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EoRaptor013



Posts: 45
Joined: Sep. 2007

(Permalink) Posted: Feb. 22 2008,18:09   

Quote (Dr.GH @ Feb. 22 2008,13:33)
   
Quote (EoRaptor013 @ Feb. 21 2008,14:20)
Gotta tell you a story. I swear on a stack of Origin of Species that this is true.

Sr in college -- '73 I guess it was -- my girlfriend in those days and I drove down to San Diego to a relatively new Lion Country sort of thingy (can't remember if it was an actual Lion Country or a clone). Back in them days, you drove through the park and there were plenty of warning signs about keeping windows closed, don't harass the citizens, etc. So, we drive along the road and come around the bend just in time for an indian elephant to step onto the road, then just stand there sweeping up bunches of grass from the road's shoulder. My girlfriend, never the patient type (think that's why she dumped me), sat for a couple of minutes drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. Finally, she can't stand it any more, rolls forward a foot or two, and honks the horn! While I'm going "GAAAK!", packy looks over, hrm.. her(?) shoulder, twitches her ears a bit and then... I SWEAR... sat on the hood of the car!!! (would that have been the bonnet even though the boot was in front?) Well, maybe it was more like leaned one haunch on it for a second; doesn't matter, put a goodly sized crunch on the hood of her car.

The rest of the story has to do with a chain-reaction accident we just barely avoided on the freeway and a CHP officer who didn't believe the story, either.

I recall reading this many years ago.  In 1973, I was a student at UC Irvine just a few miles from Lion Country Safari- Orange County not San Diego.  As I recall the story, it was a volkswagon that was sat on.

Yep. That was us. We were at USC. Orange County... well, to us it was most of the way to San Diego. ;-)

  
Albatrossity2



Posts: 2780
Joined: Mar. 2007

(Permalink) Posted: Feb. 29 2008,09:01   

The KSU Field Ornithology class visited the Cecil Best Birding Trail (in Manhattan's Northeast Community Park) yesterday morning. We got good looks at Brown Creepers and White-Crowned Sparrows, and the Red-winged Blackbirds and Western Meadowlarks were singing lustily. The most impressive aspect of the morning, however, was the numerous skeins of geese (both Canada and Snow), all very high and all heading north.

Today's checklist (as well as previous checklists from this year and previous years) can be found here.

 
Quote
One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring. — Aldo Leopold.



(image by Mark Chappell, used with permission)

--------------
Flesh of the sky, child of the sky, the mind
Has been obligated from the beginning
To create an ordered universe
As the only possible proof of its own inheritance.
                        - Pattiann Rogers

   
Dr.GH



Posts: 2333
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 02 2008,17:55   

It is egg layers in the open air;



Here is a battered Mourning Cloak female;



--------------
"Science is the horse that pulls the cart of philosophy."

L. Susskind, 2004 "SMOLIN VS. SUSSKIND: THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE"

   
Dr.GH



Posts: 2333
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: April 09 2008,14:03   

I was thinking about D'Tard's truck picture sporting a butterfly, and I thought to post a photo of wildlife growing on my truck.  I get the most kick out of the lichen:



--------------
"Science is the horse that pulls the cart of philosophy."

L. Susskind, 2004 "SMOLIN VS. SUSSKIND: THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE"

   
Nomad



Posts: 311
Joined: July 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 09 2008,23:37   

I traditionally have freaky nearly transparent white (ghostly white was how I always thought of them) spiders growing on my vehicles.  They seem to have stayed away from my latest car, I'm not really sure why.

I have no pictures, but you have to understand that I have a fairly strong fear of spiders bordering on phobia level.  They're small, fragile looking spiders.  The freaked me out not because they're big or dangerous but because they're spiders and because they had a tendency to appear without warning while I was trying to drive.  You think cell phones make for distracted drivers?  Try the time I had a spider rappelling down into my lap while I was driving.  I came close to pulling over to get rid of it.

I've gotten a little better since then, perhaps they've decided that they can't have as much fun torturing me anymore and have buggered off to find someone new to harass.

  
Erasmus, FCD



Posts: 6349
Joined: June 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 09 2008,23:43   

Painters!!!!!

