Pigeon Problems: An Urban Bird Researcher's Journal
SCIENCE SQUAD Pigeon Problems An Urban Bird Researcher's Journal by J A Watson Illustrations by Arpad Olbey Text by Jodie Mangor JOLLY FISH PRESS Mendota Heights Minnesota
A Crazy Decision Dear Journal Today I did something I seriously hope I don’t regret I Anthony Briggs joined the Science Squad It’s a club that does citizen science which means we’re going to help real scientists answer real research questions Along the way we complete projects and earn badges that allow us to level up video-game style My first project is earning the Data Collection badge And here’s the part that just about made me fall off my seat Anyone who earns this badge moves up to the orange level AND gets to go on a museum overnight Imagine an entire night at the Museum of Natural History Talk about serious inspiration for my comics that museum has one of the greatest dinosaur collections in the world Barosaurus Allosaurus Stegosaurus you name it They even have a dinosaur mummy Not to mention that you get to wander around with the whole place to yourself in the dark with flashlights Nothing can beat it Cool right
It would be except Wait for it Our group will be studying pigeons Yup that’s right garbage-eating rat-birds Why do I hate pigeons First there’s no getting away from them No matter where you go they’re all around the city lurking on top of lampposts sitting on window ledges and hanging around the garbage cans looking for handouts The guy who wrote the children’s book Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus had it right His pigeon character is nonstop pushy We New Yorkers have a rep for being pushy but we’re nothing compared to New York pigeons Second pigeons and me have an ugly history that dates all the way back to fifth grade That was a tough year As if TJ the class bully weren’t mean enough he had to keep saying that I walk like a pigeon and calling me Pidge nonstop It’s not like I could help that my walk got all stiff and funny I’d like to see HIM handle the pain of having his shin bones grow way too fast What would he do if HIS legs
