pursuit of victory. There’s just grand vibes within this thing. A legendary score, gorgeous shots, handsome sweaty men trying to kill each other (aka flirting), and other tiny design choices that are beyond iconic. What’s not to love? Toss this on with a bourbon, pardner, and watch them shoot a hat.

8. Bitter Rice

1949 - Giuseppe De Santis

What if we fought back against systems that oppress the workers of the rice fields AND we were both girls 👀. First and foremost watch this if you love wlw - there is some subtext that occurs between the main pair as they squabble. A jewel thief, coerced into crime by her shitty boyfriend, hides out among rice workers with her stolen goods. She meets Silvana, a peasant who catches onto their scheme and ultimately gets entangled in their lives. It feels like both the thieving pair lust after her. The politics of this one are messy, to say the least. Francesca, the thief, sides with some scabs who want to work the fields despite not being part of the union. Silvana organizes the workers against them, but ultimately they come to a patronizing compromise to let both sides work together. The film doesn’t care about the details that would make this labor struggle real - what does it take to join the union? Who organizes it? Do the members get to vote about how they feel about the scabs? Pulling those threads makes the movie collapse, along with the shoe-horned melodramatic ending for Silvana, which seems born out of an American Hayes Code sense of what must happen to a woman who "chooses wrong." Despite these elements, the film is shot beautifully by Otello Martelli, Fellini’s cinematographer, and contains one of the greatest framing devices for a neorealist film ever devised. A voice over telling you that what you’re about to see is the real testimony of rice workers, which diegetically shifts into a radio announcer present at the scene, is inspired. A film to yell at as you enjoy it.

7. Touch of Evil

1958 - Orson Welles

The film opens with a bomb being place in the boot of a car. Then there is an unbroken shot lasting about 5 minutes of that same car driving slowly through a crowded street. It is breathtaking tension building. Hitchcockian perfection. What follows is a surprisingly nuanced exploration of police corruption. These pigs live in paranoid fantasies sustained by evidence that they plant - hatred, ignorance, and alcohol let them forget that they created the justification for their hate themselves. This film drips with noir style and culminates in a chase scene that’s just as satisfying as the end of The Third Man. Who else understands noir like Welles? He gives a remarkable performance here.

6. Inland Empire

2006 - David Lynch

Lynch was doing creepypasta lo-fi found footage before it was cool. Seriously, watch this film and be surprised that this came out before Marble Hornets! Lynch’s first foray into digital filmmaking follows the story of actor Nikki Grace, played by the inimitable Laura Dern. (Consider her!) She is cast in a film that she later discovers is an adaptation, derived from a production that was shut down due to strange events happening to the cast. This grounded framing quickly dissolves into classic Lynchian surreality. The narrative is intersected by stories of 19th century Polish sex workers, modern day drifters, an unnamed woman who watches the film’s events on a TV screen, and more flashes of disconnected images than I could ever try to remember. Terry Crews is there for a few minutes. Lynch’s films defy simple explanation, as their very structure seems to repel logical attempts to define them. It is enough to say that this all builds into a moving tale of the exploitation built within the Hollywood machine. To be an actor, even with all the progress we’ve made, is to give yourself up to depersonalization, to completely vanish in the eyes of the viewer. Audiences want to see a self that is inside you, but is not you. You can get lost pulling on that thread. And there are dark figures who are only too happy to encourage you to get lost, who want to sit behind a camera and watch your selves separate, so they can bottle it up and sell it for massive, massive profit. Fascinating to see such a film come from Lynch, who by all accounts is a highly ethical filmmaker and whose crews (particularly Dern!) adore working with him. I think it takes a fundamentally good and kind person to truly understand evil - they must have the good grace to recognize what lives within them, what lives within all of us.

(Also, these fucking rabbits terrify me in ways that I'm still understanding. I think I saw the short film Lynch made with them while I was under the influence of certain substances. They know what I'm thinking and will show up at my doorstep one midnight, I just know it.)