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You're obviously illiterate as hell. Peach, bro.-FtK

Finding something hard to believe based on the evidence, is science.-JoeG

the odds of getting some loathsome taint are low-- Gordon E Mullings Manjack Heights Montserrat

I work on molecular systems with pathway charts and such.-Giggles

  
jeffox



Posts: 671
Joined: Oct. 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 13 2008,23:55   

I saw my first barn swallows of the year today.

  
skeptic



Posts: 1163
Joined: May 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2008,15:57   

Just this morning I watched a brilliant red cardinal right in the back yard.  He comes so frequently that the dogs let him stand right on the top of the dog house without a second glance.  I've even seen him pinch a bit of dog food from time to time.

  
rhmc



Posts: 340
Joined: Dec. 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2008,17:21   

had a bald eagle soaring over the house friday afternoon.  

setting sun highlighting the white head, white tail, brown wings.

and i hope to view a bunch of seagoing crustaceans this weekend as i've deployed the crabtraps in the estuary.

  
khan



Posts: 1554
Joined: May 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2008,18:08   

A Cooper's Hawk grabbed a bird (finch?) out of midair about 6 feet from my front window (near the bird feeder).  There's also a Northern Harrier that favors doves.

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"It's as if all those words, in their hurry to escape from the loony, have fallen over each other, forming scrambled heaps of meaninglessness." -damitall

That's so fucking stupid it merits a wing in the museum of stupid. -midwifetoad

Frequency is just the plural of wavelength...
-JoeG

  
Henry J



Posts: 5787
Joined: Mar. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2008,22:58   

Can deer eat cactus without hurting themselves on the spines? There's a patch of some kind of cactus near the parking lot where I live, and something has taken bites out of some of its flat oval shaped sections. The shape of the missing pieces suggests something with a fairly large mouth, maybe deer sized.

Henry

  
Dr.GH



Posts: 2333
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2008,23:19   

Quote (rhmc @ April 14 2008,15:21)
had a bald eagle soaring over the house friday afternoon.  

setting sun highlighting the white head, white tail, brown wings.

and i hope to view a bunch of seagoing crustaceans this weekend as i've deployed the crabtraps in the estuary.

Baldies are really fun to watch grab fish.  Santa Catalina Island has 4(?) mated pairs.  Last years chicks are quite large and have already learned to hit on the sport fishing boats. We spilf a mackeral so that it stays on the surface and get a good view of the eagles taking the fish.  Last year we got to see an eagle nail a seagull which is the obverse of most of their interactions.  A half dozen or so gulls, or some of the island ravens will often harass an eagle until they are forced to perch.

--------------
"Science is the horse that pulls the cart of philosophy."

L. Susskind, 2004 "SMOLIN VS. SUSSKIND: THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE"

   
Dr.GH



Posts: 2333
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: April 14 2008,23:26   

Quote (Henry J @ April 14 2008,20:58)
Can deer eat cactus without hurting themselves on the spines? There's a patch of some kind of cactus near the parking lot where I live, and something has taken bites out of some of its flat oval shaped sections. The shape of the missing pieces suggests something with a fairly large mouth, maybe deer sized.

Henry

Yeah, I have seen them do it.  Cattle too, even with needles all over their faces.  I saw a photo of a steer with pads stuck to his face.

Coyotes are passionate for prickely pear fruit.  They get terribly spiked up, and even get diarrhea from the amount of fruit they eat- scat that are merely purple stained mucus and opuntia seeds.  

We have junkies, so I see there is no need to feel superior.

--------------
"Science is the horse that pulls the cart of philosophy."

L. Susskind, 2004 "SMOLIN VS. SUSSKIND: THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE"

   
J-Dog



Posts: 4402
Joined: Dec. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 15 2008,08:11   

Couger in Chicago - Of course, the Police Department shot it.  

Link goes to the story and has some sad looking pictures.

http://www.wbbm780.com/Cougar-Shot-In-Roscoe-Village/2001618

--------------
Come on Tough Guy, do the little dance of ID impotence you do so well. - Louis to Joe G 2/10

Gullibility is not a virtue - Quidam on Dembski's belief in the Bible Code Faith Healers & ID 7/08

UD is an Unnatural Douchemagnet. - richardthughes 7/11

  
Erasmus, FCD



Posts: 6349
Joined: June 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 15 2008,08:30   

I ain't no junkie so git yer paws off my superiority pal.  I have never even heard of a steer, with catcus pads in his lips or not, that could fiddle the Wildwood Flower.  now i can't swat flies with my tail but I don't want to anyhow.  on a related diminished triad...

