Birds are animals, too!

Belly landing captured during this week's Bodega Bay visit

One of the most common errors I've heard people make

(including famously smarty-pants types)

is saying birds and animals, or even that birds are not animals.

My theory is they are thinking about MAMMALS,

and yes, birds are not mammals,

but, they are animals.

"Animals" is today's assignment for the 30 day photo challenge.

Figured I'd use the assignment to remind people that

birds are people too.

Oops. I meant animals. =)

Framed weirdly (landing, immature western gull) but I liked the lighting & detail

xoxobb

'cause I can't stop obsessing about the Rim Fire: great raw video (+cute spotted fawns on my porch)

at this news site (ktvu).

"Bear" is the passenger in the truck with the flashing lights (at 2:16).

Apparently they'd pulled over to suggest to the gentleman parked there that

HE MAY WANT TO DRIVE AWAY so perchance he'd not roast.

All I want to do all day is look for video and photos and read stats about this rager.

I owe you a post re: quiz winners, & I've been getting a lot of wildlife near our house, etc.,

but any time I'm on this computer I just look for Rim Fire data, so my apologies.

There are some photos on Twitter (biobabbler) of wildlife,

and I'll include a few here, 'cause y'all deserve it.

The smaller of the 2 fawns, I believe.

Slorp!

Sibs.

The wildlife have been doing a good job of cheering and entertaining me.

Gotta love baby deer on your back porch.

xoxobb

(P.S. The fire is not near our house
so these little deer are safe in that regard.
Though they are lethally cute.)

ghost town window, javelina, Texas & I'm OUT!

Fun little tour of this ghost town, just west of Big Bend NP.

Former mercury mining site.

I'd go on, and post more photos, but:

1. I'm leaving again (for a conference),

I'll be there all next week,

and am jamming out DARK time tomorrow a.m.
(on 1st day of DAYLIGHT SAVING, eep!!!)

so have 10,000 things to do.

2. I'm presenting a poster for folks who cannot attend
(thank you sequestration)

so I actually need to look professional.

Must practice.

And hillbilly dry-clean (hand wash) dry-clean-only clothes and think happy thoughts.

3. My go-to photo watermark & insta-shrink-it site (free) is not working,

and I don't have time to generate a Plan B

4. I GOTS to GO.

However, rest assured I have LOTS of photos to share

from our Big Bend visit,

Collared peccary, a.k.a. javelina, in Big Bend NP.

Only one we saw, and I'm INCREDIBLY grateful.

Was longing for that SNOUT!!

p.s. not a pig. Not in pig family.

the Arizona-Sonora desert museum,
some shots from the actual road (CA-TX drive = LONG),

some cool petroglyphs we saw at,

you guessed it, Petroglyph NP, etc.

Once I'm back and figure out how I'll process everything,

I'll do that.

If I'm not working on a deadline.

Which I might be.

In the mean time, anyone wanna fling any

watermarking, etc., sources or software hints my way,

feel free to comment me up.

xoxo!!

bb

Let's play Name That Gopher!

Bear alerted me to this creature's activity near our back door.

Botta's pocket gopher, a.k.a. valley pocket gopher,

a.k.a. Thomomys bottae.

Tho' fast moving (so somewhat blurry),

you can still make out the stylish white spot on its head.

No real clue to it's gender, so unshackle your imagination,

and let it roam wild, free to encounter any suitable moniker.

Please submit your suggestions in comments.

=) Thanks!!

The prize, as ever, is GLORY!

xobb

p.s. now that I look at it more closely, the white marks could very well be where fur is NOT, and is in the shape of their impressive incisors, so perhaps our little friend is a bad-wild-donkey little fighter!

manly mammals

in art...

*sigh*

I heart art.

And Washington DC.

What an embarrassment of riches that town has.

Jeepers!

xo

ps. this is the 2nd time I've been on the internet in a week; blogging will still be slow for a while. However, am using camera here and there, so there may be more goodies for you upon my return to situation normal. I've posted pics of this uh-mah-zing statue before, but it bears repeating, IMHO.

looking for really, really big mammals tomorrow...

 
Care to guess which?

=)

bb

Okay, 1 hint, now that we've had a guess.

My field guide says the following re: the species I'm most fervently hoping to see:
"length at birth, 23-25 ft."

As in FOUR bbs long as an INFANT.

=)

you're gonna have to forgive me, but...

  
SO CUTE!!!

Baby gundis, here... KILLING ME.

so FUZZY.

SMOOCHIE SMOOCHIE!



k.

think I've recovered.

thanks.

bb

[heard over intercom: "Will the SCIENTIST PLEASE REPORT TO THE DESK? Will the SCIENTIST please RETURN to the DESK? ... Is there a science-trained person ANYWHERE in the BUILDING? ... Anyone? Anyone?"]

New carnivorous mammal species discovered!

 
Here's the article and pics, to boot. Small, toothy creature, called Durrell's vontsira, cruises the wetlands of Madagascar. A VERY small area. Apparently there are other vontsira species around, but this one has clear differences so they are quite confident it's a new species.

This photo is from the Durrell Wildlife Conservancy Trust. 

As IF I've been to Madagascar--I wish! 

BTW they took some quick data on the few they caught, then released them.

Unfortunately, Madagascar and its wetlands are an ecological mess and there are many endangered and otherwise imperiled species there, including this one. They guess there's only a few dozen of these guys.

Drat.

Looks to me like the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust's involvement is why the creature was discovered, so if you're interested or motivated, I'd go to their site to learn more/donate.

However, it is exciting. At least they are now known, and that is good.

So, next scrabble game, try vontsira on 'em, and have your URL citation ready. That'll learn 'em to under estimate you, and the power of science!

=)

=) SO glad I'm cleaning out my closet: hiking-must-have

It's SO bio-geeky (not to mention I think it's a riot) but will also be SO HANDY. I can't wait to whip that puppy out next time I need to wipe my brow with my bandanna... or, you know, happen upon some clue re: who ELSE has used the trail. =)

biobabbler

circadian shmircadian...

In the last week, NOT counting yesterday or today, weather = very sunny.

In the last week, NOT counting yesterday or today, my mood = very sunny.

Yesterday, skies = dark.

Yesterday, mood = dark.

Today, skies = variable.

Today, mood = variable.

Yeah, and some people have a hard time picturing themselves as mammals, just another of many species on the planet, subject to many of the same influences.

Not me. 

Seriously, just now, sun is back out, and my mood is lifting again. Doncha just love being unpredictable?

xoxo biobabbler