grrlscientist | April 6, 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 Paulsen, which lists bird and natural history books that are (or will soon be) available for purchase.
New and Recent Titles:
Angehr, George R., Dodge Engleman, and Lorna Engleman. A Bird-Finding Guide to Panama. 2008. Cornell University Press. Paperback: 391 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S. [Amazon: $19.77]. SUMMARY: An up-to-date birding guide to Panama.
Gellhorn, Joyce. White-tailed…
grrlscientist | April 6, 2008tags: How long can you survive in the vacuum of space, online quiz, fun and games
grrlscientist | April 6, 2008tags: The Lake Isle of Innisfree, William Butler Yeats, 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 reader and friend.
The Lake Isle of Innisfree
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honeybee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes…
grrlscientist | April 5, 2008I have a deep, dark secret that I want to confess to you: I love hamsters. I am especially fond of the teensy Russian dwarf hamsters, Phodopus sungorus, particularly their impossibly tiny fuzz-covered feet. So, I was surfing the web during the wee hours this morning instead of sleeping, as usual, and found the most delightful website.
When Hamsters Attack is more than simply a collection of news stories about hamsters committing crimes and a list of the Top Ten Most Wanted Hamsters, because it also includes an advice column written by Squiggles the hamster, a list of the top eleven ways to…
grrlscientist | April 5, 2008tags: photography, subway art, Penn station, NYC, NYCLife
A Bird's Life by Elizabeth Grajales (1997) [Detail 2]
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the Pennsylvania Station platform for the NYC subway stop (1-2-3) at West 34th street. Even though the patterns remain identical, each detail is colored a little differently from the others.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
grrlscientist | April 5, 2008tags: tree bark, Eastern Cottonwood, Manhattan, Kansas, nature, Image of the Day
Bark of the Eastern Cottonwood, Populus deltoides.
Image: GrrlScientist, 2008. [larger view].
grrlscientist | April 5, 2008tags: How long can you survive if trapped in your own home, online quiz, fun and games
I have a few questions; who would eat a pet if they were trapped inside their own home? And, is it possible to eat your couch and survive?
grrlscientist | April 5, 2008tags: God, A Poem, James Fenton, 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 reader and friend.
God, A Poem
A nasty surprise in a sandwich,
A drawing-pin caught in your sock,
The limpest of shakes from a hand which
You'd thought would be firm as a rock,
A serious mistake in a nightie,
A grave disappointment all round
Is all that you'll get from th'Almighty,
Is all that you'll get underground.
Oh…
grrlscientist | April 4, 2008tags: photography, subway art, Penn station, NYC, NYCLife
A Bird's Life by Elizabeth Grajales (1997) [Detail 1]
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the Pennsylvania Station platform for the NYC subway stop (1-2-3) at West 34th street. Even though the patterns remain identical, each detail is colored a little differently from the others.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
grrlscientist | April 4, 2008tags: birds, American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis, ornithology, Image of the Day
A long-time reader, Jerry, sent some images for me to feature as the "image of the day". This is the last image in a series of five.
American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis.
Image: Jerry Kram. [larger size].
The photographer, Jerry Kram, writes;
I know I've sent you a goldfinch before. But they are one of my favorite birds.
My father loved goldfinches. He called them wild canaries. He told me that as a child during the Great Depression he and his friends would try to catch them (uniformly unsuccessfully)…
grrlscientist | April 4, 2008tags: A Dream Deferred, Langston Hughes, 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 reader who wrote; "My favorite poem has always been 'A Dream Deferred' by Langston Hughes, even before I was old enough to know the context behind it." I agree with my reader, I also loved this poem as a child, and still do.
A Dream Deferred
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun…
grrlscientist | April 4, 2008tags: beer orchestra, humor, silliness, streaming video
Those crazy beer-swilling Canadians! At least they aren't advertizing icky beers like Budweiser or Coors lite or other crappy American beers [1:15]
grrlscientist | April 3, 2008
Not my plane, but the picture resembles what I saw
during most of my round-trip flight (fluffy clouds obscuring Earth).
Image: Boeing Photo, Neg #K63322.
Last, but not least after I've returned from my trip, is a few words about Northwest Airlines. In short, I flew from JFK to Detroit, then changed planes to continue my journey on to Kansas City, Missouri, where I met my ride. Because I was suffering from a total of three fractures (two in my arm), none of which were protected with a cast due to their location, I was worried about boarding the plane. I was certain that someone would touch…
grrlscientist | April 3, 2008tags: photography, subway art, Penn station, NYC, NYCLife
A Bird's Life by Elizabeth Grajales (1997)
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the Pennsylvania Station platform for the NYC subway stop (1-2-3) at West 34th street.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
grrlscientist | April 3, 2008tags: photography, Lincoln Center, NYC, NYCLife
Looking south towards Lincoln Center from West 66th street.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Yesterday, I had plenty of errands to keep me busy because the birds were out of food and I had a mountain of mail to send and an even bigger mountain of mail to retrieve. So I took my camera and got a few pictures while I took care of business. I thought this picture was especially nice.
Incidentally, I was unable to get out today because the building super and his assistant were fixing the holes in my trashed bathroom. I am excited…
grrlscientist | April 3, 2008tags: birds, Eastern wood-peewee, Contopus virens, ornithology, Image of the Day
A long-time reader, Jerry, sent some images for me to feature as the "image of the day". This is the fourth image in a series of five.
Eastern Wood-Pewee, Contopus virens.
Image: Jerry Kram. [larger size].
The photographer, Jerry Kram, writes;
This peewee hung around our group on a camping trip in Northern Minnesota. I love it when the subjects of my photos come to me instead of having to trek over hill and dale.
grrlscientist | April 3, 2008Juliet:
'Tis almost morning, I would have thee gone --
And yet no farther than a wan-ton's bird,
That lets it hop a little from his hand,
Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,
And with a silken thread plucks it back again,
So loving-jealous of his liberty.
Romeo:
I would I were thy bird.
Juliet:
Sweet, so would I,
Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.
Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night till it be morrow.
-- William Shakespeare. Romeo And Juliet Act 2, scene 2.
I had a fabulous time in Manhattan Kansas. I want to say more, but I don't…
grrlscientist | April 3, 2008My recent visit to Manhattan Kansas and the Platte River, Nebraska, was the first time I've ever set foot into either state, so this is my complete bird list for that region. Life list birds are noted with red font.
Eastern Kansas/Nebraska Bird List
Snow goose, white and blue phases
Canada goose
Cackling goose
Wood duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Blue-winged teal (plentiful)
Northern shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged teal
Canvasback
Redhead (only one pair, but they were very close to the road)
Ring-necked duck
Greater scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded merganser
Red-breasted merganser
Ruddy…
grrlscientist | April 3, 2008tags: On Punctuation, Elizabeth Austen, 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 reader and bird pal, Diane, who wrote; "I like the flow -- the freedom -- the not-so-subtle irreverent urging to think outside the box -- the joyful, (very) suggestive sauciness..." . This poet, Elizabeth Austen, is based in my original home, Seattle, and this poem appears here with her kind permission (the author…
grrlscientist | April 3, 2008tags: unemployment, humor, satire, streaming video
So, you all thought the Streetwalking Lawyers of Seattle video was humorous, did you? Well, after a quick trip through my time machine to the year 2009, I have found that streetwalking lawyers was prescient. [1:28]