grrlscientist | February 5, 2008tags: amphibians, red-eyed tree frog, Agalychnis calidryas, photography, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
I think this is a red-eyed tree frog, Agalychnis calidryas,
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the NYC uptown subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | February 5, 2008tags: researchblogging.org, birds, Nepal Rufous-vented Prinia, Prinia burnesii nipalensis, ornithology, speciation, new species, Nepal
A new subspecies of the Rufous-vented Prinia, Prinia burnesii,
has been found in Nepal. This new bird is now known as the
Nepal Rufous-vented Prinia, Prinia burnesii nipalensis.
[larger view].
A new subspecies of bird has been discovered on marshy grasslands located on small islands in Nepal's Koshi River. This new subspecies is similar to two other previously described subspecies of the Rufous-vented Prinia that are found along rivers in Pakistan and…
grrlscientist | February 5, 2008tags: birds, House finch, Carpodacus mexicanus, ornithology, Image of the Day
Male house finch, Carpodacus mexicanus,
in a hawthorne tree in Central Park, near the Metropolitan Musum of Art.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [larger size].
The photogrpaher writes: For a few weeks I have consistently found a small flock of House Finches near the playground adjacent to the southeastern edge of the Metropolitan Museum of Art between East 80th and 79th streets close to Fifth Avenue. The playground has a decorative entrance known as the Levy Gate upon which a prominent but tasteful…
grrlscientist | February 5, 2008tags: Frozen Grand Central, NYCLife, streaming video
On a cold Saturday a couple weeks ago in New York City, the world's largest train station came to a sudden halt. Over 200 Improv Everywhere "Agents" froze in place at the exact same second for five minutes in the Main Concourse of Grand Central Station. Over 500,000 people rush through Grand Central every day, but on this particular day, things slowed down just a bit as commuters and tourists alike stopped to notice what was happening around them. [2:16]
This event was organized by the group known as "Improv Everywhere."
grrlscientist | February 4, 2008tags: birds, killdeer, Charadrius vociferus, photography, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus,
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the NYC uptown subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | February 4, 2008tags: global warming, LabLit, science fiction, book review
I read the first two books in this trilogy last year [book 1 and book 2] and ever since I finished them, I had wondered; and then what happened? Well, now I know the answer to this question, and I can honestly say that this, the third of three books, made the entire trilogy into a huge disappointment, even though the series started out by showing some promise. Sixty Days And Counting by Kim Stanley Robinson (NYC: Bantam Books; 2007) is the last installment in a eco-political near-future sci-fi thriller trilogy. This particular book's…
grrlscientist | February 4, 2008tags: felidae, Sumatran tiger, Panthera tigris sumatrae, mammals, Image of the Day
The Sumatran Tiger, Panthera tigris sumatrae,
is under threat of extinction. There are only 100-300 left in the wild
with 20 occurring in Harapan, Sumatra.
Image: Dave Watts [larger view].
grrlscientist | February 4, 2008tags: Off-Road Velociraptor Safari, online game
Do you want to take a fun little break while you write your book report, your dissertation or even that big NSF or NIH grant? Well, now you can, by playing Off-Road Velociraptor Safari. In this online game, you are a raptor, and you drive around in a jeep, knocking over dinosaurs, smashing into stuff, and pulling off cool stunts. Seriously. Despite its technical limitations, Off-Road Velociraptor Safari is crazy enough to be fun. For raw dinosaur-based jeep-driving carnage, look no further.
grrlscientist | February 4, 2008tags: Birds in the News, BirdNews, ornithology, birds, avian, newsletter
Male Wood Duck, Aix sponsa, 2005.
Image: Dave Rintoul, KSU [larger view].
Birds in Science
A species of hummingbird makes a chirping noise with its tail feathers, not its throat, a study using high-speed video has suggested. The exact source of the noise from male Anna's hummingbirds has been the subject of debate among researchers. The loud chirp sound is produced by male Anna's hummingbirds, Calypte anna, as the birds dive towards the ground at speeds that exceed 50mph (80km/h) during their displays for nearby…
grrlscientist | February 4, 2008tags: starling flocks, birds, streaming video
This flock of starlings at dusk is an amazing thing to see, near Oxford, England. The area is an RSPB reserve called Ot Moor. The road from the village to the parking lot is closed from January 7th to March so beware -- you can still see the starlings but it is a long walk. The music is from a company called CSS Music. The track is "soaring with the sun". This video was shot by Dylan Winter on a high definition camera. [5:28]
grrlscientist | February 3, 2008tags: birds, great horned owl, Bubo virginianus, photography, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus,
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the NYC uptown subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | February 3, 2008tags: birds, House Sparrow, English Sparrow, Passer domesticus, ornithology, Image of the Day
"Don't think we're ungrateful. We really do appreciate the free cold buffet
but just once couldn't you serve hot hors d'oeuvres?"
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [larger size].
grrlscientist | February 3, 2008tags: bob's house, deaf, Pepsi ad, Super bowl, streaming video
Okay you guys, in honor of the SuperBowl, I am showing this video to you today. Pepsi made this odd commercial ad that will really give the audience pause .. it honors deaf people and is entitled "Bob's House" [1:00]
Did you hear anything during this commercial? Well, neither did the deaf actors who played characters in the ad. Herre's more about this ad [2:00];
grrlscientist | February 2, 2008tags: blog carnivals, teaching
The 176th edition of the weekly blog carnival, Friday Ark, is now available for you to enjoy. This is a blog carnival that focuses on linking to pictures of animals, although the pictures might also have a story associated with them (but they don't have to). So if you want to get your weekly dose of furry, feathery, scaley and squishy animal love, this is the place to do it!
grrlscientist | February 2, 2008tags: blog carnivals, history
The 61st edition of the History Carnival is now available for you to read and enjoy. This is a big carnival, and yet they saw fit to include a piece that I wrote (yeah, me!) so go there to learn lots of new and interesting things.
grrlscientist | February 2, 2008tags: blog carnivals, teaching
The 29th edition of the Circus of the Spineless is now available for you to read and enjoy. This is another "too small" blog carnival, but it includes pieces from my favorite invertebrate zoologists, so go there and enjoy!
grrlscientist | February 2, 2008tags: blog carnivals, teaching
The 2nd edition of A Teacher's Life Blog Carnival is now available for you to read and enjoy. And yes, they did include a submission from me. This blog carnival is not big enough, though, so if you have something to contribute to the next carnival, you should get over there to learn where to email your contribution.
grrlscientist | February 2, 2008tags: reptiles, monitor lizard, komodo dragon, Varanus komodoensis, photography, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
I think this is the world's largest monitor lizard,
the Komodo Dragon, Varanus komodoensis.
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the NYC uptown subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | February 2, 2008I just thought I'd take this opportunity to let you all know that I have not been kidnapped by space aliens nor by the infamous "kidney harvesters", that I did survive my birdday. Apparently, I have a few more friends here in NYC than I thought, and they all banded together to mercifully ensure that I would relegate my birdday celebration into the foggy corners of oblivion.
According to my memories, the evening started out well enough, but it becomes progressively foggier. I do (vaguely) remember that I had fun, but according to several of my friends' stories, I apparently had a very VERY…
grrlscientist | February 2, 2008tags: birds, Bismarck Kingfisher, Alcedo websteri, ornithology, Image of the Day
Bismarck Kingfisher, Alcedo websteri,
a specialist of lowland forest streams has lost a fifth of its habitat during the previous ten years.
Image: Nik Borrow.