1:Do cows prefer to experience their Opuntia eating full flavor, glochids and all, or is it just any way you can get it?

b3:Why do the dogs never learn the skunk stinks?

b5:Why does Paul Nelson still show up around here?

--------------
You're obviously illiterate as hell. Peach, bro.-FtK

Finding something hard to believe based on the evidence, is science.-JoeG

the odds of getting some loathsome taint are low-- Gordon E Mullings Manjack Heights Montserrat

I work on molecular systems with pathway charts and such.-Giggles

  
Assassinator



Posts: 479
Joined: Nov. 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 15 2008,10:06   

Quote (Erasmus @ FCD, Posted on April 15 2008,08:30 )
b3:Why do the dogs never learn the skunk stinks?

Do dogs care if they stink or not ;)
Anyway, you guys sure have some fascinating wildlife around there. It's just boring crap here in Holland, the little and plain birds (blackbirds, pigeons, several species of tits and unfortunatly not the interesting types of tits) we have here are mostly chased away by my 2 cats (who still occasionally catch one, picture on 1st page). The best I can spot here, are grey herons who occasionally fly over. They like my neighborhood (densly build quarter build like 12 years ago) because lots of people have small ponds in there backyards, thus fish. Also the nightly sky isn't that woopy, because I live 200 meters from a freeway. And still the area where I live would be labeled as "country-side".
Yay for Holland...

  
Dr.GH



Posts: 2333
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: April 15 2008,11:39   

Quote (Erasmus, FCD @ April 15 2008,06:30)
b3:Why do the dogs never learn the skunk stinks?

I once had a dog that liked skunk spray.  Even when the skunk missed him, he would go for a good roll in it.  Otherwise he was normal.

--------------
"Science is the horse that pulls the cart of philosophy."

L. Susskind, 2004 "SMOLIN VS. SUSSKIND: THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE"

   
EyeNoU



Posts: 115
Joined: Mar. 2008

(Permalink) Posted: April 15 2008,19:52   

In South Texas, ranchers will burn the spines off prickly pear pads so the cattle can feed on it, especially in times of drought.

  
Albatrossity2



Posts: 2780
Joined: Mar. 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 17 2008,14:15   

The KSU Field Ornithology class dodged the thunderstorms this morning and found some good birds. Shorebirds are coming through this part of the world right now, and we found American Avocet, Long-billed Dowitcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Wilson's Snipe, and Spotted Sandpiper. We also found a few sparrows, a few ducks, and some terns and gulls.

The final species list was 48 species. Hopefully we will get better weather next week, but we did pretty well for a rainy and blustery day. (note - the American Avocet image at the linked checklist was NOT shot today)

--------------
Flesh of the sky, child of the sky, the mind
Has been obligated from the beginning
To create an ordered universe
As the only possible proof of its own inheritance.
                        - Pattiann Rogers

   
Richardthughes



Posts: 11178
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 17 2008,14:18   

I was never a big biology fan at school, but one of the best lessons was definitely collecting a fixed amount of leaf litter and counting and classifying the species...

--------------
"Richardthughes, you magnificent bastard, I stand in awe of you..." : Arden Chatfield
"You magnificent bastard! " : Louis
"ATBC poster child", "I have to agree with Rich.." : DaveTard
"I bow to your superior skills" : deadman_932
"...it was Richardthughes making me lie in bed.." : Kristine

  
J-Dog



Posts: 4402
Joined: Dec. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 17 2008,14:42   

Quote (Albatrossity2 @ April 17 2008,14:15)
The KSU Field Ornithology class dodged the thunderstorms this morning and found some good birds. Shorebirds are coming through this part of the world right now, and we found American Avocet, Long-billed Dowitcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Wilson's Snipe, and Spotted Sandpiper. We also found a few sparrows, a few ducks, and some terns and gulls.

The final species list was 48 species. Hopefully we will get better weather next week, but we did pretty well for a rainy and blustery day. (note - the American Avocet image at the linked checklist was NOT shot today)

Hey - I just got a PM from FTK!  

