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grrlscientist | December 23, 2009tags: education, public outreach, SciCafe, science cafe, AMNH, American Museum of Natural History, NYC, streaming video
Who: Ichthyologist Melanie StiassnyWhat: free public presentation, "Mysteries of the Congo: Exploring the World's Deepest River"When: 700pm, Wednesday, 6 January 2010Where: Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, American Museum of Natural History, Enter at the 81st Street (Rose Center) [directions and maps]Cost: free, and there is a cash bar (must be 21+ with ID)
What strange new species lurk beneath? Join Museum Curator Melanie Stiassny, an ichthyologist who has been featured…
grrlscientist | December 23, 2009tags: The Known Universe, education, AMNH, American Museum of Natural History, NYC, streaming video
The Known Universe is an educational video about the new exhibit at AMNH that takes viewers from the Himalayas through our atmosphere and the inky black of space to the afterglow of the Big Bang. Every star, planet, and quasar seen in the film is possible because of the world's most complete four-dimensional map of the universe, the Digital Universe Atlas that is maintained and updated by astrophysicists at the American Museum of Natural History. The new film, created by the Museum, is part of…
grrlscientist | December 23, 2009tags: Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea (Ajaia) ajaj, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea (Ajaia) ajaj, photographed at Arthur Storey Park, Houston, Texas. [I will identify these birds for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 December 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 22, 2009tags: Northern Pintail, Pintail, Anas acuta, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Northern Pintail, also known simply as the Pintail, Anas acuta, photographed at Arthur Storey Park, Houston, Texas. [I will identify these birds for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 December 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/350s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 21, 2009tags: Common Redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Adult female Common Redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, photographed at La Lanterna in Genova, Italy. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Cliff Miles, 11 December 2009 [larger view].
Canon EOS Rebel XT with a 75-300mm zoom lens.
Here's a challenging bird for you to identify courtesy of a friend, who narrowed it down to one of two species (but it doesn't "fit" either species well). He contributed four images of this bird (what I think is the best image is published here) to…
grrlscientist | December 20, 2009tags: Finnish Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Rare Exports, comedy, humor, funny, fucking hilarious, holidays, Christmas, Finland, streaming video
This fascinating video, filmed and presented in the grand tradition of a National Geographic documentary, reveals what happens when an original Father Christmas, Hoho joulusta, goes on a rampage after being treated badly by humans.
The composer is Jim Dooley and the songs used in the film are "Mystic Tryst" and "Ancient Crystal".
grrlscientist | December 20, 2009tags: Frankfurter Weihnachtsmarkt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Expat Life, Frankfurt through my eye, photography
Frankfurter Weihnachtsmarkt (Frankfurt Christmas Market)
Image: GrrlScientist, 20 December 2009 [larger view]
This afternoon, my spouse and I investigated the Frankfurter Weihnachtsmarkt (Frankfurt Christmas Market) in Römerberg and Paulsplatz in downtown Frankfurt. It was five degrees below zero celsius (it felt a lot colder), and it was snowing vigorously -- all of which added to the festive atmosphere. We purchased a variety of flavors of "licorice" ropes -- including…
grrlscientist | December 20, 2009tags: Bronzed Cowbird, Molothrus aeneus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Bronzed Cowbird, Molothrus aeneus, photographed at Quintana, Brazoria County, Texas. [I will identify these birds for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 22 April 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/800s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 19, 2009tags: Green Jay, Cyanocorax yncas, Blue Morph, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Blue Morph Green Jay, Cyanocorax yncas, photographed at Laguna Atascosa Refuge, Harlingen, Texas. [I will identify these birds for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 8 April 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/80s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
You might be interested to read an article I wrote about schemochromes and the physics of blue coloration in birds. This piece was…
grrlscientist | December 18, 2009tags: Finnish Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Rare Exports, comedy, humor, funny, fucking hilarious, holidays, Christmas, Finland, streaming video
This fascinating video, filmed and presented in the grand tradition of a National Geographic documentary, follows three Finnish hunters through the far northern woods of Lapland as they track, hunt and train an original Father Christmas, Hoho joulusta, for export to other countries.
