grrlscientist | April 22, 2008tags: Lucasberg, wasp, Hymenoptera, behavior, streaming video
This streaming video is a fascinating close-up interaction with a wasp by the photographer, who goes by the name Lucasberg. To get these amazing shots, he used a 180mm SLR macro lens. The photographer says the video is a little shakey because he was balancing on the handrail of his porch and could only use 1 tripod leg while filming. [1:06].
Face to face with a Wasp.
grrlscientist | April 21, 2008
Image: NOAA [larger view].
What are you doing today to celebrate Earth Day?
grrlscientist | April 21, 2008tags: chambers street subway art, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Chambers Street Subway Art #4
as seen at NYC's Chambers Street stop for the A and C trains.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [larger view].
grrlscientist | April 21, 2008tags: raccoon, Procyon lotor, Image of the Day
Central Park raccoon, Procyon lotor.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
Bob Levy writes:
It's a little known fact but an incontrovertible one. Having had the opportunity to closely study the Central Park Raccoon population it did not take me long to discover that it is common for them to greatly exaggerate their exploits and accomplishments. In this image I was able to capture one typical example. Tsk, tsk. What a fibber. I was there. It was half that size.
grrlscientist | April 21, 2008tags: Birds in the News, BirdNews, ornithology, birds, avian, newsletter
American White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos.
Image: Jerry Kram. [larger size].
People Hurting Birds
Jerrould Smith, a dumbass good ol' boy from Sarasota Florida, is charged with animal cruelty after deputies say he deliberately swerved off the road to run over a protected bird species. Smith admitted he hit a sandhill crane and told deputies it was a "spur of the moment" decision and knew the bird was a protected species. The bird died.
New research debunks the common belief that cats and raccoons are to blame…
grrlscientist | April 21, 2008tags: The Blue Bird, Mary Coleridge, poetry, National Poetry Month
April is National Poetry Month, and I plan to post one poem per day, every day this month (If you have a favorite poem that you'd like me to share, feel free to email it to me).
Male mountain bluebird, Sialia currucoides.
This bird surprised birders in Washington state by visiting Bainbridge Island this past weekend.
Image: Eva Gerdts, April 2008 [larger view].
Today's poem was suggested by a reader who comments here as themadlolscientist. He writes; "That marvelous photo of the BLOOOOOOOObird reminded me of this [poem…
grrlscientist | April 21, 2008tags: Bonerol, humor, comedy, satire, streaming video
Erectile dysfunction is not just limited to humans. This amusing streaming video is a commercial for a new drug meant to solve doggie erectile dysfunction. Of course, if your dog ends up humping your leg for more than four hours at one go, it's time to take him to the vet -- watch it now while your boss is not looking! [0:45].
grrlscientist | April 20, 2008tags: chambers street subway art, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Chambers Street Subway Art #3 [Detail from #1]
as seen at NYC's Chambers Street stop for the A and C trains.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | April 20, 2008tags: Flights Against the Sunset, short stories, memoir, birding, bird watching, Kenn Kaufman, book review
When Kenn Kaufman was sixteen, he left home in pursuit of a dream; to see more species of birds in the United States in one calendar year than had ever been seen before. Instead of preventing him from trying to achieve this dream as most people would have done, his parents allowed him to go with their blessing. Now, as an adult, a famous birder and field guide who travels the world, we find Kaufman in a nursing facility in Wichita, Kansas, visiting his seriously ill mother after having…
grrlscientist | April 20, 2008tags: birds, Northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, ornithology, Image of the Day
Note the paper teabag wrapper in the photo. I think it adds a "New Yorkish touch" to its construction.
Nest of the Northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, located in a tree in the traffic circle in front of the Museum's parking garage.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger view].
Did you notice the pale blue eggs in the nest?
grrlscientist | April 20, 2008tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, natural history books
"One cannot have too many good bird books"
--Ralph Hoffmann, Birds of the Pacific States (1927).
Here's this week's issue of the Birdbooker Report by Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, which lists bird and natural history books that are (or will soon be) available for purchase.
