http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/killer_foam_was_it_a_freak_eve.html

A simple organism that killed thousands of seabirds in Oregon and Washington has stunned scientists who are combing through clues in hopes of unraveling its mystery.

They can name it. They can measure it. They can peer at it under a microscope.

But they do not know exactly why it suddenly burst into deadly profusion for the first time off the Northwest coast and whether this was a freak event or a harbinger of the future."This is an amazing story," said Julia Parrish,  a marine biologist and professor at the University of Washington.  (continued)

KALISPELL (AP) — Officials say a downed power line near Eureka in northwestern Montana electrocuted more than a dozen animals over a period of months, including a wolf that was “still warm� when it was found earlier this month.

Roger Pitman, operations superintendent at the Lincoln Electric Cooperative, said crews did not know about the situation until Oct. 10 when the dangling power line in the Pinkham Creek drainage south of Eureka was finally knocked out. The carcasses of five whitetail deer, four black bears, two wolves, one coyote and a turkey vulture were found in the area.

“We’re just thankful there weren’t any two-legged creatures up there, except for the turkey vulture,� Pitman said.

Tim Thier, a biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, said the whitetail deer probably walked into the line first and their carcasses attracted the predators, which were in turn electrocuted.

Thier said he’s heard of similar cases of deer being hit by trains and their carcasses luring in predators.

“It’s sort of a chain reaction,� he said. “But I’ve never seen it relative to a power line before.�

Officials believe a dry tree fell on the high-voltage power line during the summer. All the animals were in varying stages of decomposition, and Pitman said utility crews found a large dead wolf that was “still warmâ€� when they came upon the downed line. 

Duck caught in spectacles courtesy of the RSPCA
The duck will be released into the wild in the coming weeks

A duck wearing a pair of spectacles was pulled from a canal in Lancashire after it was spotted floundering in the water.

It is believed the mallard got caught on the black plastic glasses after coming across piles of litter by the Leeds Liverpool canal in Accrington.

Animal welfare officers from the RSPCA attended and carefully rescued the duck using a boat and specialist nets.

A vet then treated the duck for cuts to its beak and gave it antibiotics.

'Devastating effect'

The duck is now in the care of a private boarding establishment and is due to be re-released locally in the coming weeks.

RSPCA inspector Mandi Barr said: "It was really sad to see this duck struggling and just shows the devastating effect litter can have on wildlife.

"Thankfully we were able to rescue him quickly, but, had we not been alerted to his plight, the outcome could have been much more tragic.

"The danger all these things pose to wildlife is substantial, even proving fatal in some cases, and the risk can be prevented by people taking responsibility for their litter.

"There are still far too many animals and birds suffering as a result of litter.

"Every animal trapped or injured because someone couldn't be bothered to dispose of their rubbish properly is one more than it should be."

                 



http://www.todaysbigthing.com/2009/10/27



       

That was great Judi, thanks! 

Actually, Medley Center is slated for knockdown to make it into housing and mixed retail/office space.  You're right about the economy, but it's the first thing I thought of - Kodak, Midtown, St. Ann's, Medley Center...what's a falcon got to do to get a break around here?

Poor girl, she's batting 0. 

Here's a video I came across of Irondequoit Mall, made a year and a half ago while you could still walk through the mall. Now, there are only two stores open in the mall, Macy's and Sears.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TUIc4L2B7U

Lou

Pretty sad a big Mall like that closing. At least I got one good thing out of the video..How to pronounce IRONDEQUOIT. 

Donna - Don't pay attention to Shaky.  He's had a poutine overdose and isn't himself.  

Yes, I did see some of the filming a couple of years ago in the gorge below the pedestrian bridge.  It was a scene where I believe the murderer was being killed and fell onto a big poofy thing to break his fall.  Eliza Dushku was there.  It was a very cold day!

It's called Alphabet Killer. I just added it to my Netflix Instant Play queue.

Inspired by true events, this psychological thriller stars Eliza Dushku ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") as Megan Paige, a dogged police investigator obsessed with capturing a demented serial killer targeting young girls in Rochester, N.Y. Haunted by the grisly rape and murder of a 10-year-old victim, Megan begins to suffer hallucinations. This suspense-filled tale from director Rob Schmidt also stars Cary Elwes, Carol P, Kathy O,  and Timothy Hutton.

Shaky, sorry,    you are correct....I was looking online after the movie and saw Alphabet Murders and wrote that...my mistake. Hmmm, I'll have to watch it again, maybe I missed Carol and Kathy. (CAMEOS)??  

There is another movie called "Alphabet Murders"

I remember that post well....we all had to guess....LOL

   
PALOS VERDES PENINSULA, CA -- 10/29/09 -- Hummingbirds are shown to be single moms, deadbeat dads and testy teens in a new DVD produced by Rolling Hills Estates-based Avian Video Center.

"Hummingbirds! Beauty and the Beast" depicts these and many other aspects of their lives in colorful footage of 57 species that occur in North, Central and South America. Much of their frenetic activity is shown in slow motion.

All 16 U.S. species are shown, together with 17 other bird species ranging from Fiji and the Galapagos Archipelago to the Americas.

"Many hummingbird fans think hummers are so sweet," DVD producer Tom Kaminski said. "But beneath their flashy colors and aerial antics lurk little beasts that live by the law of the jungle. Few birds are as self-centered and anti-social."

"While the female and her maturing brood are charming to watch," he added, "all will be fighting over territory once the fledglings become self-sufficient."

The new DVD shows an Allen's Hummingbird building her nest and raising her brood while the male is nowhere to be seen. It also shows hummingbirds' "rules of engagement" and attacks on one-another, as well as their non-avian competitors, feeding preferences, how they hover like no other bird, and other subjects.

