grrlscientist | November 2, 2008tags: Irene Pepperberg, Alex, Alex the African grey parrot, talking parrot, cognition, behavior, streaming video
Tonight, I will attend Irene Pepperberg's reading where she will read from her new book about her friend and colleague, Alex the African grey parrot. Below is an interesting video showing some of what Alex was capable of doing, and it also provides a small glimpse into the relationship between Alex and Irene [2:06]
grrlscientist | November 1, 2008tags: Sarah Palin, clothes, politics, satire, humor, Palin's wardrobe, streaming video
Sarah Palin has ten excuses for why the American people should not be offended that she spent $150,000 on new clothes and shoes and hair cuts and expensive shit like that when we are losing our jobs, our health insurance, and our houses [1:21]
grrlscientist | November 1, 2008tags: Times Square, 42nd street, The Revelers, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
The Revelers (2007).
Artist: Jane Dickson. Photographed in the passageway at 42nd Street/Times Square traveling east between the 8th Avenue/Port Authority Bus Terminal A, C, & E trains) and the 7th Avenue/Broadway (1, 2, & 3 trains) platforms.
I watched the workmen install these mosaics (I wish I had photographed the process to share with you) and photographed them all after the adhesive had dried.
Image: GrrlScientist 9 September 2008 [larger view].
I have photographed glass tile…
grrlscientist | November 1, 2008tags: Pipestone Canyon, Cascade Mountain Range, Winthrop Washington, landscape, nature, photography, Image of the Day
Pipestone Canyon Valley, a few miles north of the small town of Winthrop in the North Cascade Mountain Range in Washington State.
Image: David W. Morgan, 25 October 2008 [larger view].
The photographer, David Morgan, writes;
I am sending some pictures [of Washington State that] I took while on a fossil collecting trip this past Saturday. [This image was] taken just a few miles north of Winthrop, WA while exploring the Pipestone Canyon area looking for Paleocene leaf…
grrlscientist | November 1, 2008tags: Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, photographed at Shoveler Pond, Anahuac Refuge, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 26 February 2007 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 500.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
[Along] With House Sparrow, this is the favorite species of every…
grrlscientist | November 1, 2008tags: Indian Ringneck parakeet, Rose-Ringed Parrot, Psittacula krameri, talking parrot, parrots, behavior, streaming video
This video shows an unnamed male blue color variant of the Indian Ringneck parakeet talking (this species is usually green in color), also known as a Rose-Ringed Parrot, Psittacula krameri, This species has different markings by gender, since adult males have a colorful ring on their neck, while females do not. This is a very talented species of parrot when it comes to talking, and they are quite long-lived too. In the background, you can hear some finches buzzing and a…
grrlscientist | October 31, 2008tags: Times Square, 42nd street, The Revelers, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
The Revelers (2007).
Artist: Jane Dickson. Photographed in the passageway at 42nd Street/Times Square traveling east between the 8th Avenue/Port Authority Bus Terminal A, C, & E trains) and the 7th Avenue/Broadway (1, 2, & 3 trains) platforms.
I watched the workmen install these mosaics (I wish I had photographed the process to share with you) and photographed them all after the adhesive had dried.
Image: GrrlScientist 9 September 2008 [larger view].
I have photographed glass tile…
grrlscientist | October 31, 2008tags: bird behavior, emotional lives of animals, ornithology, birds, avian, photoessay
The bird calls out after realising that his (her?) mate is dead
Image: Wilson Hsu, AbuNawaf.com [larger view].
There are many inexplicable and tragic events in nature, yet few are captured on film. Here is an interesting series of photographs depicting a pair of swallows, Hirundo rustica (known as the Barn Swallow in the United States). In this series of images, we watch the story that unfolds after one of the birds was fatally injured, yet the bird's mate remains nearby, delivering food or water and…
grrlscientist | October 31, 2008tags: DonorsChoose2008, education, public school education, fund raising, evolution education, nature education, bird education
Already, dear readers, you are making a difference. For example, today, an impoverished classroom in American's capital city learned that they will be able to learn how to identify wild birds in Washington DC because you donated enough for them to fulfill their funding request. Thank you!
Of course, I will be sharing all updates with you that they and all "our classrooms" send during the upcoming school year.
Birding in Washington, DC
Dear GrrlScientist,
Birds…
grrlscientist | October 31, 2008Here's the latest carnivalia that has been published in the blogosphere for you to read and enjoy;
Carnival of the Vanities, the Samhain edition.
Tangled Bank, issue #117. This is the "Carnival of the Vanities" for science and medical blog writers.
I and the Bird, issue #87. This blog carnival is all about wild birds and bird watching.
The Friday Ark #215. This blog carnival links to gorgeous images of animals, some of which are accompanied by a story, most of whicjh are not.
