Dana,

Thank you so much!!!!  It's so good to see pictures of Mariah and so glad you are near the mall to check on her!!!!!  Great eyes!!!!

I'm so glad you all spotted her and that she is looking so healthy and well!!!!  Our beautiful girl!!!

They are a bit loud but gosh, what a glorious sound   

This is the most action the medley center has had

    Our girl!!!!!

My cousin worked on the production team for this.  She'll be happy you watched it!

I suspect that many of the lessons taught in school about the environment pale in comparison to what seeing that eagle did for those kids (and adults).

The webcam we for years looked at on the tower may have influenced sales but more than that, it influenced hearts and minds.

What a great wish, Joyce!!!!!!! 

Happy birthday!!!!!!!!!

This is hilarious!!!!

Magpies 'feel grief and hold funerals'
Magpies feel grief and even hold funeral-type gatherings for their fallen friends and lay grass "wreaths" beside their bodies, an animal behaviour expert has claimed.
 

Published: 7:00AM BST 21 Oct 2009
A magpie
A magpie Photo: GETTY

Dr Bekoff, of the University of Colorado, said these rituals prove that magpies, usually seen as an aggressive predator, also have a compassionate side.

The discovery raises the debate about whether emotions are solely a human trait or whether they can be found in all animals.
 

Previous studies have suggested that gorillas also mourn their dead while rats have empathy and cats form friendships.

Dr Bekoff said he studied four magpies alongside a magpie corpse and recorded their behaviour.

"One approached the corpse, gently pecked at it, just as an elephant would nose the carcase of another elephant, and stepped back. Another magpie did the same thing, " he said.

"Next, one of the magpies flew off, brought back some grass and laid it by the corpse. Another magpie did the same. Then all four stood vigil for a few seconds and one by one flew off."

After publishing an account of the funeral he received emails from people who had seen the same ritual in magpies, ravens and crows.

"We can't know what they were actually thinking or feeling, but reading their action there's no reason not to believe these birds were saying a magpie farewell to their friend," he wrote in the journal Emotion, Space and Society.

Those who see emotions in animals have been accused of anthropomorphism – the attribution of human characteristics to animals.

However, Dr Bekoff said emotions evolved in humans and animals because they improve the chances of survival.

"It's bad biology to argue against the existence of animal emotions," he said.

He also claims to have seen emotions in elephants. While watching a herd in Kenya he noticed an injured cow elephant who was only able to walk slowly.

"Despite her disability the rest of the herd walked for a while, stopped to look around and then waited for her to catch up.

"The only obvious conclusion we could see is the other elephants cared and so they adjusted their behaviour," said Dr Bekoff.

Thanks, Carla!!!!  And sweet wishes are never late!

Evidently, dolphins were videotaped (it is on youtube) playing "football" with jellyfish.  One researcher said it may explain why in captivity, they are good flipping balls!  One article I read said some jellyfish didn't live through.  The dolphins go underneath them and flip them in the air.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/8308796.stm

Fabulous!!!

Happy birthday, Joyce!!!!!!!

Time to be a little  

Make memories that are

Surround yourself with life's best things  

And know we think you are