She and her kids would like to know just exactly where those birds are located, and where the biggest concentration of prey , easy targets, birds might be located.*




* Just kidding, in case FTK gets outraged.  They don't need to know where the birds are located, they'll just call in an air-strike and do some saturation bombing.**

**Really, she didn't PM me.  But it sounds believable, right?

--------------
Come on Tough Guy, do the little dance of ID impotence you do so well. - Louis to Joe G 2/10

Gullibility is not a virtue - Quidam on Dembski's belief in the Bible Code Faith Healers & ID 7/08

UD is an Unnatural Douchemagnet. - richardthughes 7/11

  
Albatrossity2



Posts: 2780
Joined: Mar. 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 17 2008,15:39   

Quote (J-Dog @ April 17 2008,14:42)
Hey - I just got a PM from FTK!  

She and her kids would like to know just exactly where those birds are located, and where the biggest concentration of prey , easy targets, birds might be located.*




* Just kidding, in case FTK gets outraged.  They don't need to know where the birds are located, they'll just call in an air-strike and do some saturation bombing.**

**Really, she didn't PM me.  But it sounds believable, right?

Bad J-Dog! Bad!

FtK's appreciation of the avifauna of Kansas has advanced  significantly in recent weeks.

On a lighter note, here's a story about an Avocet rescue, using a bird dog, from carlsonjok's area (well, not exactly, but it was within 100 miles or so).

--------------
Flesh of the sky, child of the sky, the mind
Has been obligated from the beginning
To create an ordered universe
As the only possible proof of its own inheritance.
                        - Pattiann Rogers

   
J-Dog



Posts: 4402
Joined: Dec. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 17 2008,15:52   

If those are Canadian Geese that FTK's kids are harassing, they could be in BIG Trouble - they are a Federally protected species.  I'm thinking they could even be Expelled...

Rich might be interested in some of FTK's upcoming Prison Blog's, if there is a live feed.  I understand that this type of "docu-drama" has a niche market.  And by niche market I mean Adult Films - and I bet a single malt bottle of scotch that if FTK winds up in a Women's Prison Movie, it will gross more than Expelled.  

If it's "tastefully" done of course.

--------------
Come on Tough Guy, do the little dance of ID impotence you do so well. - Louis to Joe G 2/10

Gullibility is not a virtue - Quidam on Dembski's belief in the Bible Code Faith Healers & ID 7/08

UD is an Unnatural Douchemagnet. - richardthughes 7/11

  
dnmlthr



Posts: 565
Joined: Mar. 2008

(Permalink) Posted: April 17 2008,18:08   

Guess the type of area that I live in...

We have:
- Rats of all shapes and sizes, with some really big ones every now and then
- Rabbits AKA rats with big ears
- Pigeons AKA rats with wings
- Too few dogs and definitely too few cats

--------------
Guess what? I don't give a flying f*ck how "science works" - Ftk

  
Erasmus, FCD



Posts: 6349
Joined: June 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 17 2008,18:12   

yeah J-D the niche market for people who like "nasty people who are willfully hooked on stupid and have disgusting bodies (butter faces) and lame personalities anyway having uninspired protected sex like inuits doing it only no invoking the deity" I'm sure pays well.  millionaires and stuff.

-rolls eyes, queefs-

-throws up in beard just a little bit at thought of the sad scene-

-changes channel-

for wildlife I am preparing fresh morels (yellows greys and blacks) poke sallet and wild asparagus I clipped on the side of the road.  I have been watching that asparagus for 8-9 months waiting for today.  I have found 60+ morels in two days.  there just aint no ramps around here.  i blame it on the sevier family, and with good reason.

Also, wild phlox, wild geraniums, some bloodroot (still), some spring beauties (still), yesterday a host of bellwort (theyre nice), trillium luteum everywhere that is worth being, solomons seal up and big, so is zig zag, trout lilies done already, some asters i don't know that were in deep forest, still lots of violets in the woods, may apples blooming (there stand my wan soldiers), hexastylis and little brown jugs are both blooming, turkey mustard blooming, several others i didn't know.  not much wildlife.  saw a couple nice bass finning around in a hole under the river bank this morning.  my eyes are to the ground.

dnmlthr  what kind of place is that?  we have too many cats.  it is debatable though because there is too much privet.

