I've never seen this Monument, found it on fb. They say it's behind the Blue Cross Arena. A very nice sculpture. Guess the falcons never go there.

I remember seeing it (and taking a picture of it) last year when we walked over to Dinosaur BBQ.  There's a small park/plaza on the far side of the arena.  You can't see much of anything from there.

So they hunt juveniles too? I would think a hunter would know the difference between a young and an adult. Are all bears fair game, no matter the age and size? Very disturbing!

Unfortunately, older than a year is legal.  Could the regulations be improved?  Definitely.  And I hope they are. 

Kendal preening 11:34am

He must have just arrived!

Yes he did, not too long ago.

You know, that might be Quest.  Seems taller than the bird the other day...top of the head out of frame at times...

Kendal preening 11:34am

He must have just arrived!

[Bear Center article]

This is one of those areas where head & heart conflicting make my head & heart hurt. 

Further on in the Bear Center article today they point out that Lynn Rogers actually helped write the hunting regulations.  Before there was controlled "recreational" hunting it was free-for-all 24/7/365 bears are fair game.  Dr. Rogers often points out that a clean shot by a hunter at a bait site is more humane than a wounding shot where the bear then wanders off to die in pain.  There has been a lot of progress in getting hunters to avoid shooting collared bears.  Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, Hope would not allow herself to be collared.   

Would I personally ever hunt?  No.  Can I understand someone who does to put food on the table?  Absolutely.  I live in an area popular with deer hunters.  As much as I love watching the herd in my back yard, there is a serious problem with overpopulation.  Overpopulation leads to disease.  I have no tolerance for "hunters" who take their "trophy" and leave the rest.  But I have shared venison with hunters who hunt properly and as humanely as possible.  I can respect them while choosing to not do as they do.

Yes, in a perfect world we wouldn't need to even think about this.  I was fond of Hope too and I wish it had turned out differently, but without a collar she looked like any other bear.  Very, very sad.

 

[Pot plant owl]

Someone on the WCV blog said she's sitting on 3 eggs!

Spotted Eagle Owl cam...AKA Pot plant owl

We're back just in time for an NX update!

September 26: NX is still enjoying the same stand of trees on the Little Wicomico River in Northumberland County, Virginia. She has crossed the river a few times to visit nearby piers, but otherwise is quite content to remain where she has been for the past week.



NX Tracking page

Sorry, Ei, if that sounded sassy - but I cannot see him... truly!

Sorry! I should have said where.  I'm at work & once again taking multitasking to an art form...

He's on the top of the column on the right...top right corner of the picture...

And one more post from Yahoo from Jan in CT

Re: Bird Counting Weekend

Well, those P.O.d blue jays were making lots of noise again this morning. I
guess some neighbor must have let the cat out! I also heard the neighborhood
cardinals talking to each other. Then, after grocery shopping, we were
motivated to buzz the beach. The action there included many sea gulls (two of
them tried to get hit by our car but failed), Canada geese, an egret and one
swan in the distance. Also heard lots of LBJs at the grocery store. Probably
house sparrows.

This Bird Counting Weekend was fun. Thanks Aafke!

Jan in CT

Yippee!  We're back!

Pretty sure this is Kendal...

Can't find the picture...be back...

Yippee!  We're back!

Pretty sure this is Kendal...

Can't find the picture...be back...

Beauty

How the heck did I miss her?   

I didn't want to derail the Bird Counting Weekend thread too much more than I already had...so I started a new one!  Here's an "english" version of some of the research happening on Chickadees and how they're brains actually grow significantly in size when they're building their winter seed cache:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/09/030912072156.htm

Thanks!  A bit too late tonight to digest properly, but bookmarked for later...

I saw more of the same today...mourning doves, titmice, blue jays, crows. 

I did see one string of Canada Geese heading west toward the reservoirs.  And a chicken.

Also among the domestic birds was a bunch of ...not sure if they're small white geese or large white ducks.  The only time I ever see them is on a Sunday morning on my way to work.  The farmer in question lets them roam around the front yard then.  And I'm always moving too fast when I see them to stop & get a picture.  Some of them have light gray wings, the others are all white as far as I can see.  I did a quick browse of Cornell & I don't see anything that quite matches.