Search
Concisus Vitae
GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in OpenLab2009.
Online interviews with GrrlScientist: Kolibri Expeditions, ScienceOnline09, Nature Blog Network and ScienceBlogs.
GrrlScientist's banner was designed by graphic artist, Jeff Hebert, whose other work can be viewed here.
Nominate your science, nature or medical writing to Scientia Pro Publica (Science for the Public) blog carnival using the widget above.
Worthy Causes to $upport
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Help This $cientist-Blogger
Meters and Counters
Archives
Deep archives
Rotating Reciprocal Links
Reading/Viewing
I've Contributed To
Blog Bling
Bookmarking/Networking
My Little Radio Station (Music)
News and Talk
Miscellaneous
November 21, 2009
Category: Birding • Education • Mystery Birds • Photography • Teaching • Travel
tags: identify these birds, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery birds] 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.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 9:59 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 20, 2009
Category: Birding • Education • Mystery Birds • Photography • Teaching • Travel
tags: identify this bird, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] photographed at Mareeba Wetlands, 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.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 9:59 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Art • Humor • Streaming videos • Your Inner Child
tags: insects, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
I love cicadas, and this video about a cicada who learns the "wrong" song is just so sweet! The star of this video was introduced to salsa music while still in his egg, but he still manages to find true love.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 6:59 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Art • Humor • Insects • Streaming videos • Your Inner Child
tags: insects, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
About the true love of two apple worms becoming separated during harvest times, but like my love story, this one has a happy ending
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 5:59 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Expat Life • Streaming videos
When this publishes, it will be 8 am in Germany and my plane will have landed in Frankfurt a few minutes ago. As you are getting ready to snuggle into a warm bed, I will be jet-lagged, waiting to collect my checked bags and to work my way through Customs with my birds. Hopefully, I have all my permits, certificates and other paperwork in order so the authorities will simply wave me through and let me go home -- to a place I've never seen -- and take a hot shower! Even though I've said I will collapse and sleep for three days after reaching Frankfurt, this is unlikely (based on what I do after all my previous travels). If I end up doing what I've always done every other time I've traveled, I will investigate the city, eat the food and try out the beer -- and then I'll collapse.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 2:59 AM • 33 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 19, 2009
Category: NYC life • Relocating Overseas • Streaming videos
By the time this publishes, I will be on the plane with my parrots somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean (hopefully not in it!), flying to Frankfurt! So while I am preoccupied with doing that, I thought I would write this list to amuse you (and to remind you that I am thinking about all of you, even while relocating);
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 8:59 PM • 12 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Birding • Education • Mystery Birds • Photography • Teaching • Travel
tags: birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] photographed at Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Art McLeod, 18 August 2009 [larger view].
Canon 40d 400mm 5.6 lens.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 9:59 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Streaming videos
tags: satire, comedy, humor, president obama, teleprompter, ONN, Onion News Network, streaming video
Imagine the crisis that occurred when President Obama's teleprompter unexpectedly stopped functioning during a family dinner. Fortunately, he is capable of remembering his script, unlike the moron who was in office one year ago....
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 6:59 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Art • Insects • Streaming videos • Your Inner Child
tags: insects, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
A love story, starring those sweet little ladybugs. But this love story has a hidden message under all the gooey kisses.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 5:59 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 18, 2009
Category: Birding • Education • Mystery Birds • Photography • Teaching • Travel
tags: birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] photographed at Bodega Bay, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 23 December 2007 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 9:59 AM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Art • Streaming videos • Your Inner Child
tags: insects, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
Now this is a very cute video. It follows the story of a honeybee that flies into a house and becomes a prisoner inside. A fly discovers the trapped bee on the opposite side of the window glass and then the unexpected happens.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 6:59 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 17, 2009
Category: Relocating Overseas
Here's how I will know that I and the birds are home at last.
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 11:30 AM • 9 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Birding • Education • Mystery Birds • Photography • Teaching • Travel
tags: Greater Roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Greater Roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus, photographed at Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 29 March 2008 [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.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 9:59 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 16, 2009
Category: Relocating Overseas
Today is far more stressful than it deserves to be. I spent a good part of today either bleeding all over my apartment (one of my lories bit me) or on the telephone, talking with the police department, trying to determine if my "good citizen certificate" is ready to pick up. Even though I saw at least two police officers with desks that had functioning telephones on them while I was there, I was told there are no telephones into that office. WTF?
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 9:49 PM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category:
I am leaving on Thursday (19 November), and still have a mountain of books to give away. I could give them to NYPL or I could give them to you (if you pay postage). I prefer to give them to you, but you have to act quickly because I have tons of things I need to take care of before I leave. I'll give you 24 hours to (1) claim the book in comments below (so everyone knows the book is claimed), and then (2) you MUST send me your mailing address via email. If you don't do both things, I will take all the unclaimed books to NYPL to add to their fund-raising book auction. I am really stressed out but I want to share with you, so please work with me here to make this as easy as possible on me.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 4:36 PM • 22 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Birding • Education • Mystery Birds • Photography • Teaching • Travel
tags: Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis, photographed at Smith Point, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 31 October 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.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 9:59 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Art • Humor • Insects • Streaming videos • Your Inner Child
tags: insects, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
This poor ladybug can't even find someone to play with! Those flies are just too greedy to be good playmates.
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 6:59 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Art • Humor • Insects • Streaming videos • Your Inner Child
tags: insects, comedy, humor, bentekr, animation, streaming video
If only NASA had watched this video before spending billions of dollars on the space program!
Read on »
Posted by "GrrlScientist" at 5:59 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