FEATURED TITLE:
Dickinson, Emily. Emily Dickinson's Herbarium: A Facsimile Edition. 2006. Belknap/Harvard University Press. Large slipcased folio: 208 pages. Price: $125.00 U.S. [Amazon: $98.00]. SUMMARY: Poet Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) in her youth assembled a…
grrlscientist | April 20, 2008tags: flowers, NYC, photography
Have I mentioned that my allergies have gone bezerk? Another way I know that spring has arrived is when I am stuck purchasing every over-the-counter antihistamine known to humanity and taking two to three times as much as I am supposed to, just so I can breathe. Yes, this is tremendously expensive.
Yellow Ranunculus, Ranunculus abortivus, in a flower box outside a restaurant in NYC.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger].
grrlscientist | April 20, 2008tags: I Sing of Olaf Glad and Big, E. E. Cummings, poetry, National Poetry Month
April is National Poetry Month, and I plan to post one poem per day, every day this month (If you have a favorite poem that you'd like me to share, feel free to email it to me).
Today's poem was suggested by a friend and long-time reader.
I Sing of Olaf Glad and Big
I sing of Olaf glad and big
whose warmest heart recoiled at war:
a conscientious object-or
his wellbelovéd colonel (trig
westpointer most succinctly bred)
took erring Olaf soon in hand;
but--though an host of overjoyed
noncoms(first knocking on the…
grrlscientist | April 20, 2008tags: flowers, NYC, photography
Restaurants like to use window boxes filled with flowers as a visual barrier between their sidewalk dining areas and the common sidewalk areas. As a result, flowers such as this are common (although still gorgeous).
Another sign that spring is here.
Red Ranunculus, Ranunculus abortivus, in a flower box outside a NYC restaurant.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger].
grrlscientist | April 19, 2008tags: chambers street subway art, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Chambers Street Subway Art #2 [Detail from #1]
as seen at NYC's Chambers Street stop for the A and C trains.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | April 19, 2008tags: curbside fruit stand, NYC, photography
As soon as the weather begins to improve, the curbside fruit stands reappear like mushrooms after a rain. Generally, the fruits available at these stands are cheaper and of better quality than what you can get in a grocery store. The truly unusual fruits that you can only find at some of these fruit carts can be a little expensive, though.
Curbside fruit stand on the Upper West Side of NYC.
GrrlScientist 2008 [larger].
grrlscientist | April 19, 2008tags: skyscraper, NYC, photography
I took this picture yesterday, when the weather was nearly perfect (nearly perfect for NYC, that is).
I have been photographing this particular building ever since I got my digital camera. I like the way that the light is reflected by all surfaces that are built at slightly different angles. One day, perhaps, I'll capture the perfect image, but until then, I will just share these other pictures with you.
The Time Warner complex at Columbus Circle.
If you look closely, you can see window washers up near the top of the building at right.
Image:…
grrlscientist | April 19, 2008tags: satire, humor, comedy, outsourcing employees, presidency
A friend sent me this hilarious story, which I rewrote and updated and share with you here.
"I just don't understand why no one likes me," exclaimed a confused Mr. Bush.
Washington, DC -- Congress today announced that the office of President of the United States of America will be outsourced to India as of April 20, 2008.
This action is being undertaken to save economically-challenged American taxpayers the cost of the President's $500,000 annual salary, along with a record $9.37 trillion national deficit that Mr. Bush…
grrlscientist | April 19, 2008tags: birds, Northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, ornithology, Image of the Day
Papa Museum's left eye was unwaveringly fixed on mine.
Male Northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger view].
Bob Levy writes:
A sure sign that "spring hath sprunged" is the appearance of songbird nests. I found my first one this season in an unexpected fashion but then I have come to expect the unexpected when bird-watching. For several minutes I had been standing beside a wrought iron fence where the sight and sound of a singing male House Finch mesmerized…
grrlscientist | April 19, 2008tags: Three Questions, Ralph Black, poetry, National Poetry Month
April is National Poetry Month, and I plan to post one poem per day, every day this month (If you have a favorite poem that you'd like me to share, feel free to email it to me).
My poetry suggestions are starting to run dry, which means I will start posting my own favorites (but you've seen many of those already) or you can send me your favorite poems, which I probably haven't read before! Today's poem was suggested by Dave, a friend and long-time reader of mine, who writes that this poem was written by "a great modern poet…