Archives: October 2008
Fri Oct 31, 2008
Thu Oct 30, 2008
Wed Oct 29, 2008
dusty
older than dirt
has a bullet between his ribs
congestive heart failure
can't hear diddly
can't see squat
teeth are rotten
smells really bad
tongue works well
[1] comments (260 views) |
Tue Oct 28, 2008
Mon Oct 27, 2008
black-capped chickadee
in case you ever wondered what was under a chickadees tail
the chickadees were out in force
on this cold rainy day
[3] comments (1526 views) |
Sun Oct 26, 2008
Fri Oct 24, 2008
Thu Oct 23, 2008
Wed Oct 22, 2008
van buren county courthouse
paw paw michigan
boys and girls remember:
don't try this at home,
i'm a trained professional
[1] comments (222 views) |
Tue Oct 21, 2008
"when the frost is on the punkin"
i was thinkin' of jim riley this mornin'
even though i don't have any pumpkins
[0] comments (212 views) |
Mon Oct 20, 2008
Sun Oct 19, 2008
Sat Oct 18, 2008
Fri Oct 17, 2008
Thu Oct 16, 2008
Wed Oct 15, 2008
Tue Oct 14, 2008
hunters moon
Tue Oct 14 2008 4:04 P.M.
picture taken last night from our deck
[0] comments (192 views) |
Mon Oct 13, 2008
Sun Oct 12, 2008
Sat Oct 11, 2008
Fri Oct 10, 2008
hawk
today i saw this hawk using the pool cover for a bird bath
1.26 mb windows media file
[1] comments (247 views) |
Thu Oct 09, 2008
me at oxbow county park
one small step for man; one giant leap for mental health
[1] comments (196 views) |
Wed Oct 08, 2008
everybody's talkin'
i bet i've played this song 20 or 30 times in the
last few days, for some reason i find it meaningful ...
Everybody's talkin' at me.
I don't hear a word they're sayin',
Only the echoes of my mind.
People stoppin' starin'
I can't see the faces,
Only the shadows of their eyes.
I'm goin' where the sun keeps shinin'
Thru the pourin' rain,
Goin' where the weather suits my clothes.
Bankin' off the northeast wind,
Sailin' on a summer breeze,
Skippin' over the ocean like a stone.
Everybody's talkin' at me.
I don't hear a word they're sayin',
Only the echoes of my mind.
And I won't let you leave my love behind.
"Fred Neil"
everybody's talkin' mp3
[0] comments (204 views) |
Tue Oct 07, 2008
Project FeederWatch Benefits Birds and People
Project FeederWatch Benefits Birds and People
Connection with nature promotes wellness
Ithaca, NY-More than 100 studies have shown that getting closer to nature reduces stress and promotes a feeling of well-being in children and adults. So, filling feeders and counting the birds that visit may be just what the doctor ordered! For more than 20 years, that’s what participants in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Project FeederWatch have been doing-benefitting themselves and the birds.
"It is a great winter time activity for the whole family," says Alaska FeederWatcher Nancy Darnell. "If you have children, they will come to love watching the birds. All of this is fun and a chance to contribute to scientific studies, too!"
The 2008-09 season of Project FeederWatch gets underway November 8 and runs through April 3. Participants count the numbers and kinds of birds at their feeders each week and send the information to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participants submitted more than 115,000 checklists during the 2007-08 FeederWatch season, documenting unusual bird sightings, winter movements, and shifting ranges-a treasure-trove of information that scientists use to monitor the health of the birds and of the environment.
“Being a FeederWatcher is easy and fun, and at the same time helps generate the world’s largest database on feeder-bird populations,” says project leader David Bonter. “We are grateful for the contributions our participants have made for the birds and are proud of the joy they say it brings to their busy lives. Since we started in 1987, more than 40,000 people have submitted observations, engaging with the wildlife beyond their windows.”
“Project FeederWatch opened up a whole new world for me,” says participant Cheri Ryan of Lockport, Kentucky. “It’s so interesting to watch the activities of the birds. I learn something new each time I participate.”
Scientists learn something new from the data each year, too, whether it’s about the movements of common backyard birds or unusual sightings of rarely-seen species. Highlights of the most recent season include the largest southward movement of Red-breasted Nuthatches in the history of the project-part of an expected influx of northern birds that fly farther south when their food supplies run short. Other northern species showing up in record numbers included Common Repolls and Pine Siskins. Among the rare birds reported was a Streak-backed Oriole in Loveland, Colorado-the state’s first report of this bird, native to Mexico. A December nor’easter deposited a Dovekie in Newton, Massachusetts, the first time this North Atlantic seabird has ever been reported to Project FeederWatch.
Long-term data show some species increasing in number, such as the Lesser Goldfinch in the Southwest. Other populations continue a downward trend, such as the Evening Grosbeak throughout their range. Once one of the most common species seen at feeders in the northern half of the continent, the grosbeaks are declining for unknown reasons.
Beyond the benefits to birds and science, however, is the benefit to participants. “Nature is not merely an amenity; it is critical to healthy human development and functioning,” says Nancy Wells, Cornell University assistant professor of design and environmental analysis. Her studies find that a view of nature through the window or access to the environment in any way improves a child’s cognitive functioning and reduces the negative effects of stress on the child’s psychological well-being. Wells also notes that when children spent time with nature early in life it carries over to their adult attitudes and behavior toward the environment.
Project FeederWatch welcomes participants of all ages and skill levels, from scout troops and retirees to classrooms and nature center visitors. To learn more and to sign up, visit www.feederwatch.org or call the Lab toll-free at (800) 843-2473. In return for the $15 fee ($12 for Lab members) participants receive the FeederWatcher’s Handbook, an identification poster of the most common feeder birds in their area, a calendar, complete instructions, and the FeederWatch annual report, Winter Bird Highlights.
Many FeederWatchers echo this comment from Mary Strasser of Wisconsin: “The greatest reward for me as a participant in Project FeederWatch these many years has been observing birds and behavior that I might have missed had I not been part of this project.”
Note: Photos are available at www.feederwatch.org To find local participants for stories, contact David Bonter at (607) 254-2457 or email dnb23@cornell.edu Visit the “Explore Data” section of the web site to find the top 25 birds reported in your region, rare bird sightings, and bird summaries by state or province.
Media contact in Canada: Kerrie Wilcox, Bird Studies Canada, (519) 586-3531, kwilcox@bsc-eoc.org
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution dedicated to interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. Visit the Lab’s web site at http://www.birds.cornell.edu .
[0] comments (194 views) |
Mon Oct 06, 2008
laughing out loud
> From: "K.W.MELESKY"
> BTW, Did I tell ya,
> Don't worry about your heart, it will last
> you as long as you live.
i consider myself lucky to have such a good friend !
[0] comments (171 views) |
Sun Oct 05, 2008
Sat Oct 04, 2008
there's no fool like an old fool
i had a heart attack thursday !
connie drove me to the hospital and i had an
angioplasty and two stents ..
came home today (sat) about noon ..
the worst thing so far has been the emotional
roller coaster ride, i'm not yet to a point where i can
talk about it without tears swelling up in my eyes ..
i was jumping rope in the living room when it happened,
i'm remimded of what my mom always says
"there's no fool like an old fool" ...
[2] comments (203 views) |