grrlscientist | December 15, 2009tags: European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Leucistic/albino European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, photographed at Station Orthinologique de l'Ile Grande, just outside of Pleumeur-Bodou/Landrellec, Bretagne, France. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: TravelGirl, spring or early summer 2006 [larger view].
Canon 5D, 100-400L.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 15, 2009tags: Christmas Gift Ideas, entertainment, comedy, satire, funny, fucking hilarious, BBC Worldwide, Harry Enfield, streaming video
It's only ten days away! You're starting to panic, what can you get for those on your shopping list? Here's some good suggestions to make everyone happy.
grrlscientist | December 15, 2009tags: Hungry Beast, television, prank, hoax, media watch, ABC, streaming video
The Hungry Beast team takes on the Australian media to see if the journalists can discern fantasy from reality. They fail miserably.
grrlscientist | December 14, 2009tags: Christmas Cake recipe, fruitcake, holidays
I just had to share this amazing Christmas Cake recipe that I am going to try this year -- just in time to celebrate my first Christmas!
 Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 stick butter
1 cup of water
1 tsp baking  soda
1 cup of  sugar
1 tsp  salt
1 cup of  brown sugar
Lemon juice
4 Â large eggs
Nuts
2 Â bottles wine
2 Â cups of dried fruit
Sample the wine to  check quality. Take a large bowl, check the wine again. To be sure  it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat.  Turn on the electric mixer. Beat…
grrlscientist | December 14, 2009tags: Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta, photographed at Carpinteria Salt Marsh in Carpinteria, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: John Callender, 5 December 2009 [larger view].
Can you ID this bird? Can you identify what type of animal killed it? If so, share your comments.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
There is still some disagreement as to what killed this bird. The photographer says a raptor did it; a commenter claims a…
grrlscientist | December 14, 2009tags: Mute Monks Sing the Hallelujah Chorus, entertainment, comedy, funny, fucking hilarious, streaming video
Can mute monks sing? Yes they can, as you will discover in this amusing video of mute monks singing the Halleluiah Chorus.
Hat-tip to my good friend and former SB colleague, John Wilkins, who is celebrating these holidays as a newly employed (several months) tenure-track professor and published author in beautiful Australia. Go there and wish him happy holidays!
grrlscientist | December 13, 2009tags: The Conjugal Rights Guide, entertainment, comedy, satire, funny, fucking hilarious, BBC Worldwide, Harry Enfield, streaming video
Now that the weekend is over, let's go back to my social education -- some of my social training includes *gasp* conjugal unpleasantness.
grrlscientist | December 13, 2009tags: sitemeter, blog traffic, graphics
According to this graphic, can you tell which days were the lead-up to my departure from NYC? When did I arrive in Frankfurt? When did I first get my own wireless connection in Frankfurt?
grrlscientist | December 13, 2009tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books
"How does one distinguish a truly civilized nation from an aggregation of
barbarians? That is easy. A civilized country produces much good bird
literature."
--Edgar Kincaid
The Birdbooker Report is a special weekly report of a wide variety of science, nature and behavior books that currently are, or soon will be available for purchase. This report is written by one of my Seattle birding pals and book collector, Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, and is edited by me and published here for your information and…
grrlscientist | December 13, 2009tags: safety tips, holidays, christmas, hanukkah, kwanzaa, new year's day, pets, birds, parrots
Elektra.
My pet Female Solomon Islands Eclectus parrot,
Eclectus roratus solomonensis, April 2008.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
This message was emailed to me, and I am posting it here as a public service. With the Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and the New Year's holidays upon us, we are all busy planning our family gatherings, gift giving and decorations. The season brings with it unique hazards that we all need to be mindful of so that we can ensure that our feathered family…
grrlscientist | December 13, 2009tags: Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, photographed at Whittier Narrows, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Steve Duncan, 8 December 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200 w/ Nikkor 300mm f/4 & TC17E.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 13, 2009tags: religion, christianity, fundamentalism, wingnuttery, comedy, humor, satire, fucking hilarious, streaming video
The Bible states clearly in Genesis 3:16 that the man rules over the woman.
Did anyone follow this guy's "logic"? If so, please do explain to the rest of us who are still mortally confused. A flowchart might be helpful.
grrlscientist | December 12, 2009tags: The History of the Church of England, entertainment, comedy, funny, fucking hilarious, religion, Eddie Izzard, streaming video
"The gospel according to Saint Bastard"? That particular book was never allowed in the original New Testament for obvious reasons.
grrlscientist | December 12, 2009tags: Western Kingbird, Tyrannus verticalis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Western Kingbird, Tyrannus verticalis, photographed at Smith Point, Chambers County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 1 November 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
This lovely North American species shouldn't be too difficult for most of you to ID (maybe you can hold your enthusiasm in check for a few hours, David?)
Please name at least one field mark that supports your…
grrlscientist | December 12, 2009tags: Woodpecker vs Snake, behavior, birds, Giant Bird Snake, Pseustes sulphureus, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Campephilus melanoleucos, streaming video
Here is some remarkable footage from somewhere in the Amazon (Peru?) of a Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Campephilus melanoleucos, taking on a "Giant bird snake" or "puffing snake", Pseustes sulphureus, that has raided its nest and swallowed its eggs.
grrlscientist | December 11, 2009tags: El Baile del Perrito, Un Perro Bailando Merengue, stupid pet tricks, animal training, humor, funny, streaming video
This video documents a Merengue-dancing dog. Despite its cheesiness, it's really an interesting study in excellent animal training as well as a demonstration of how well an animal observes human body movements and body language.
grrlscientist | December 11, 2009tags: Nebeliges Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Expat Life, Frankfurt through my eye, photography, image of the day
Neblig Frankfurt Nebeliges Frankfurt, 2 (Foggy Frankfurt).
Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Image: GrrlScientist, 7 December 2009 [larger view].
I like the gold color of the mist that the buildings are poking through.
grrlscientist | December 11, 2009tags: Hickory, North Carolina, street map, city planning, comedy, humor, fucking hilarious
Image: Google Maps [larger view].
This is the Google street map for Hickory, North Carolina. Take a close look at this map and then tell me that the city planner wasn't high on some seriously mind-altering drugs. I'll bet this city requires a PhD for its pizza delivery people and postal workers, and no formal education at all from its city planners (courtesy of my friends at Reddit).
grrlscientist | December 11, 2009tags: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea, photographed at Smith Point, Chambers County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 3 November 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Can you tell me the sex as well as the species for this individual?
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 11, 2009tags: Hamburger Make Up Artistry, food porn, Buy Me That, streaming video
This video is a segment from the popular series "Buy Me That." Featured is a "makeup artist for food," who provides us with this behind-the-scenes look at how burgers (and fries) are made to look their best for television.
This just makes you want to run out to buy and eat some fast food, doesn't it?