[I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph. ~Shirley Temple]

I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph. ~Shirley Temple

[Christmas Facts]

Christmas Facts

In Ukraine, if you find a spider web in the house on Christmas morning, it is believed to be a harbinger of good luck! An artificial spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees.

In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small figurine of a goat. It is usually made of straw. Scandinavian Christmas festivities feature a variety of straw decorations in the form of stars, angels, hearts and other shapes, as well as the Julbukk.

Electric lights Christmas trees were first used in 1895.

Alabama was the first state to recognize the Christmas holiday

It wasn't until 1870 that Christmas became a national holiday in America.

Many of the needless, pine nuts and pine cones found on Christmas trees are actually edible.

In the United States alone, Visa cards are used an average of 5,500 a minute during the holiday season.

Each year over 3 billion Christmas cards are sent out in the United States.

The Christmas candy cane, shaped as a shepherds’ crook, represents the humble shepherds who were first to worship the new-born Christ.

Eggnog: Eggnog, a very popular Christmas drink, is prepared by mixing cream, milk, sugar and beaten eggs with some kind of liquor. This has a close connection to the Christmas holiday, and on Christmas Eve, it's fairly common to spot groups of people eggnogging at their neighbors' and friends' places. People also gather round the Christmas tree, drinking eggnog and then move from house to house caroling.

Hanging Stockings: The practice of hanging stockings over the fireplace on Christmas Eve comes from England. The legend of St. Nicholas has it that the latter was a kind saint who was believed to have left gifts of gold coins in the stockings of three poor maidens, who badly needed the money for their wedding dowries. They hung their stockings to dry over the fireplace, and to their great surprise, they found bags of gold in them the next morning. Following this, children kept hanging Christmas stockings over the fireplace on Christmas Eve in the hope that Santa would drop gifts and toys in them

http://www.wcnc.com/marketplace/microsite-content/wcnc-eagle-cam.html It's dark now but there's always tomorrow. 

Beauty on Mercury at 1:21 with something in her talons.

Will have to keep a closer eye on the Cathedral following the pair sighting this afternoon. May have just been a transient pair passing through, at least 2 pairs in Malvern & 1 in Pershore (both about 7 miles away), will look for any ID. Bobbin back 4pm yesterday & again 8am today - watching the Gulls....Dave
Female Kestrel 11am Wednesday
Male Kestrel 3pm Wednesday
Bobbin on the perch 11pm last night, no more sightings of a second bird yet. Two visits from the kestrels yesterday - female @ 11am + male @ 3pm....Dave

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said some birds were dying because they could not find food.

They urged people to leave food and water out for the birds.

The extreme weather is also changing the behaviour of some species with reports of arctic birds, normally seen in Greenland, visiting NI shores.

Birds like redwings and snipe which normally dwell in the countryside are coming into the city for food.

RSPB manager Anne Marie McDevitt said people really need to look after the bird population.

"Their fat reserves are basically running down and they are not able to keep warm," she said.

"They are not taking in enough calories to keep themselves warm and alive.

"They can just simply die at this time of year if they don't get enough food. They are not able to replenish their energy reserves."



BBC news

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40721227/ns/us_news-environment

http://njoutdoors.wordpress.com/2010/12/20/north-shore-tour/

Great photos of a falcon and gull chasing each other.

http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/pets-animals/videos/what-birds-can-teach-us-about-flight

Story and video

Very interesting

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A Slidell man has pleaded guilty to selling and attempting to sell migratory bird parts in violation of federal law.

Marc David Maciera pleaded guilty Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says that court documents show between March and June 2008, 35-year-old Maciera knowingly sold and offered for sale parts of anhingas, a migratory bird, to people across the United States via the internet.

Investigators say Maciera sent sets of feathers, for which he received about $300 each, through the mail.

Maciera faces up to two years in prison and a $2,000 fine.

Sentencing is set for March 24.

http://green-buzz.net/environment/ten-of-the-most-brightly-colored-birds-on-earth/

Scarlet Tanager #8

#1 is beautiful

[A very pretty song they sing!]

A very pretty song they sing!

[So I guess this is Z end?]

So I guess this is Z end?

Some nice snow pics and I'll let Bobbie explain the Robin!

[Very neat indeed Bobbie! Yay for Rod!]

Rod says he woke up last nite when the outside lights went on and figured it was the neighbour's cat. But when he looked out... someone else was finishing up the bird food. Pretty neat, huh?! Sorry I missed him!

Very neat indeed Bobbie! Yay for Rod!