5. Lost Highway

1997 - David Lynch

Whereas Inland Empire explores the loss of self that’s a feature (not a bug) of acting, Lost Highway explores a broader loss of self that can happen any time, anywhere, to anyone. Recapping the plot, again, seems a little pointless, but in brief, it’s about a jazz musician who appears to be stalked by a shapeshifting entity. As he tries to understand why he’s being targeted, he gets arrested for (apparently) murdering his wife - but while in jail, he mystically transforms into another person entirely. This new character lives an entirely separate life that eventually intersects with the original one in shocking ways. It’s all very cyclical, and vague, and contains a host of implications that are too broad to clearly explain. Lynch is the ultimate Oneric filmmaker in this way - the content of the dream is so different than the lasting impression it gives you. Towards the beginning of the movie the main character has this exchange:

Fred: "I like to remember things my own way"

Cop: "What does that mean?"

Fred: "How I remember them, not necessarily how they happened"

That’s the ultimate explanation of how these films function. They are truly symbolic masses that pass through you, live inside you, and then transform into something greater than its sum ingredients.

4. Bound

1996 - The Wachowskis

So after dipping our toes into that Lynchian, vaguely defined dreamscape, here we have a much more straightforward film. What if the hottest most gorgeous most sapphic most jaw-droppingly sexy women imaginable did a crime together??? Wouldn’t that be cool?????? There really isn’t much in the way of symbolic nuance in this picture like there is in some of these other recommendations. This is just a straight-forward, tightly constructed crime thriller, starring (cannot emphasize this enough) just the biggest queerest icons you can imagine. I knew this movie would rewire me once I saw it, and am pleased to report that it really, really has. If you’re in the sapphic camp please check it out - it’s as required viewing as But I’m A Cheerleader is. Corky is a stone-butch ex-con who’s hired to renovate an apartment. She discovers that living next door is a mobster and his disaffected trophy girl Violet. Violet seduces Corky in the most noir femme fatale porn-adjacent way imaginable - quite literally “can you fix my pipes?” - and the two agree to pull one over on the mob so they can run off into the sunset. What follows is tightly constructed, steaming tension, as Hithcockian in perfection as Touch of Evil’s opening oner, but with a little more pulpy crass. Gays and theys, please, do not hesitate to watch this. It’s the film that let the Wachowskis make the Matrix, it is truly that spectacular.

3. The Immortal Story

1968 - Orson Welles

Welles is a master storyteller, a magician, a ponderous and monologuing baron of Art whose work is now embedded in the history of this medium. When he’s not playing himself, he’s playing corrupt, ignorant men. What do you think compels him to do that? He had the power and resources to play anyone he wants - why was this the role he chose? These questions will naturally rise up when you’re watching The Immortal Story, Welles’ last feature fiction that he would ever direct. It follows the story of a wealthy businessman who has a meeting with his assistant late one night. The businessman - this baron - reveals that he despises fiction, and only wishes to tell or hear things that are true, like data in a ledger. But then he reveals a story a sailor once told him, about a wealthy man who once paid the sailor to sleep with his wife and produce an heir. His assistant knows the story; he says this is a common folk tale, repeated in every port, on every ship, and that his master is incorrect in believing he heard it from the person it actually happened to. This sends the businessman on an obsessed journey - he commands his assistant to recreate this tale, to hire a courtesan, to find a poor sailor, and reconstruct this tale exactly as it was told to him, line-by-line, so that… well, the baron’s reasons for recreating this tale are obscure. Obsession? Stubbornness? A late-life spark of creativity? These questions intermingle with the first few I proposed. What impresses me so much about this film is that it is Welles clearly exploring his own creative drive, questioning all the motivations that have driven him to the life he has been leading for decades. It’s an incredible meditation from one of cinema’s greatest filmmakers. I firmly believe it sets the ground for the future explorations of truth and fiction that Welles accomplishes in F for Fake. How appropriate that this is the capstone towards his fiction-telling career.

