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 
Magnolia Warbler, Dendroica magnolia (Wilson)
(Detail) By Tony Henneberg.
This birdday card was sent to me last year by my friend, Tony, who is a very talented artist (click on the image to be magically transported to his beautiful webpage). This card is a detail from a larger painting of his. Tony is currently wandering through the jungles of Suriname, where he will be for approximately six weeks, "looking at birds, big trees and giant otters" as he told me before he left. He promises to share any interesting photographs of birds with me upon his return in February, which of course means I will share them with you!
Comments
So your posting is suggestive but not probative of your birdday's having rolled around again. Under the old common-law pleading rules, I think your posting thus contains a negative pregnant. Is this in fact the very occasion? An e-card could be forthcoming depending on your response.
Posted by: biosparite | January 31, 2006 10:54 AM
yes, indeed, today is my birthday. and i am already having a really great day because my good pal, chris clarke just called me during a brief break from his adventures in the desert.
Posted by: GrrlScientist | January 31, 2006 11:01 AM
Happy Birthday!
Posted by: afarensis | January 31, 2006 11:21 AM
I'll second the Happy Birthday wishes.
Posted by: P.M.Bryant | January 31, 2006 11:34 AM
Happy Birdday and many more!!!
Posted by: Torris | January 31, 2006 11:44 AM
hey, thanks for your kind wishes, everyone, and thanks so much, biosparite for the wonderful birdday card (Jacquie Lawson is my favorite!)
Posted by: GrrlScientist | January 31, 2006 11:45 AM
Happy Birthday!!
Hope it is a good one!
Posted by: Dawn | January 31, 2006 12:17 PM
Thanks for Tony's Website, his work is fantastic!
Posted by: Dawn | January 31, 2006 12:42 PM
Happy Birthday! :o)
Posted by: Daniel | January 31, 2006 1:11 PM
Happy Birthday!
Posted by: sciencewoman | January 31, 2006 1:17 PM
and many more!
Posted by: RavenT | January 31, 2006 1:28 PM
HB2U, Hedwig! (Imagine the audio here: cumpleanos feliz, cumpleanos feliz, cumpleanos, cumpleanos, cumpleanos feliz!)
It never ceases to amaze me how small the world is...Tony Henneberg is one of my favorite artists...I "met" him years ago, when I received a brochure for a set of plates he had painted - I couldn't afford them, but we got to talking and I learned that he was from my beloved, tragic Zimbabwe...I've always wanted to purchase some of his artwork (not that we have an inch of uncovered wall space left; the bird art thing is really out of control)...how did your paths cross?
Hope you have lots of fascinating people cross your path today...
Posted by: ellen | January 31, 2006 2:03 PM
Happy birthday, and many many more!
By an amazing coincidence, the unrelated box of gifts I sent you weeks ago arrived at my house today as "undeliverable." What gives?
Posted by: Phila | January 31, 2006 2:18 PM
Happy Birthday Hedwig! Tony's little "spruce" warbler* is wonderful, thanks for the link to his site.
*I know, I know, it's a magnolia warbler. But just because Wilson shot one during migration in a magnolia tree...the little guys nest in spruce forests. If I ever get shot in a Red Roof Inn...
Posted by: Carl Buell(OGeorge) | January 31, 2006 2:23 PM
I'd sing Happy Birthday for you, but I'm not sure where to send the royalty payment.
Posted by: The Wege | January 31, 2006 2:39 PM
Ellen; i met him through my blog. apparently, he was a one of my silent fans who then made himself known to me one calendar year ago after he read it was my birthday.
Phila; i am so sorry about that! i kept bugging the post office peeps about the box and they said nothing had arrived. i'll try to clear this up with you in email.
Carl; thanks for sending this picture! that's very sweet of you. did you just whip that out today, or do you send that to all the girls, hmmm?
Norwegianity; rexroth's daughter and her dread pirate roberts beat you to it!
Posted by: GrrlScientist | January 31, 2006 2:54 PM
"Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live."
~ Unknown
Posted by: Tabor | January 31, 2006 4:32 PM
Happy birthday! I think the secret is to keep getting better with age.
Posted by: Sean | January 31, 2006 4:55 PM
Have a Happy one GrrlScientist
Posted by: Clare | January 31, 2006 4:55 PM
Happy Birthday!
Posted by: Will McKenna | January 31, 2006 5:03 PM
thanks everyone! this has been truly overwhelming. and thanks to my Seattle bird photographer pal, Dawn, for sending this lovely birdday card featuring a photo of a violet-tailed sylph, Aglaiocercus coelestis.
Posted by: GrrlScientist | January 31, 2006 5:39 PM
Hey, we left a little audio song on the post above this one, but I wanted to add my good wishes to you on this day, here too! Hope you are having a fantastic day. Happy happy birthday to you.
Posted by: Rexroth's Daughter | January 31, 2006 6:23 PM
Happy Birthday!
Posted by: Duane | January 31, 2006 7:08 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
xoxox L
Posted by: lillet | January 31, 2006 7:41 PM
Happy Birthday! ...and thanks for the link to Tony Henneberg's site. I'm ashamed to say I was unaware of him. His work is wonderful!
Posted by: cpbvk | January 31, 2006 8:23 PM
Happy Birthday!
Referer: http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/
Posted by: Jyotirmoy | January 31, 2006 11:37 PM
May this year see all your wishes come true...
Posted by: Sara | February 1, 2006 2:26 AM
Happy Birdday. Frohe Vogelstag
Posted by: Jim Shirk | February 1, 2006 9:15 AM