"They can fly faster than the Peregrine Falcon, in terms of body lengths per second," Kaminski noted. "Their heart rate can rise to 1,260 beats per minute, higher than that of any other vertebrate, yet they can live more than 12 years.

"If our metabolic rate were comparable to theirs," he added, "we'd have to consume the caloric equivalent of more than 2,900 Oreo cookies daily just to keep up.  The list goes on, as 'Hummingbirds! Beauty and the Beast' makes abundantly clear."

The 57-min. DVD is available through Avian Video Center, Amazon.com and other outlets.
                                                                                                                   

I think I have heard of this before.  I think they are adorable.  Which may explain why the full face of my one shar pei is cute to me!

Definitely, I agree...Manatees are so cute and soooo sloooooowwww. Boaters need to watch out for them coming back into the inlets from the Ocean. My sister sees them down where she is. They just play and play...not a care in the world. Shar-Pei's are awesome. Look like bears too. 

You learn something new every day!  I didn't know that Manatees migrated - much less headed North!

Me either Janet, I thought they just stayed in Fla...lol   

Toronto singer killed by coyotes
Rare attack occurred at Cape Breton Highland National Park in Nova Scotia

2009/10/28 12:27:29

Taylor Mitchell, a 19-year-old Toronto singer whose debut album was released in March, has died in a Nova Scotia hospital after being mauled by coyotes in a Cape Breton park.

Mitchell was hiking Tuesday on the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park when she was attacked by two coyotes. Another hiker, who was walking nearby, heard her cries for help and called 911.

Officers arrived about 3:15 p.m., and one of the coyotes fled into the bush. The other coyote was shot and limped away.

Mitchell was airlifted to a hospital in Halifax, where she died early Wednesday.

Her mother, Emily, was with her at the hospital, said Lisa Weitz, Mitchell's manager.

The singer and songwriter, who loved the outdoors, had started her East Coast tour on Oct. 23 in New Brunswick and was scheduled to perform in Sydney tonight. "She had a small break and (she) wanted to go hiking," said Weitz.

Mitchell, whose MySpace photograph has her standing in the woods with a guitar in one hand, released her debut album this March.

A website review describes her album as "a collection of mostly original songs that showcases a range of styles, from folk to country-rock to pop."

Born and raised in Toronto, Mitchell studied music from an early age and graduated in 2008 from Etobicoke School of the Arts.

She was very excited to be touring the Maritimes, said Weitz. "She was just exhilarated to be on the road and performing."

Friends and family are in shock, said Weitz.

In Nova Scotia, Don Anderson, a biologist with that province's Natural Resources Department, said coyote attacks in the area are uncommon, but they do happen from time to time.

An Ontario girl was bitten on the same trail several years ago, Anderson said.

Ethel Merry, owner of the nearby Cheticamp Motel, said the incident was unfortunate but she wasn't surprised to hear about it. She said the motel is about 10 kilometres from the entrance of the park but she often sees coyotes.

"My home is a 100 feet from (the motel) but if it's dark outside, I don't walk alone," she said. "I've seen too many coyotes."

Merry said the attack hasn't fazed locals or park visitors. "Skyline Trail is one of the most beautiful and famous trails in the park. This isn't stopping any hikers," she said.

The park is on the northern tip of Cape Breton Island.

Published: 10/29/09, 12:46 PM EDT

BRIGANTINE, N.J. (AP) - A wayward manatee is headed back to Florida aboard a transport jet after being rescued from murky waters near a New Jersey oil refinery.

Ilya was loaded aboard a plane that took off Thursday morning from Atlantic City for a Miami Coast Guard base. The ultimate destination? The Miami Seaquarium.

The sea cow was pulled from a creek at a Linden oil refinery Monday and recuperated at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine.

Federal wildlife authorities kept the rescue a secret, fearing reporters and well-wishers could stress the manatee.

Ilya needed to be rescued because New Jersey's waters are too cold for him. He's been migrating as far north as Massachusetts for the past decade but dithered too long in New Jersey this year.

Welcome to the pelican convention.

If you’ve been to the beaches lately or cruised around Coos Bay, it’s been hard to miss these lumbering visitors. Thousands of brown pelicans have converged on the south and central Oregon coast, with fall migration is under way to Southern California and Mexico.

“Typically, we see more birds in September and October than any other time of year,� said Roy Lowe, U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s project leader for the Oregon Coast Refuge Complex.

There were huge numbers this summer on the Columbia River, but don’t worry, Lowe said they weren’t munching on salmon smolts. These surface feeders dive in to dine on smelt, herring, sand lances and sardines. It’s the waning light of day that prompts them to wing south.

Last year (and perhaps this year) though, they lingered longer than they normally do. That can be dangerous once winter really hits, Lowe said. Last year, many got frostbite.

“When we get these powerful big Pacific storms with wind gusts to 100 mph, we usually get high mortality in these birds,� Lowe said.

The birds nest in January and February and spend summer near the mouth of the Columbia and in bays in Washington.

“Enjoy them. They won’t be here long,� Lowe said.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local-beat/red-tailed-hawk-arrow-pellet-shot-66151612.html

Poor Hawk....people are so mean & cruel.

I read in the paper that the tower at St. Annes is coming down for demolition to make way for a new lower structure. ... Larry O

Will they allow a nest box, either there or at St. Anns? (Just in case) 

OMG....it figures. Poor Mariah..see..Kodak was perfect for her, so was Powers and TS...Kaver's gone...A&B took over. Now we have to wait until Spring to see what unfolds.