2. Mulholland Drive

2001 - David Lynch

The perfect fusion, and appropriate mid-point, between Lost Highway and Inland Empire. Lynch explores the fundamentals of identity as two people try to discover who they are within the mad dreamscape that is Los Angeles. A woman stumbles out of a car crash into the home of a newly-arrived dreamer, ready to go on an adventure and help this woman restore her identity. Or, perhaps the real story is that a jealous actress clings to a more successful starlet, but gets her heart toyed with and torn to pieces as part of some power-tripping game. Lynch is a master of montage, assembling seemingly random moments into a cohesive whole that leaves a distinct emotional message. The competing, lopsided, cyclical narratives that make up this film are no exception. All the cutaways to different characters that intersect with the main pair’s lives are incredible, too. This is the Lynch film that most feels like it captures life itself. Its many contradictions and absurdities, its passion and revulsion. The highlight is the scene where the protagonists sit and watch an underground show. “It's all just a recording,” the performer repeats. This film is just a recording. Our lives will become a recording, once we’re gone and can only be remembered by artifacts. In this moment the movie seems to speak to the viewers directly, reminding them that everything they’re watching is false - and they’re allowed to let it transport them to other realms, anyway.

1. The Music Room

1958 - Satyajit Ray

One of the things I like most about movies from before, say, 1975, is that they don’t mind really lingering in a certain mood. Much of this movie shows a bored man, descended from royalty, lounging around his dilapidated palace. He hides from responsibility, debts, and truths he’d rather forget. But one doesn’t get bored watching him linger. Almost like a survivor in a horror movie hiding from a monster, Biswambhar is actively hiding, actively moping and avoiding the reality of his situation at any cost. It is a remarkable effect. Biswambhar’s only passion in life is live music, and his music room is his treasure. When his family meets a tragic turn of fate, he is left alone in his palace, situated on a flood plain that will eventually sweep away all his land. He decides to spend the rest of his life waiting for the day, living on ever-dwindling reserves of treasure and sherbet. Destiny seems to call to him at one point, and he decides to spend the rest of his reserve on one final, grand act, like in the good-old-days. He hires a musician, invites all his neighbors, and acts like he hasn’t been a reclusive hermit for several years. We understand him the most in this moment. The way he lights up, reopening the music room. The fantasy he embodies. As the musician plays, and we linger in the majesty of her dance and the hammering tabla, we are mesmerized just as he is. Cascades of meaning become clear. This man has sacrificed everything just for this moment, has given it all away to live inside a happy bubble, shunning the outside world… and can you blame him? How can anything life offers compare to the astral travel music can provide? If only he could have found a way to balance his obligations and this passion. Maybe if he had been a musician himself. But no. He can only watch… just as we, watching this movie, are now. Satyajit Ray is a director most capable of making the audience question itself, whose films seem to provoke deep thought and lingering wonder long after the work is over. This film might be the greatest example of that ability. As our own world changes in uncertain times, with an unclear future, a film like this forces us to question just what we’re doing consuming so much media. Like Biswambhar, I think many of us are turning a blind eye to environmental change so we can linger in the happiness of the music room, too. That’s the lesson to take away from this film. One can’t live their life waiting for that room to contain magic once again…

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Thank you for reading! If you liked any of these thoughts feel free to follow me on Letterboxd, where I post reviews and keep meticulous track of every movie I watch. Look forward to more posts like these next month!

#movies #film #cc oc #letterboxd #movie ranking #The Music Room #Mulholland Drive #The Immortal Story #Bound #Lost Highway #Inland Empire #Touch of Evil #Bitter Rice #For A Few Dollars More #The Hawks and the Sparrows

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lonelywretchjervistetch · 29 days

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The State Birds Initiative: Georgia (#4)

Welcome to the fourth official poll of the State Birds Initiative! Before the poll, though, one thing real quick. My suggestion is that you read the post below before voting in the poll below. That's especially important if you're lacking any context about the birds being presented as the new (or old) State Bird of the Peach State, Georgia. This is to be fully informed as to why these are being presented, and to make your choices appropriately. Lastly, some of these birds, you will notice, may go against some of the rules listed in the introduction post. All is explained after the jump where the explanations are, I promise you that. But with that...OK! Here's the poll!

