lineatus

lineatus http://www.dailykos.com/user/lineatus/rss/index.xml News Community Action Copyright 2005 - Steal what you want Sat, 24 Dec 2016 17:12:48 +0000 Sat, 24 Dec 2016 17:12:48 +0000 Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) realalaskan - Bad News from Sitka http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/08/21/1414131/-realalaskan-Bad-News-from-Sitka I woke up to this email today: <blockquote>Dear [ lineatus ], I'm Sasha Stortz, and William Stortz, realaskan, is my dad. You may have seen in the news that Sitka, AK, our home, has been hit by some bad landslides this week, and my dad is missing in one of them. They have recovered the two others who were in the slide and are hoping to find him tomorrow. I know how much the Dawn Chorus and all of DailyKos meant to my father, and would appreciate if you could some how share the news through there. We are not doing a lot of responding to messages, right now, we have been inundated, but knowing that there is positive energy being sent our way is holding us all up, and the DailyKos was a really good source of positivity, entertainment and community for my dad. Thanks and take care, Sasha </blockquote> rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) DawnChorus realalaskan Recommended _1414131 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 13:42:15 +0000 Dawn Chorus - Gull ID for fun and profit. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/03/1380466/-Dawn-Chorus-Gull-ID-for-fun-and-profit Okay, actually, no profit to be made from gull ID as far as I know.  But if it's possible to tilt the meter from pure aggravation toward fun, that would be something. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/16662122023" title="DSCN1999 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7713/16662122023_44a91b8ca5_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="DSCN1999" /></a> I've been trying to work on Gull ID, but it's all just a blur. Let's call this an open thread, but with encouragement to post gull pix and let us puzzle over ID together.  I'm hoping we can get a nice assortment of gulls from around the country.   rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus Gulls purefrustration _1380466 Sun, 03 May 2015 13:00:03 +0000 Dawn Chorus - Bolinas Springtime (this time) http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/26/1378841/-Dawn-Chorus-Bolinas-Springtime-this-time Spring is sprung, the grass is riz - I wonder where the birdies iz? <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/17011201000" title="DSCN2594 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7594/17011201000_5e1997e066_z.jpg" width="640" height="486" alt="DSCN2594" class="nomargins" /></a> Bolinaz! rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds Bolinas DawnChorus Recommended Spring _1378841 Sun, 26 Apr 2015 13:00:08 +0000 Dawn Chorus - Bolinas Springtime, er... Lunchtime http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/19/1378707/-Dawn-Chorus-Bolinas-Springtime Pull up a comfy chair and join us for brunch, now that there's a diary. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/16991303447/" title="DSCN2595 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7669/16991303447_ecfeb639df_z.jpg" width="640" height="468" alt="DSCN2595" /></a> rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus Recommended _1378707 Sun, 19 Apr 2015 13:02:15 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/03/15/1369397/-Dawn-Chorus-Fish-gotta-swim-birds-gotta-fly ... except sometimes birds gotta dive, and then the fish gotta fly, ever so briefly. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/3461919337/" title="ospr m v f by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3577/3461919337_78735fa4d1_z.jpg?zz=1" width="640" height="398" alt="ospr m v f" class="nomargins" /></a> Can't help lovin' that man o' mine... Because, really, who doesn't love an osprey?  Other than anything with fins, I mean. But who loves 'em best? rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus martyc35 Osprey Recommended _1369397 Sun, 15 Mar 2015 13:00:07 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Swan Song http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/01/04/1354442/-Dawn-Chorus-Swan-Song To everything... turn, turn, turn. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/3222669068/" title="one good tern_3214 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3403/3222669068_44930ba14b_o.jpg" width="601" height="419" alt="one good tern_3214" /></a> Tern, tern, tern? There is a season... turn, turn, turn. Everything has a life cycle.  Dawn Chorus is entering a new phase in its cycle. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds Community DawnChorus Recommended _1354442 Sun, 04 Jan 2015 14:00:05 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Scout Guide http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/28/1354411/-Dawn-Chorus-Scout-Guide I'm heading out early today to do some scouting for our Christmas Count area, San Francisco's Lake Merced.   <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/15939156329/" title="wegr 1542 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7467/15939156329_581b5ce3aa_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="wegr 1542" /></a> Western Grebe.  Or is it?  We have Western, Clark's, and those confusing hybrids all in our count area. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds CBC christmasbirdcount DawnChorus Recommended _1354411 Sun, 28 Dec 2014 14:00:11 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Where's my pear tree? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/21/1353213/-Dawn-Chorus-Where-s-my-pear-tree <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/5109848311/" title="san mateo caqu_0848 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4132/5109848311_a110a9c54a_z.jpg" width="640" height="427" alt="san mateo caqu_0848" /></a> Coyote bush is great stuff, but hard to work into the lyrics of a carol. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds caqu DawnChorus quail Recommended _1353213 Sun, 21 Dec 2014 14:00:07 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Happiness http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/14/1351542/-Dawn-Chorus-Happiness Last weekend, we had some non-raptorial visitors at our banding blind.  (Which was good because there sure weren't many hawks around.)   True to form, they brought happiness. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/15828602510/" title="DSCN1449 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8562/15828602510_d4ca3c5438_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="DSCN1449" /></a> We do our banding in an incredibly beautiful location.  It takes something special to make it even more beautiful, but these birds are up to it. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus Recommended webl _1351542 Sun, 14 Dec 2014 14:00:43 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Highway 113 Revisited http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/07/1349838/-Dawn-Chorus-Highway-113-Revisited Earlier this year, we had a nice meetup of local Kossacks to welcome matching mole for a Bay Area visit.  It turned into a dual welcome when bwren flew down to join us.  Unfortunately, we were not visited by many of the birds we'd hoped to see, including several that would have been lifers for our visitors. The problem was the drought, and at this time last winter it was becoming obvious that we weren't just having a dry winter; no, we were well and truly fucked. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/15780720879/" title="DSCN1414 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7479/15780720879_b48d3acd1c_z.jpg" width="640" height="459" alt="DSCN1414" /></a> The only birds who showed up where they were expected last year were the Peacocks of Branscombe Road.  Entertaining, but hardly worth a flight from Florida. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus Recommended solano _1349838 Sun, 07 Dec 2014 14:04:31 +0000 Dawn Chorus: My Friend Flicker http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/23/1346669/-Dawn-Chorus-My-Friend-Flicker Somehow, it seems appropriate for a <s>Flickr</s> Flicker to go viral. But it's a lot easier to get attention when you're a golden boy. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/15853798441/" title="NOFL 1351 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8587/15853798441_6705e203da_z.jpg" width="640" height="463" alt="NOFL 1351" /></a> Flicker intergrade, banded at Richardson Bay Audubon Center How viral is he?  See the photos at the end.   rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) banding Birding birds DawnChorus peterpyle Recommended _1346669 Sun, 23 Nov 2014 14:00:53 +0000 Dawn Chorus: A Plover, not a fighter http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/09/1343412/-Dawn-Chorus-A-Plover-not-a-fighter Somehow you'd expect some aggression from a bird whose first name is "Kill", especially if it sounds like they kill critters as large as deer. Not so much, as it turns out.  They eat invertebrates and they'd much rather run than fight.  And they'd like to get you to run as well. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/3221816585/" title="kill_0015 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3416/3221816585_3a7cb47d3d_o.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="kill_0015" /></a> A Killdeer spots me, and I'm apparently near its nest... <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/3392251920/" title="kill_0026 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3651/3392251920_8940e86401_o.jpg" width="650" height="500" alt="kill_0026" /></a> ... so it runs a short distance and flops down in some rocks. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/3392252158/" title="kill_0036 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3645/3392252158_12e618e4d0_o.jpg" width="650" height="489" alt="kill_0036" /></a> It runs a little more, flops down again and feigns a broken wing.  This bird has a future as a soccer player. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/3392251482/" title="kill_0018 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3545/3392251482_b6441d6e3f_o.jpg" width="650" height="488" alt="kill_0018" /></a> Running further, up into the grass now, it keeps flashing its bright rusty tail. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/3391441299/" title="kill_0023 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3584/3391441299_d5eea044ac_o.jpg" width="650" height="500" alt="kill_0023" /></a> Now the "wounded bird" has two "broken" wings on display.  An instant later, it decided it had drawn me far enough from the nest and flew away. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds Community DawnChorus plovers Recommended _1343412 Sun, 09 Nov 2014 14:00:08 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Worth the trip http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/02/1340981/-Dawn-Chorus-Worth-the-trip The seasons are shifting and everyone's on the move; the birds are settling into new homes for a spell.  Humans too. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/15067892164/" title="DSCN0872 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3951/15067892164_dd6e968480_z.jpg" width="640" height="486" alt="DSCN0872" /></a> California for the memory bank. A great friend is moving away.  We've had a few adventures together over the years, shared some rough times but many more good times.  I'll be sad to have so many miles between us, but happy for the reason behind his move.  Before he starts packing in earnest, there was time for one more birding trip.  And what a trip it was. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) birds Birdwatching DawnChorus goodfriend _1340981 Sun, 02 Nov 2014 14:00:07 +0000 Giants!!! F*ck YEAH!!! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/30/1340218/-Giants-F-ck-YEAH That is all. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/15478251960/" title="photo by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7511/15478251960_80e9fa9019_z.jpg" width="640" height="471" alt="photo" /></a> Okay - how about a photo.  This morning, as seen on my bike ride to work.  The day dawned Giants orange. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Recommended SanFranciscoGiants SF Giants SFGiants World Series WorldSeries _1340218 Thu, 30 Oct 2014 03:27:59 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Am I Blue? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/26/1339244/-Dawn-Chorus-Am-I-Blue Admittedly, I've got a touch of grey.  But nonetheless, I'm blue and that's great. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/15442984937/" title="IMG_1571 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3938/15442984937_9f00d77b23_z.jpg" width="640" height="514" alt="IMG_1571" /></a> Great Blue Heron in a sea of blue... rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds BlueWave DawnChorus Recommended _1339244 Sun, 26 Oct 2014 13:00:07 +0000 Dawn Chorus http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/12/1336009/-Dawn-Chorus Banding yesterday, banding again today.  Yesterday brought one of my favorite visitors... <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/15327902667/" title="rsha_9007 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3952/15327902667_31b4467132_z.jpg" width="640" height="478" alt="rsha_9007" /></a> But we finished way late and I had no time to write last night.  So alas, this week is a bit of an open thread. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) DawnChorus pathetic Recommended _1336009 Sun, 12 Oct 2014 13:02:11 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Last Robin of Fall http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/05/1334349/-Dawn-Chorus-Last-Robin-of-Fall Summer, like every good party, is coming to an end.  Friends are headed out, and as they depart you realize you barely had time to visit with some of them.  The Robins, especially; you noticed their arrival (for they are always punctual), and you really meant to hang out with them for a while. But then the flashy warbler showed up from the other coast, and there was the shorebird who was visiting all the way from Siberia and that whole group of broadwings... and once again the Robins were on their way. Next year, for sure. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/6151639243/" title="amro_0749 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6163/6151639243_c6087cf562_b.jpg" width="625" height="837" alt="amro_0749" /></a> rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) amro Birding birds Community DawnChorus Recommended robins _1334349 Sun, 05 Oct 2014 13:00:10 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Lookin' Sharp http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/21/1331287/-Dawn-Chorus-Lookin-Sharp Seriously sharp. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/15117875307/" title="DSCN0487 copy by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3842/15117875307_0046cbf17e_z.jpg" width="640" height="428" alt="DSCN0487 copy" /></a> Little Miss Sharp-shin has a big presence. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus ggro Raptors Recommended _1331287 Sun, 21 Sep 2014 13:00:11 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Moby Chick http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/14/1329656/-Dawn-Chorus-Moby-Chick ...adee. Seriously, this bird is elusive.  Trying to get a photo is like trying for a good shot of Bigfoot. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/15048246467/" title="DSCN0421 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5553/15048246467_9cbee69b85_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="DSCN0421" /></a> I talked about this last week in the comments.  Having photos is not much of an improvement. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds cbch DawnChorus Recommended _1329656 Sun, 14 Sep 2014 13:00:07 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Hawkward http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/07/1327647/-Dawn-Chorus-Hawkward So yeah.... <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/14759933750/" title="hawkward by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3921/14759933750_3b5a487e18.jpg" width="495" height="442" alt="hawkward" /></a> I have misplaced my camera after last weekend's banding, and we're at the cabin this weekend with only phone access to internet.  So basically, I got nothin'.   rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds Community DawnChorus pathetic Recommended _1327647 Sun, 07 Sep 2014 13:00:05 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Owl be seeing you soon http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/17/1322288/-Dawn-Chorus-Owl-be-seeing-you-soon For some reason, they've ended up as cute fluffy things in popular culture (thanks Etsy and Anthropologie!) <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/2316763368/" title="ghow fledgling_2982 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3105/2316763368_dfc10587d3_o.jpg" width="398" height="547" alt="ghow fledgling_2982" /></a> And okay, they are kind of cute and fluffy sometimes.  But to anyone who is actually cute and fluffy, these eyes mean trouble. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/5721383152/" title="ghow_4749 eyes by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3611/5721383152_0888b99673_z.jpg" width="640" height="474" alt="ghow_4749 eyes" /></a> rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus owls Recommended _1322288 Sun, 17 Aug 2014 13:00:14 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Headbangers http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/27/1316755/-Dawn-Chorus-Headbangers Hellz Yeah!  They rock my world. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/5109853121/" title="DSC_1083 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1315/5109853121_7f38febc72_z.jpg" width="640" height="428" alt="DSC_1083" class="nomargins" /></a> What can I say?  I just plain love woodpeckers.  They're fascinating to watch, and just plain good looking birds.  They don't always choose to reveal themselves, clinging to the highest treetops, but sometimes they'll get front and center at a feeder or an eye-level branch. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus Photos Recommended woodpeckers _1316755 Sun, 27 Jul 2014 13:00:07 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Scorched Earth (Yosemite Edition) http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/15/1307044/-Dawn-Chorus-Scorched-Earth-Yosemite-Edition It was the first weekend in June, and Yosemite beckoned.  Last November, when we'd signed up for the class, the winter rains were late but we didn't yet know they'd be all but non-existent.  (Not that it would have deterred us.)  So what would await us this time? <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/14236694058/" title="DSCN0069 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3885/14236694058_8ec9966221_b.jpg" width="650" class="nomargins" /></a> Half Dome never disappoints.  A high-country thunderstorm had just cleared off and gave a nice dramatic view from the bridge near our campground.  Later that evening, we were back in the same spot to watch bats. Birds, thankfully.  And cliffs and waterfalls and flowers and bugs and bats and stuff. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus Photos Recommended Rim Fire RimFire WildFire Yosemite _1307044 Sun, 15 Jun 2014 13:00:28 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Print Edition http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/08/1304351/-Dawn-Chorus-Print-Edition Did I ever tell you about my book?   Okay, not exactly mine.  It's Peter Pyle's "Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part 2".  But I did most of the illustrations and I have to say, it was a pretty cool experience. <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/2869578511_32da51d88e_o.jpg" width="600" /> The first step in a five-year project - Common Loon If you're a regular Dawn Chorus reader, you know I'm a serious plumage geek. That's how I got involved in the project, and the project definitely reinforced the geekitude.  Going through the process was a real education. <blockquote>I'm currently in Yosemite, so you won't see much of me today.  This is a repeat from way back in 2008 when the book first came out.  See you live next week, hopefully with lots of fun pix to share from this trip.</blockquote> rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus peterpyle Recommended _1304351 Sun, 08 Jun 2014 13:00:21 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Nemesis http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/20/1292257/-Dawn-Chorus-Nemesis It might as well be the Nessie, for all you can make of it.  And it has been a monster of sorts for years.  But there it is - proof of the existence of the legendary... <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/13921254832/" title="abdu_7885 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3809/13921254832_ca734082b8_z.jpg" width="640" height="519" alt="abdu_7885" class="nomargins" /></a> <blockquote>BLACK DUCK!</blockquote> Okay, maybe not totally legendary.  But my 15+ years of seeking finally resulted in a sighting, if not a recognizable photo. Yea! If you've spent any time birding seriously, you almost certainly have a nemesis.  