The composer is Jim Dooley and the songs used in the film are "Mystic Tryst" and "Ancient Crystal".
grrlscientist | December 18, 2009tags: Frankfurter Sonnenaufgang, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Expat Life, Frankfurt through my eye, photography, image of the day
Frankfurter Sonnenaufgang (Frankfurt sunrise).
Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Image: GrrlScientist, 18 December 2009 [larger view].
Are you getting bored of looking at photographs of Frankfurt yet? Well, if so, you would have appreciated this morning's image because the snowclouds were so thick that the city had completely disappeared. I tried to get a picture of that for you, but realized that you would not be able to distinguish that photograph from one taken of…
grrlscientist | December 18, 2009tags: Ashy Drongo, Dicrurus leucophaeus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Ashy Drongo, Dicrurus leucophaeus, photographed at the small village of Muang Khong, near Chiang Dao Mountain, northern Thailand. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dirk S. Schmeller, November 2009 [larger view].
Nikon d90 with a Nikon lens 80-400, 1/400 s f/16 at 400mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 17, 2009tags: education, public outreach, SciCafe, science cafe, AMNH, American Museum of Natural History, NYC, streaming video
Since the holidays are a busy time, I am notifying you of NYC's upcoming SciCafe a little early so you can be sure to add it to your calenders!
Who: Ichthyologist Melanie StiassnyWhat: free public presentation, "Mysteries of the Congo: Exploring the World's Deepest River"When: 700pm, Wednesday, 6 January 2010Where: Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, American Museum of Natural History, Enter at the 81st Street (Rose Center) [directions and maps]Cost: free, and there is a…
grrlscientist | December 17, 2009tags: Frankfurter Kirche, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Expat Life, Frankfurt through my eye, photography, image of the day
Frankfurter Kirche (Frankfurt church).
Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Image: GrrlScientist, 16 December 2009 [larger view].
Last night, on my way home from my first ever Christmas party in Germany, I happened upon this church in the darkness.
grrlscientist | December 17, 2009tags: Carolina Wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Carolina Wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus, photographed in an abandoned finch nest on the deck outside the home of one of my readers in Powder Springs, Georgia. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Rebecca Checkwood, 11 December 2009 [larger view].
Sony DSC-W7, 0.025 sec (1/40) f/2.8 7.9 mm.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 16, 2009tags: Frankfurter Schneesturm, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Expat Life, Frankfurt through my eye, photography, image of the day
Frankfurter Schneesturm (Frankfurt snowstorm).
Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Image: GrrlScientist, 16 December 2009 [larger view].
When I awoke today, it was snowing. By late morning, the snow was falling fairly heavily, as you see in this image, where Frankfurt's distinct "Asparagus" (communications) Tower is barely visible.
grrlscientist | December 16, 2009tags: Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Immature Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla, photographed at Vancouver Lake, Clark County, Washington. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Lyn Topinka, 13 December 2009 [larger view].
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
A second picture of the same individual, at rest.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 15, 2009tags: Frankfurt Sonnenstrahlen, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Expat Life, Frankfurt through my eye, photography, image of the day
Frankfurt Sonnenstrahlen (Frankfurt sunbeams).
Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Image: GrrlScientist, 15 December 2009 [larger view].
Whilst coming home from IKEA, where my spouse and I finally made a decision on how to design our kitchen, I photographed this lovely scene. In the distance is the smokestack tower that is located near to, and east of, my flat.
grrlscientist | December 15, 2009tags: European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Leucistic/albino European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, photographed at Station Orthinologique de l'Ile Grande, just outside of Pleumeur-Bodou/Landrellec, Bretagne, France. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: TravelGirl, spring or early summer 2006 [larger view].
Canon 5D, 100-400L.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | December 14, 2009tags: Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta, photographed at Carpinteria Salt Marsh in Carpinteria, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: John Callender, 5 December 2009 [larger view].
Can you ID this bird? Can you identify what type of animal killed it? If so, share your comments.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
There is still some disagreement as to what killed this bird. The photographer says a raptor did it; a commenter claims a…