With that...time to put Georgia on our minds!

Georgia! State of peaches, Coca-Cola, pecans, and civil rights! Home of Ray Charles, Jimmy Carter, Jackie Robinson, and the great Martin Luther King, Jr.! Location of the only whale shark in captivity in the country, the historic Forsyth Park of Savannah, the majestic Stone Mountain, and the first Chick-fil-A! And for our purposes here in the State Bird Initiative, it's also the first state we're looking at with a tropical climate! Well, a humid subtropical climate, actually, but it counts! If you've ever been to Georgia (which I haven't as of yet, but I'm working on that), you probably know that Georgia is a bit sweaty and temperate most of the year, with long humid summers and high water levels.

In terms of the ecology of the state, we're looking at swamps, cedar-dominated, as well as having a decent proportion of pine trees. Actually, to be specific, we're looking at forests of Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris), an large endangered pine tree species endemic to the southeastern United States. Now, to be clear, this species isn't specific to Georgia, and it's actually the state tree of Alabama. However, now that we've hit the southern USA, we have to address it, as the tree is a symbol of the region. The actual state tree of Georgia is another iconic tree to the southeastern USA, the Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), another big tree evolved to be resistant to forest fires, saltwater, and hurricane-force winds common in the area. Famously, the Southern Live Oak trees of St. Simons Island, Georgia was harvested for the density of their wood, which made them particularly strong against cannonballs. Said wood was used to construct the famous U.S.S. Constitution, AKA "Old Ironsides", which was said to have cannonballs actually bounce off of it throughout the War of 1812. Said ship is still in Boston Harbor to this day, making the 227-year old ship the oldest still floating naval warship in the world! And that's all thanks to the natural environment of Georgia.

What about Georgia's culture? Historically, of course, Georgia is complicated as hell. A former seat of the Civil War and the Confederacy, the state has seen heavy reconstruction in the last century and a half, eventually becoming associated with many civil rights heroes, and currently having a few prominent bastions of the Democratic Party, such as Atlanta. On a contemporary level, the state is famous for its music, its accents, and its food! The state has at least four foods as state symbols - peaches, peanuts, grits, and the Vidalia onion, and has other iconic food and drink like sweet tea, cornbread, peach cobbler, and fried catfish.

As for its people, they're a highly religious bunch on average, known for their hospitality and, according to some accounts online, "polite sarcasm". Y'know, "bless your heart" and all that. Conservative historically with an increasing population of Black Democrats in metropolitan centers, it's a growing state in terms of diversity, and changing rapidly. So...a culturally diverse bird that lives in oak trees? Yeah, that's a target we're gonna hit for sure. I mean, the oak or pine tree part is pretty easy, but the other thing? Well..a songbird would make some sense. I mean, the state is famous for its musicians, ranging from OutKast to Gladys Knight to 2 Chainz to Luke Bryan, and more. So, something that sings is a solid choice. There are a couple of other qualities we can go for, but that's enough for now, I think.

With that, let's move onto the choices. Got some interesting ones this time, but I have...a hunch about this one. We'll see how this goes, but I have a feeling it's gonna go the way of New Jersey's poll, which has been...decisive. But OK, with that...birds after the jump!!!

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Not gonna lie - this one could be hard to beat, surprisingly. Which is too bad for a number of reasons, but the Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) isn't really a horrible choice for Georgia's State Bird. It breeds in the state, even though it's found all over the eastern and central USA. It's an iconic bird in sight and sound, which is pretty important for a state that's produced a lot of human singers. I even mentioned up above that a songbird wouldn't be a bad choice, and what better songbird than one who can memorize, mimic, and remix multiple sounds for its own use? Plus, it was chosen by school kids, meaning it was elected by the public. Of course, to be fair, it was also chosen by governor at the time, Eugene Talmadge, a famous white supremacist who enforced segregation in Georgia schools and universities, openly supported Adolf Hitler, and was a genuinely extremely racist PIECE OF SHIT...but I digress? Although, it is extremely ironic that Talmadge ratified the Brown Thrasher as the State Bird of Georgia, so there's that.