It usually isn't super rare - it's understandable if you miss out on a one-day wonder, and one miss does not a nemesis make.  It takes at least a double-dip (or triple-dip or dip-times-20) to make a nemesis.  Lots of people do see the bird, but not you.  Such a bird for me was the Black Duck - I've been looking for them for at least 15 years now every time I visited family back east.  Casually at first, but increasingly obsessing with each additional trip and miss.  (Pretty odd to have Falcated Duck and Baikal Teal on my waterfowl list before seeing a Black Duck.) rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus HoriconMarsh Recommended Wisconsin _1292257 Sun, 20 Apr 2014 13:00:20 +0000 Peter Matthiessen - We've lost a great writer. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/06/1289997/-Peter-Matthiessen-We-ve-lost-a-great-writer Writer and environmentalist Peter Matthiessen died today at the age of 86; according to <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Writer-environmentalist-Peter-Matthiessen-dies-5379734.php" target="blank">this story</a>, he had been ill with leukemia. He was a wonderful writer and a compelling speaker; a strong voice for the preservation of the natural world, for justice and human rights.   <blockquote>Few authors could claim such a wide range of achievements. Matthiessen helped found The Paris Review, one of the most influential literary magazines, and won National Book Awards for "The Snow Leopard," his spiritual account of the Himalayas, and for the novel "Shadow Country." A leading environmentalist and wilderness writer, he embraced the best and worst that nature could bring him, whether trekking across the Himalayas, parrying sharks in Australia or enduring a hurricane in Antarctica. He also was a longtime liberal who befriended Cesar Chavez and wrote a defense of Indian activist Leonard Peltier, "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse," that led to a highly publicized, and unsuccessful, lawsuit by an FBI agent who claimed Matthiessen had defamed him. </blockquote> Though I always think of him as an environmental writer first and foremost, he was so much more.  He started the Paris Review with George Plimpton, and wrote some significant fiction as well, including "At Play in the Fields of the Lord".  I feel lucky to have heard him speak several times.  Though he wrote on some weighty topics, he was a lively and entertaining speaker.   rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Environment Human Rights HumanRights Literature PeterMatthiessen R&BLers Readers & Book Lovers Readers&BookLovers Recommended Social Justice SocialJustice _1289997 Sun, 06 Apr 2014 03:55:29 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Ravens and Crows http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/30/1288388/-Dawn-Chorus-Ravens-and-Crows <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1122/807938704_641a3bf8b8.jpg" width="500" height="340" alt="Common Ravens, headlands" /> rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds corvids Crows DawnChorus Ravens Recommended _1288388 Sun, 30 Mar 2014 13:04:43 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Orange is the New Blackbird http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/23/1279526/-Dawn-Chorus-Orange-is-the-New-Blackbird Icterids. Personally, I love 'em.  But what the hell kind of name is that? <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/3315779346/" title="buor_2918 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3558/3315779346_cf307418fa_z.jpg?zz=1" width="640" height="447" alt="buor_2918" class="nomargins" /></a> srsly, wtf? I started writing about blackbirds, and then I veered into writing about a few of their cousins and pretty soon it was all the icterids, and then I got interested in the origin of the name... and here we are.  <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icterid" target="blank">Per Wikipedia</a> (which is never wrong as far as I know), <blockquote>The name, meaning "jaundiced ones" (from the prominent yellow feathers of many species) comes from the Ancient Greek ikteros, through the Latin ictericus. This group includes the New World blackbirds, New World orioles, the Bobolink, meadowlarks, grackles, cowbirds, oropendolas and caciques.</blockquote> Okay, they say yellow but I know orange when I see it. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds blackbirds Community DawnChorus icterids Recommended _1279526 Sun, 23 Feb 2014 14:00:26 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Do Something! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/16/1276382/-Dawn-Chorus-Do-Something There is a bit of a paradox about volunteering.  You give your time and get no pay, yet so often you get more out of it than you give. I work full time, so my nights and weekends are precious free time.  Yet I am happy to give up that time for volunteer work; in most years, it averages out to 8 hours worth of volunteer time each and every week.   <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/3259879606/" title="pefa asy release by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3315/3259879606_4aa8ae0704_o.jpg" width="500" height="700" alt="pefa asy release" /></a> I would do this for free any day. