Xipholena punicea (english Pompadour Cotinga)

The Pompadour Cotinga (Xipholena punicea) is a species of bird in the Cotingidae family, the cotingas. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname,
and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Beautiful!

So, while browsing for any prior year greetings I had saved (I still have not in any way figured out what program it is you all use to create these), I ran across this from the 2007 falconcam classroom art project...



Ei

Adorable! 

 

  Thanks Shaky! YAY everyone will hopefully get to see Beauty on camera again over at Mercury and other nearby places!!!

 

[Kaver sends his greeting from (undisclosed) part of the Country]

Kaver sends his greeting from (undisclosed) part of the Country

 

~Merry Christmas from Archer & Beauty~


 

[Jemison & Callidora's 1st Christmas]

Jemison & Callidora's 1st Christmas

Love this one!  Thanks, Donna!

Anne-I love this story!  Thanks for sharing it with us and I can't wait to hear more! 

K, I'll start. While Jemison dreams of Santa, Callidora has something else on her mind.

Good one!!

Happy Sinterklass Aafke, Carla and Tine!

 

A friend of mine had 4 entries so I didn't comment or vote because of it. I did post about being mindful of the hard work these designers put into their logos cuz I witnessed it first hand. I thought the 2 finalists were nice but didn't seem strong enough for me. These falcons are powerful birds of prey and these logos didn't convey that to me. Just my opinion. It's all good.

I agree with you MAK.  I thought these were good but they would not have been my choice either and I didn't have anyone who entered the contest.  Just my opinion.

 

AP WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Dec. 5) -- Attackers clubbed 23 fur seals to death, including newborn pups, at a New Zealand breeding colony re-established two decades ago after the species was nearly wiped out by hunting.

Some of the eight bludgeoned pups were just days old, said Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson. She appealed for assistance from the public to help track down the attackers.

"To go around and club 23 seals to death over a number of days is very deliberate and you have to question the state of mind of someone who can carry out such a cruel and abhorrent attack," Wilkinson said in a statement.

The Ohau Point seal colony on northern South Island is a popular tourism spot north of the town of Kaikoura, which is an international whale-watching center.

The Department of Conservation said the attacks took place over as long as two weeks. The location may have delayed the discovery.

The colony stretches about 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) along the coast and is at the bottom of a steep, 100-foot (30-meter) cliff with no easy access, department spokesman Rory Newsam said.

Fur seal numbers are gradually increasing in New Zealand after the species was nearly exterminated by hunters in the 1800s. The midsize seals are not native to New Zealand.

The Ohau Point colony was only reoccupied for breeding in 1990, and about 600 fur seal pups were born there in 2004, said Bruce Robertson, a seal specialist and senior lecturer in zoology at Otago University.

Sponsored LinksHe said the long-term losses for the population could be dire. The attacks killed 13 breeding females, which meant 13 pups dependent on their milk would die and fewer pups will be born next year, Robertson said.

"Given this colony is increasing in size, this loss of life is a small setback," he said Monday. "However, large mammal populations cannot sustain the repeated loss of breeding females (and) any external influences can be detrimental."

Other live seals at the colony had been seen with injuries for the attacks, Department of Conservation area manager Dave Hayes said. The weapon used was a bat or club, he said.

Under New Zealand law, killing or harming fur seals or other marine mammals incurs up to six months in prison or a fine of up to 250,000 New Zealand dollars (US$191,000).

A further fine of up to $7,600 for each marine mammal killed or harmed can also be imposed by the court.

I ordered mine over 3 weeks ago and as of yesterday, they haven't even been shipped yet!

You might want to give them a call, Kris.  I ordered mine on 11/21 & it queued for shipping the next day.  Even with using snail-mail it arrived at the post office 12/01 (the PO doesn't stay open late enough for me to get there during the week).

Ei

Maybe I better then.  I ordered mine on the 12th and when I checked yesterday, it said processed but that was it.

I ordered mine over 3 weeks ago and as of yesterday, they haven't even been shipped yet!

Now # 1!!!!!