The Just Write blog carnival, 31 October edition. This blog carnival focuses on writing and the writing life.…
grrlscientist | October 31, 2008tags: politics, political sleeze, Elizabeth Dole, Kay Hagen, atheists, streaming video
At one time, I respected -- note the past tense of the word -- Elizabeth Dole, but after seeing this astonishing ad that her campaign aired in NC against her political opponent, Kay Hagen, I am disgusted. At the end of the ad, there is a picture of Hagen and a voice-over saying "there is no god" -- the implication being that Hagen, a christian, actually said this. Worse, even though Hagen is christian, her willingness to meet with atheists shows she is open-minded and thoughtful: since when is tolerance…
grrlscientist | October 31, 2008tags: Autumn in the Palouse, landscape, nature, photography, Image of the Day
Autumn in the Palouse.
[Eastern Washington State, USA]
Image: Joe Fuhrman, 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | October 31, 2008tags: Western Screech-Owl, Megascops kennicottii, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
Peek-a-boo! [Mystery bird] Western Screech-Owl, Megascops kennicottii, photographed in Arizona. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Richard Ditch, 2005 [larger view].
Date Time Original: 2005:06:11 13:51:11
Exposure Time: 1/40
F-Number: 5.60
ISO: 500
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
We're going to cheat in a minor way, and take full advantage of our knowledge that this bird was…
grrlscientist | October 31, 2008tags: netwing beetle, Trilobite beetle, Lycidae, beetles, insects, streaming video
Just in time for Hallowe'en: This video shows a juvenile netwing beetle, sometimes known as the Trilobite beetle due to the plates on its back (scutes). Firefly larvae also have scutes. This individual was collected in the Puhipi mountains of Laos [2:02]
grrlscientist | October 30, 2008tags: Times Square, 42nd street, The Revelers, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
The Revelers (2007).
Artist: Jane Dickson. Photographed in the passageway at 42nd Street/Times Square traveling east between the 8th Avenue/Port Authority Bus Terminal A, C, & E trains) and the 7th Avenue/Broadway (1, 2, & 3 trains) platforms.
I watched the workmen install these mosaics (I wish I had photographed the process to share with you) and photographed them all after the adhesive had dried.
Image: GrrlScientist 9 September 2008 [larger view].
I have photographed glass tile…
grrlscientist | October 30, 2008tags: Arid country in the Palouse, landscape, nature, photography, Image of the Day
Arid Country in the Palouse.
Image: Joe Fuhrman, 2008 [larger view].
[The Palouse is a semi-arid "rain shadow" region in Eastern Washington State and portions of the Idaho panhandle, USA]
grrlscientist | October 30, 2008tags: Pacific Golden-Plover, Pluvialis fulva, American Golden-Plover, Pluvialis dominica, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Pacific Golden-Plover, Pluvialis fulva (left), and American Golden-Plover, Pluvialis dominica (right), photographed on Fir Island, Skagit County, Washington State [I will identify these birds for you tomorrow].
Image: Marv Breece, 6 October 2008 [larger view].
Canon EOS 350D 1/640s f/7.1 at 300.0mm iso800.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:…
grrlscientist | October 30, 2008tags: Riley, talking parrot, Eclectus roratus, parrots, behavior, streaming video
This video shows a conversation with a pet eclectus parrot, Eclectus roratus, named Riley. He is very talented, with a large and varied repertoire as well as a nice "voice." I also live with an eclectus, a female Solomon Islands eclectus named Elektra, and I can attest to their talent as talkers. This species of parrot is color-coded by gender: males are emerald green while females are scarlet red [4:33]
grrlscientist | October 29, 2008tags: Times Square, 42nd street, The Revelers, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
The Revelers (2007).
Artist: Jane Dickson. Photographed in the passageway at 42nd Street/Times Square traveling east between the 8th Avenue/Port Authority Bus Terminal A, C, & E trains) and the 7th Avenue/Broadway (1, 2, & 3 trains) platforms.
I watched the workmen install these mosaics (I wish I had photographed the process to share with you) and photographed them all after the adhesive had dried.
Image: GrrlScientist 9 September 2008 [larger view].
I have photographed glass tile…
grrlscientist | October 29, 2008tags: DonorsChoose2008, education, public school education, fund raising, evolution education, nature education, bird education
The end of the month approaches, and with it, Hallowe'en and -- even more important -- the end of ScienceBlogs' DonorsChoose Challenges! I am truly impressed with your generosity towards impoverished kids throughout America as their teachers struggle to improve their science education -- afterall, these kids are going to be voting soon, and if they have a crappy science education, they too will join the ranks of Sarah Palin and John McCain by berating important…