OK, Talmadge doesn't really have anything to do with this, I just needed to get some anti-racist anger out for a second there, sorry; dude was a bastard in a lot of ways. But in terms of the Brown Thrasher, it's honestly not a bad choice for Georgia. Thing is...I'm not entirely sure I can say it's the best choice, or even a really good choice, frankly. It's...a choice. It does eat peaches, though, so maybe throw that into the pros pile for the species. Oh, and one more thing: it's defeated an attempt to depose it before. The frankly kinda ridiculous attempt to change the State Bird of Georgia to the Cornish Chicken in 2010 was not received well for the chicken. Georgians liked their Thrasher too much! Also, one of the arguments against the Brown Thrasher that the Flip the Bird movement put forth was that it "has no contribution to the state of Georgia economy". Of all the stupid goddamn arguments...

Northern Bobwhite (Colnius virginianus)

Well, if we're talking about the incumbent State Bird, we should bring up the incumbent State Game Bird as well! Yeah, this'll be a regular thing going forward. Any ornithological state symbols are up for bid and re-election, although this is a slightly different process. If a State Game Bird is elected as State Bird, it will ascend to that post, and a new State Game Bird will be proposed, possibly with a new poll. However, if it is not the chosen State Bird, it'll remain as the State Game Bird. So, really, the Northern Bobwhite gets to stay where it is...for now. This may change as we get overlapping game birds across the USA. And we will, believe me. With that said, let's talk about the Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus).

A member of the New World quails (Odontophoridae) the bobwhite is named after its iconic whistling call, and not a random dude named Robert White. The Northern Bobwhite isn't the only species of bobwhite quail by any means, but it's the only major native representative in the USA. It's a grassland and open forest-loving quail whose range extends from Texas to Massachusetts...kind of. Here's the problem with the bobwhite: its population is rapidly decreasing. In the past 60 years or so, the population's decreased by at least 85% in its native range, which is...A LOT. It's partially for that reason that the species is on my priorities for my Life List, because I've never seen them, and they're rapidly vanishing.

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That, alongside the normal ecological concerns and links, and its relatively new status as a threatened species due to land use and forest fires, makes it a good candidate for recognition on its own. But is it a good bird for Georgia? Well, only 4% of its breeding population is found in the state year-round, making the state a poor reservoir for the species. There's also a point that the bobwhite is, surprisingly, an invasive species in some countries, specifically New Zealand and Italy. They're also a common bird in captivity, even though any aviary should have them be the only ground-dwelling bird, since they can be aggressive to competitors. That said, they're not a completely doomed species.

More importantly, though, the fact that Georgia doesn't have a lot of these guys immediately makes them a less-than-ideal candidate for State Bird. State Game Bird, though? That might actually be worse. Remember, this is an endangered species, meaning it may not be a bird we should glorify as a food source. In fact, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has conservation measures in place to protect bobwhite and their habitat, also seeking to restore it and add new potential habitats for the species. And they aren't eliminating hunting of the species, but are strictly managing and monitoring populations. And there is merit to managed hunting, for the record, but that's a separate conversation to be had. So, not a horrible choice to remain as Game Bird. But who knows? Maybe I'll make a separate poll to ask this question after all. If that's something that interests you, let me know! For now, let's move on.

