Terrific story from The New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/nyregion/20towns.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

a rat that behavous like a bird.
greetings Aafke[/size][/font]

cool rat picture, Aafke. Is that a pet rat or a rat-rat?
I like rats.

Ours is a rat-rat, Dale... you want it?

As we rejoice in the crane migrations, others have different ideas... a lengthy piece but worth the time.

http://10000birds.com/sandhill-cranes-game-birds.htm

Yes...there has been a lot of discussion on my Kentucky birders listserv, given that Kentucky is proposing a hunting season on Sandhill Cranes in 2011.  From the sound of it, a limited number of permits will be given in a lottery, so one of the my fellow listers proposed that we all register for a permit, hoping to reduce the number of hunters who get permits.

Now, that is simply brilliant!

Gosh darn it, we're socked in with clouds here...sky is spitting more ice at us!

Same here, Patti! It's been crystal-clear for days, but now, our snow has returned and the skies are dark! Boo-hoo!

Hey watchers, what are these 2 red lights?

Mr and Mrs Rudolph??

LOL Bobbie, of course!

Told ya!

Hey watchers, what are these 2 red lights?

Mr and Mrs Rudolph??

Jeeeez! 'Tis the season to be stupid.

(The cops and the fine, that is - NOT the rescuers! As we know: "No good deed goes unpunished.")

Jeeeez! 'Tis the season to be stupid.

I am always fascinated to learn which birds make the decision to stick around at this time of year... This is from Bob Marcotte.

http://php.democratandchronicle.com/blog/birds/?p=3944

(Apropos of nothing in particular: other pieces on the D&C website mention Rochester's winter "whether" and the arrival of "Santa Clause". Oooo-kay...)

As we rejoice in the crane migrations, others have different ideas... a lengthy piece but worth the time.

http://10000birds.com/sandhill-cranes-game-birds.htm

That's pretty amazing Bobbie, makes me wonder what else they are looking at?

Because we KNOW they are!! (And that's the scary thing...)

Birding from space? Whatever next!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11867165

Mr Donna, you sure are something! Imagine knowing that!

[Thought for Today and a Question]

Thought for Today and a Question

Can anyone guess where this quote came from and who said it?

"Just before they went into warp, I beamed the whole kit and kaboodle into their engine room, where they'll be no tribble at all."

Scotty? Star Trek??

She's there now!

OK, I GIVE!

(Not everyone can be Ms Smarty-Pants MAK and her new scope, you know! And my bins just do not work at this distance...)

(Haha, MAK! I could not resist!  )