grrlscientist | November 15, 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 | November 15, 2009tags: Crested Tern, Great Crested-tern, Swift Tern, Thalasseus bergii, identify this bird, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Crested Tern, also known as the Swift Tern or Great Crested-tern, Thalasseus (Sterna) bergii, photographed at Michealmas Cay, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Steve Duncan, 24 August 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200 w/ Nikkor 300mm f/4.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | November 15, 2009tags: religion, fundamentalism, christianity, humor, satire, funny, evolution shmevolution, Edward Current, streaming video
Edward Current comments about all of the ignorant evilutionists (including me) who are contaminating the world with our crazy ideas. Nevermind that we have proof and the religious wingnuts do not.
grrlscientist | November 14, 2009tags: religion, fundamentalism, christianity, Why Do Atheists Care About Religion?, imrational, streaming video
How does religion impinge upon each American's rights? This video should open your eyes to the ridiculous, backwards and utterly nonsensical laws that control our lives because of someone's religious beliefs.
grrlscientist | November 14, 2009tags: Australian Lapwing, Masked Lapwing, birds, mystery bird, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Australian (Masked or Spur-winged) Lapwing, Vanellus miles, (formerly; Masked Plover, Spur-winged Plover), photographed at Atherton, Queensland, Australia. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Steve Duncan, 26 August 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 | November 14, 2009tags: birds, flock behavior, denmark, wildlife, wow, streaming video
This astonishing video from Denmark documents a flock of 300,000 birds in flight. I've seen flocks of as many as a million (or more) shorebirds in flight, but despite that, the sight never ceases to amaze me. For example, how do birds fly at such high speeds in such close quarters, changing directions seemingly at random, without crashing into each other?
What is the largest flock of birds you've ever seen? What species were in this flock? Do mixed-species flocks move differently than same-species flocks?
grrlscientist | November 13, 2009tags: atoms, teaching, pets, dogs, chemistry, streaming video
A crack team of PhD-trained golden retrievers illustrate the structure of atoms -- the particles that make up everything around you. They also show how atoms are weirder than you might think.
grrlscientist | November 13, 2009tags: Bar-shouldered Dove, Geopelia humeralis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Bar-shouldered Dove, Geopelia humeralis, photographed at Cooya Beach, Queensland, Australia. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Steve Duncan, 25 August 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200 w/ Nikkor 300mm f/4 1/2000 sec, f/4 iso 400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | November 13, 2009tags: invertebrates, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
Continuing with the food theme.... This video follows the adventures that ensue after a fly discovers an already chewed piece of gum on the road.
grrlscientist | November 12, 2009tags: invertebrates, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
I absolutely love this video. It features an ant discovering a lollipop in the road and the battle that ensues between the ants and the flies over possession of this food bonanza. The end of this video is truly hilarious.
grrlscientist | November 12, 2009tags: Eastern Phoebe, Sayornis phoebe, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Eastern Phoebe, Sayornis phoebe photographed at Smith Point, 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 1/250s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | November 12, 2009tags: insects, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
A Ladybug family goes out for a Sunday flight with their three offspring. One of these youngsters is a wee bit hyperactive and sets out on a series of adventures of her own, as detailed in this video.
grrlscientist | November 11, 2009tags: insects, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
A Ladybird educates her youngsters into the challenges and pleasures of life.
grrlscientist | November 11, 2009
My friend and former ScienceBlogs colleague, Afarensis, is in the hospital with pneumonia, a complication of a probable case of "swine" flu; H1N1 Influenza. His youngest daughter posted a message to his blog yesterday, so let's all head over there to leave our best wishes for his speedy and uneventful recovery! I know from experience that it's all of you, your kind words and your funny comments, who can really make a difference!
grrlscientist | November 11, 2009tags: Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus, photographed at Quintana Neotropical Sanctuary, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 30 October 2007 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/180s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | November 11, 2009tags: insects, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
What happens when a grasshopper gets the hiccups? How does a grasshopper get hiccups? This video explores these important questions.
grrlscientist | November 10, 2009tags: insects, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
I've watched this video several times and it is hilarious and well-done and will likely give you a smile too.
grrlscientist | November 10, 2009In one week and two days, I will be in Germany, beginning my new life as an American expat. Even though I thought I'd be more likely to live in the UK, in Finland, Iceland, or even on one of the South Pacific Islands where my research birds are found, I would be lying if I told you that I am not excited to relocate to Germany. I always thought I'd end up living overseas as an expat, even when I was a child.
Despite my excitement about my impending move, I am also extremely stressed out.
I have spent the past couple days trying to find my CITES permit, which was mailed to me last Wednesday,…
grrlscientist | November 10, 2009tags: Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Poecile rufescens, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Poecile rufescens, photographed at San Rafael, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 25 December 2007 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/320s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | November 10, 2009tags: insects, comedy, humor, satire, bentekr, animation, streaming video
If the previous video wasn't enough to make you laugh, then this one will do the trick. Silly, funny, fun, but .. is there a meaning to this?
Or maybe I should instead have entitled this "Ladybug pwns Dragonflies"?