[Curiously, the fungus that causes White Nose Syndrome occurs naturally in Europe and seems to cause no harm to bats there; it may be this European strain somehow was introduced to North America where our native bats have not yet acquired immunity. No one is positive about how a European fungus got here, but as humans began traveling and transporting goods worldwide with ease, similar problems have occurred time and time again.]

A very interesting read. Poor bat though. To quote the story:

Curiously, the fungus that causes White Nose Syndrome occurs naturally in Europe and seems to cause no harm to bats there; it may be this European strain somehow was introduced to North America where our native bats have not yet acquired immunity. No one is positive about how a European fungus got here, but as humans began traveling and transporting goods worldwide with ease, similar problems have occurred time and time again.

By Rochester Falcon Watcher Carol P.
I do love the weekends.- There is so much to do and see.- This weekend was no exception.- After a long week of work, it was time to play!- 
Both Saturday and Sunday, I found Beauty downtown, hunting over the river north of the Times Square bldg. and chasing...

Link:
http://rfalconcam.com/falconwatching/?p=3792

Cute little Owls. Nice pics Carol.

Looks like Cotton

[Freezing Fog]

Hey, send that here!!!

Now

Heavy Snow Freezing Fog 

Snowing!

[11]

.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/snowy-owls-make-rare-appearance-near-conservation-area-in-elsberry/article_74abfde8-579f-5be0-8fdf-461b3f8f48ea.html

Pairs usually mate for life. Females lay from three to 11 eggs at a time in nests built on the ground. 11??

http://abcnews.go.com/International/german-crow-killing-group-faces-growing-backlash/story?id=15457824#.TyUyWVxSSYE Story, the video doesn't work

A group of fanatic bird killers in Germany known as "the Crowbusters" has been waging a war on the birds with military-grade weapons and crusader-like zeal. But their stated reasons for massacring these "feathered vermin" are unfounded, and their bloodthirstiness has irked even some hunting groups. 

Yay, it's the Kendall's    Thanks

...date to be determined...can now include a trip to Canada!  My passport arrived today!   

I'm next!!

LOL, was just going to say that Ei....wow, she's going nuts!! Catch something Please!!

Beauty on M

Taking off

Sorry, the fruit's name is marula and the liquor made with is Amarula that I dont like.
But dont worry I like some others
Nicole

After a few, who cares what it's called!! 

Aren't they beautiful? If we could just collect them! Thanks Annette

To the delight of scientists, a pair of lovers returned to Hawaii this year for what might turn out to be an annual sojourn. The two birds are endangered short-tailed albatrosses, and for the second time in the species’ recorded history, they nested there, producing a chick on American soil.

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/theyve-done-it-again-an-albatross-chick/?smid=tw-nytimesscience&seid=auto   

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2012/01/vultures-skeletonise-corpse-in.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news story

Ever entertained the idea of leaving your body to science? Even if you have, you can scarcely have considered the strange fate of one donated corpse that has just been revealed in the journal Forensic Science International: a donor's body was left in a Texan wilderness so that vultures could scavenge and "skeletonise" it - and distribute the remains far and wide.

This wasn't for some horror movie - even though the process was captured on video. The aim was to discover how long it takes vultures to discover a body, how long it takes to reduce a body to bones - and how far the creatures are likely to distribute the parts they don't eat.