--------------
You're obviously illiterate as hell. Peach, bro.-FtK

Finding something hard to believe based on the evidence, is science.-JoeG

the odds of getting some loathsome taint are low-- Gordon E Mullings Manjack Heights Montserrat

I work on molecular systems with pathway charts and such.-Giggles

  
carlsonjok



Posts: 3326
Joined: May 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 17 2008,18:22   

Quote (Erasmus, FCD @ April 17 2008,18:12)
for wildlife I am preparing fresh morels (yellows greys and blacks) poke sallet and wild asparagus I clipped on the side of the road.  

Okay, I am calling shenanigans.  It is way too early in the year for pokeweed.  I don't think you are that far from me and poke doesn't come up here until late summer.

--------------
It's natural to be curious about our world, but the scientific method is just one theory about how to best understand it.  We live in a democracy, which means we should treat every theory equally. - Steven Colbert, I Am America (and So Can You!)

  
Erasmus, FCD



Posts: 6349
Joined: June 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 17 2008,19:55   

Quote (carlsonjok @ April 17 2008,18:22)
Quote (Erasmus @ FCD,April 17 2008,18:12)
for wildlife I am preparing fresh morels (yellows greys and blacks) poke sallet and wild asparagus I clipped on the side of the road.  

Okay, I am calling shenanigans.  It is way too early in the year for pokeweed.  I don't think you are that far from me and poke doesn't come up here until late summer.

what are you, an inuit?

poke has been up for a couple of weeks here in the valley.  some of it is damn near too big to eat.  that is if you care what they say about it.

i knew an old indian that ate the berries like a bear.  said it didn't hurt the bears, wouldn't hurt him.  he was pretty old.  might be true.  white people tell me it is pizen.

--------------
You're obviously illiterate as hell. Peach, bro.-FtK

Finding something hard to believe based on the evidence, is science.-JoeG

the odds of getting some loathsome taint are low-- Gordon E Mullings Manjack Heights Montserrat

I work on molecular systems with pathway charts and such.-Giggles

  
carlsonjok



Posts: 3326
Joined: May 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 17 2008,20:05   

Quote (Erasmus @ FCD,April 17 2008,19:55)
 
Quote (carlsonjok @ April 17 2008,18:22)
 
Quote (Erasmus @ FCD,April 17 2008,18:12)
for wildlife I am preparing fresh morels (yellows greys and blacks) poke sallet and wild asparagus I clipped on the side of the road.  

Okay, I am calling shenanigans.  It is way too early in the year for pokeweed.  I don't think you are that far from me and poke doesn't come up here until late summer.

what are you, an inuit?

Okie.
Quote

poke has been up for a couple of weeks here in the valley.  some of it is damn near too big to eat.

The only thing that has really taken off so far is the rye and henbit.  I don't really start seeing any poke until July or later.

--------------
It's natural to be curious about our world, but the scientific method is just one theory about how to best understand it.  We live in a democracy, which means we should treat every theory equally. - Steven Colbert, I Am America (and So Can You!)

  
Albatrossity2



Posts: 2780
Joined: Mar. 2007

(Permalink) Posted: April 19 2008,19:08   

It was a stunning spring morning here on the edge of the Great Plains, so I hauled the camera and the binoculars out to a local birding spot. I got some pictures of a few migrants and a few residents, which can be seen here.

Enjoy!

--------------
Flesh of the sky, child of the sky, the mind
Has been obligated from the beginning
To create an ordered universe
As the only possible proof of its own inheritance.
                        - Pattiann Rogers

   
nuytsia



Posts: 131
Joined: June 2006

(Permalink) Posted: April 19 2008,20:54   

Those are some really nice shots of great birds Albie.
I particularly like the 2nd yellow rumped warbler shot.

I found this on my living room window earlier this week.

I love moths but they're such b4st4rds to identify.
This might be Syneora mundifera but IANAL* so it could be something totally bloody different. :-(

I picked up this a few days later at a friends house.

No idea what it is but  I assume it's another Geometridae.


* I am not a lepidopterist - in a perfect world this phrase would be used more often. :angry:

   
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