NOT yet ladies!!

My time...no time! Auto-solve...great pic Aafke. Curlews huh? Hmmm.

We need a road trip to "Take Care of Business". Poor Peregrines.

The way things are these days, Donna Girl, we're gonna have to pack a lot of toothpaste. Because it will be one loooong trip.

Let me know when you're going.     

I'm packed.

Yeah but your coming here! 

Blogging Bob again...

http://php.democratandchronicle.com/blog/birds/?p=3630

Jeeze, this man's a supastah! Bless him and all his birdies.

The rare sighting of a Killer Whale stranded on a beach in Mayo was too much of an opportunity for some people who cut off the head of the animal as a souvenir.
The Killer whale or Orca was reported stranded on Doohoma Beach in Tullaghan Bay in Erris on October 4 last and after examination it was discovered to be heavily pregnant. The whale was due to be taken away but the following day the skull and jaw bones were defaced by someone using a chainsaw.
Irene O’Brien of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group told The Mayo News that the whale was to be brought to National History Museum in Dublin for display.
“The stranding of a Killer Whale is very unusual on Irish beaches  and it was to be brought to the National History Museum in Dublin. However, someone took off the head with a chainsaw and obviously took it home, which is a shame. Instead of being put on display it was buried on the beach by Mayo County Council,â€� she said.
The 18 foot long whale had turned red when it was discovered which suggested it was stranded for a few days before it was reported. This was only the 15th stranding recorded of this species in Ireland since records began and this was the seventh in 40 years.
Last August a male Risso dolphin became stranded on beach at nearby Doolough and last week a number of seal pups were washed up on beaches around Erris. However, Irene explained that reasons why whales and dolphins strand remain a mystery.
“Killer Whales move around the Atlantic but are more commonly seen around the south-west coast of Ireland and are only sporadically seen around the west coast. We have no understanding as to why they strand and we don’t know why this whale stranded here.�
A post mortem of the whale was carried out on the carcass on October 10 and samples of different parts of the whale were taken for analysis. The stomach contents were also examined and there were fish remains and unidentified bones in the stomach but no plastics or litter.
When the abdominal cavity was opened, they found a large, near-term foetus of a 2.09m female. Newborn calves are believed to be 2.5m long and this was fully formed with large teeth and visible white eye-patches. The dorsal fin and tail flukes were soft, to aid in delivery and usually stiffen soon after birth.

(why can't people leave things alone?) 

It looks like a Mourning Dove shape to me.  Big body, little head.  The only thing missing is the long tail.  Hmmmmm.

Sounds like you are describing me, Carol! Except for the tail, but maybe I should check...

 

 

We need a road trip to "Take Care of Business". Poor Peregrines.

On to today's WAI?

???

Donna, are you sure this is a bird?

Very nice that I gave the good answer, I'm a bit behind the others.
greetings Aafke

I don't know any more than you guys right now. I believe it's a bird with a Big Bottom. My kinda bird. 

http://www.hometown-pages.com/main.asp?SectionID=14&SubSectionID=59&ArticleID=33903

Rattling, purring noises... and excited whoops... No, it's not the sound of a sick cat and cheering fans at a football game. Instead, try a sandhill crane and a whooping crane, respectively.

 October 19, 2010

Illinois' state bird is, as any schoolkid ought to be able to tell you, the cardinal. Now, there's a movement by some Chicago-area birders to replace the cardinal with the red-headed woodpecker.

The groups Chicago Wilderness and the Audubon Chicago Region also raised that possibility, asking in a newsletter if anyone might like to "join in this perhaps quixotic quest." Numbers of the red-headed woodpecker -- a noisy bird with a brilliant red head on top of a black-and-white body -- have been steadily declining because of habitat loss, but the bird was once common throughout Illinois.

"Wouldn't it be nice if the state bird was simply more representative of what the state was like when it was founded?" said Bob Fisher, president of the Illinois Ornithological Society.

Consider yourself lucky that, unlike owls, you can see something that's close to your eyes. Otherwise, you'd miss this delightful puffball.

How adorable.


This glamorous owl hangs out in a studio all day having his photo taken, but not all birds of prey are so pampered.

In fact, according to the Burrowing Owl Conservation Network, the burrowing owl is in big trouble. Though federally protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the burrowing owl is losing its habitat to land development and prairie dog control measures. Don't stress just yet—there's something you can do. Get involved in conservation efforts here.

http://burrowingowlconservation.org/Help.html How to help.

http://www.takepart.com/news/tag/daily-cuteness-challenge Other daily cuteness.

On to today's WAI?

???

No, sorry I think a Curlew, Curlew babies.
greetings Aafke

Aafke is correct again..Curlew Chicks indeed. 

We have so so many deer here. They are dead on every road.

PARSIPPANY — A woman driving on Route 10 was seriously hurt after a wayward deer on the opposite side of the road was struck by a car and sent flying across the road through her window, police said Monday. The 6:27 p.m. accident near the Route 53 interchange on Friday involved three other vehicles and tied up traffic in both directions for hours.

Parsippany Police Capt. James Carifi said a small deer was on eastbound Route 10 when it was struck by a passing motorist. The impact sent the deer flying across the highway divider and onto the westbound side, where it crashed through the front windshield of a Honda.  The female driver of the Honda was seriously injured and lost control of her vehicle - striking a Dodge van and an SUV, Carifi said.

The driver of the SUV sustained minor injuries, Carfi said. No other injuries were reported.

The name of the injured woman and her condition were not available Monday, police said.

Parsippany is handling the investigation, though the side of Route 10 where the deer was struck falls within the jurisdiction of Morris Plains.

Carifi said the deer's headless carcass was found inside the Honda. (OMG)! 

Very cool, would love to see one and the Whale shark...gentle giants. Thanks Bobbie.

Whale Sharks are amazing.  I saw a couple of them at the Atlanta Aquarium some years back.

Just thought of a story re Atlanta Aquarium... The Clan was in Atla a bit back for a niece's wedding, and some decided to visit. I declined as I hate the crowds. Anyway, off they go, and it was mad crowded, but they came back full of stories of the Deep, esp the Littles. Except for another niece - apparently, the only thing she was able to identify while there was David Duchovny.