Bachman's Sparrow (Peuacea aestivalis)

On to the eBird suggestion! And this one is...ooooooooh...yikes. OK, yeah, you may remember my issue with the Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacutus) as a potential State Bird for New Jersey, mostly revolving around the idea that it wouldn't be easily recognizable by the public, unaffiliated with sparrows and their subtle or major differences. This? This is worse. Once again, don't get me wrong, Bachman's Sparrow (Peuacea aestivalis) would be a dream for me as a birder, as a southern exclusive species and a lifer for me personally. But for the average layman? This is a bird difficult to identify for birders! Not sure the average non-bird person has a chance, to be honest.

But just to be completely comprehensive, why the Bachman's Sparrow? Well, the eBird article quotes the species as having a large breeding population in Georgia. However, to be completely fair, the species mostly breeds in Florida, not Georgia (48% vs. 30%, by recent calculations). That said, the number of Bachman's Sparrows breeding in Georgia isn't a number to sneeze at. As for its ecology, it specializes in pine forests, including those composed of longleaf and loblolly pine, which have Georgia as a major habitat. Oh, and on a historical note (not that this matters too much), John Bachman was an opponent of segregation and racist eugenics beliefs, so a lot better than other historical figures with birds named after them. Granted, that bar is buried seven feet beneath the Earth, but still, it's cleared in this case. So, not the worst set of reasons for Bachman's Sparrow to make the cut.

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)

Whoa whoa whoa, hold on, hold on. Two more sparrows? What is this, karma? Well, yeah, maybe. Of course, these two are chosen based on their names, as both specimens used in the descriptions for the species were collected in Georgia. But does this truly matter in this case? Neither the Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), nor the Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana), breed in Georgia, although both are still found in the state. If I had to argue one over the other personally, it'd be the Swamp Sparrow, both to represent a dominant habitat in the state, and because they're possibly more recognizable...even though they're pretty close to the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) to the untrained eye, I suppose.

Brown-headed Nuthatch (Silla pusilla)

See, here's the real question about the eBird choices. Why choose the Bachman's Sparrow, when the adorably charismatic Brown-headed Nuthatch (Silla pusilla) was right there? The largest breeding population of this bird's global range is in Georgia, with a full 26% of the species depending on Georgia for its propagation. Yeah. This is definitely a Georgia breeder, but since the Bachman's Sparrow is a bit more endangered, has different living conditions, and is a bit more dependent on its Georgia population than the nuthatch here, that's likely why it was given the crown.

And yet...AND YET...in my opinion, this is the better state-dependent representative for Georgia. Sure, less of its breeding population is found in Georgia, but one-quarter of its global population isn't exactly something to sneeze at. And, importantly, this is where the majority of its population is housed, making Georgia more important for the Brown-headed Nuthatch than it is for the Bachman's Sparrow. But is it a better representative outside of that point? Well, it's recognizable, it's not terribly difficult to find, and it's certainly charismatic. I mean, look at that thing, it's cute as hell! Not that the sparrows aren't cute in their way, but the nuthatch? I wanna squeeze that thing, and apparently, they actually sound like rubber duckies. And no, charisma doesn't always mater, and it can be damaging for noncharismatic species conservation. But it can help.

Anything else? Well, using the same logic I have with other birds, it's an important representative of its habitat. The pine forests of the Southeastern USA are, unsurprisingly, in trouble. In fact, longleaf pine forests are kind of a massive deal from a conservation standpoint, and they're in a massive amount of trouble due to development and climate change. Some figures calculate a 95% loss of these forests by 2080, which is...bad, it's real bad, obviously. That kind of potential danger to their habitat, combined with their role within it, makes the nuthatch a good option. And apparently, Birds Georgia agrees with me.

Birds Georgia, for the record, is formerly known as the Georgia chapter of the National Audubon Society. And, while they still have affiliation to the organization, they've separated themselves from the legacy of its namesake. Credit where credit's due! Anyway, why bring them up? Birds Georgia has a number of species they highlight for conservation focus, with the Brown-headed Nuthatch being a major example. Their nestbox program focuses on building more nestboxes for a declining species across the state, and it's very much worked! 450 nest boxes have been installed across the state since 2015, and hopefully that doesn't stop! So, cute potential representative! But that's not the only conservation focus from Birds Georgia.

Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)

From 2019 to 2020, Birds Georgia named the Chimney Swift their Conservation Focus for the year, and began an initiative to have nestboxes put out for the species across the state. Multiple towers were erected throughout the state by multiple conservation initiatives working with Birds Georgia, giving the birds more habitats outside of direct human settlements to breed and thrive in. But, why the Chimney Swift? They're sort of all over the place.

If you're from the eastern USA and walked outside in the morning or late afternoon, you've probably heard random chittering high above you, especially if you're in a city or town with chimneys on their buildings. If you look up, you've probably seen silhouettes of these guys flying at high speeds in the sky, mouths open to gather flying insects in the dawn and dusk. These are common birds all over the eastern US, as well as recognizable and easy to find and hear. So, why suggest them for Georgia? Because Georgia is tied with three other states for having the largest proportion of the breeding population for the species, at 6% of the species. Not a high number, but a significant proportion nonetheless. That makes it an intriguing choice for Georgia...and a few other places. So, this is probably not the last time we see this species on the polls.

Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)

But hey, if we're going for birds elevated by Birds Georgia, then we should probably highlight their actual mascot: the Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpe erythrocephalus). We've already talked about the importance of woodpeckers as keystone species in forested environments, and the Red-headed Woodpecker is definitely an example of that ecological role. In truth, the Pielated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), which was up for the Pennsylvania poll, actually widens holes made by the Red-headed Woodpecker for its own nest-cavities, meaning a keystone depends on a keystone.

Now, in terms of Georgia's population, the breeding population in the state is definitely not the bulwark for the species (that trophy belongs to Kansas with 11%), but the live oak forests the state is seeking to protect definitely houses the species in significant numbers state-wide. The reason Birds Georgia uses it in their logo is because, in 2014, the species was considered high-risk and on the decline in its range. As of 2022, the species is also suffering its highest region-wide decline in Georgia, tied with a few other states on that front well. Combine these facts with an iconic appearance, and the Red-headed Woodpecker is also a decent choice for State Bird from a conservation standpoint.

OK...one more. And this one's...a stretch.

Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

OK, it's not actually a stretch; I just wanted to say that because it's a tall image, and I thought it'd be funny. So, OK! The Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus). Now, this is yet another species you can find in various places in the eastern USA, but its second largest breeding population in the country can be found in the Peach State, which is beat out by Florida. Trust me, though, Florida is one of the big three states in the South in terms of breeding bird populations. I try to get a raptor for each state, you'll notice, but why this raptor for Georgia, outside of the breeding population thing?

Well, firstly, there's the association of the species with swamps and woodlands, both of which are prominent Georgia habitats. They've got an extremely varied diet, going for most small prey items in their ranges, even weird ones like roadkill deer, crayfish, and screech owls. And while they're most common in Georgia, they're also most certainly seen in Georgia fairly commonly, especially after their recovery from DDT. But even then...why? Why have a hawk for the state of Georgia at...OK, some of you probably figured it out, I might as well just say it now.

Yup, Georgia's basketball team is the Atlanta Hawks. And yes, OBviously I could've gone for the Atlanta Falcons, but falcons make far less sense to highlight for the state, ironically. There are only three commonly seen species in the state, and none of them have Georgia as a major highlight of their breeding ranges. So, with that in mind, the Hawks seem like the team to highlight, and the best hawk for the state of Georgia is the Red-shouldered Hawk. With that said, is this really the best choice for Georgia's state bird? I mean...that's up to Georgians (and Tumblrites) to decide in the end.

So! An odd post, this one was. Some interesting choices in the end, but is this the most solid roster? Not sure. I have my guess as to the winner for this one, and honestly...it's not a bad choice if I'm right. But with that, it's time to leave it to you - the people! And the next time we have one of these posts, we'll be heading to a region and a state near and dear to me, personally. Time for the Nutmeg State, and the first state with a frequent flyer for a state bird!

See you next time, and happy birding!

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