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds Community DawnChorus Environment Volunteer Volunteering Wildlife _1276382 Sun, 16 Feb 2014 14:00:17 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Anyone see any birds? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/02/1274361/-Dawn-Chorus-Anyone-see-any-birds More to the point:  Anyone photograph any birds? Last week, SF Kossacks had two esteemed out-of-area visitors, which was all the excuse we needed for a birding trip.  One of them (matching mole) was kind enough to provide a wish list back in November, and discussions in the comments added a few more.  A quick glance at the list suggested an obvious place to go - Solano County and Woodbridge Road.  We weren't going to get them all but we had a pretty good chance for everything except Red-throated Loon.  Well, you can't be greedy about these things. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/12263005013/" title="thing_7479 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5535/12263005013_03dc020a5d_z.jpg" width="640" height="478" alt="thing_7479" class="nomargins" /></a> Not a bird, but an interesting sighting at Cosumnes Preserve. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds Community DawnChorus Recommended SF Kossacks SFKossacks _1274361 Sun, 02 Feb 2014 14:00:23 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Not this again... http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/26/1272514/-Dawn-Chorus-Not-this-again It’s a mixed bag out there.  You’ve got your yard set up to attract birds – feeders, baths, maybe some native plants and brushpiles.   But as with any open house buffet, you’re likely to get a few guests who don’t behave as well as you’d like. <img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2035/1559509650_5381ec38e4.jpg" width="500" /> Adult Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) At best, the others don’t want to hang out with them.   Sometimes they get violent, and occasionally kill and eat the other guests...  really does dampen the mood, ya know?   rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Accipiters BirdID Birding birds Community DawnChorus Raptors Recommended _1272514 Sun, 26 Jan 2014 14:00:26 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Alien Invasion!!1! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/08/1260995/-Dawn-Chorus-Alien-Invasion-1 If this was Fox Noise, I could whip up a frenzy describing how our fine, native birds are under siege from alien hordes...  but, nah. Although I might keep with their anti-elitist tone and curse Shakespeare (just this once). <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3568/3534581885_7d9c4e73e8_o.jpg" width="650" class="nomargins" /> Few things illustrate the law of unintended consequences better than invasive species. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus InvasiveSpecies Recommended _1260995 Sun, 08 Dec 2013 14:00:21 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Preview of Coming Attractions http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/01/1259212/-Dawn-Chorus-Preview-of-Coming-Attractions First, the standard disclaimer:  Past performance does not guarantee future results.  That said, if Friday was any indication, we could have a great day with matching mole on 1/26.   When he said he would be visiting the Bay Area and was up for a day of birding with local Kossacks, I asked if he had a wish list of species he'd like to see.  Based on his list, I think a trip to Solano County and the Delta is the best plan.  For example, this is what we saw as soon as we turned onto Branscombe Road for the start of the "official" trip: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/11135170446/" title="DSC_0052 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3674/11135170446_76af1d050e_b.jpg" width="650" height="771" alt="DSC_0052" class="nomargins" /></a> Adult Red-tailed Hawk (front pole) and Adult Ferruginous Hawk (rear pole).   How's that for a compare and contrast opportunity?  Not bad, but if you really want to compare.... rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds Community DawnChorus Recommended rtha solano _1259212 Sun, 01 Dec 2013 14:00:24 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Last Minute http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/10/1254536/-Dawn-Chorus-Last-Minute <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/10777646735/" title="IMG_6782 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5488/10777646735_55e4a961be_z.jpg" width="640" height="478" alt="IMG_6782" class="nomargins" /></a> Gorgeous, no?  An adult redtail who visited yesterday.  One of only two birds who stopped by when I was banding, but definitely worth all the hours in the blind. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus molt Recommended rtha _1254536 Sun, 10 Nov 2013 14:04:42 +0000 Dawn Chorus: w00t! Winter's almost here! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/03/1252279/-Dawn-Chorus-w00t-Winter-s-almost-here Those bleak, boring days of summer are past!  Now that we're into the short, cold days of November, the fun begins. Fall migration has been interesting this year, to be sure.  The blue-footed boobies are still hanging out up and down the coast.  Unfortunately, the shutdown screwed up our enjoyment somewhat by closing parks and beaches.  But that's all in the past, and now we can look forward to visiting our favorite spots and welcoming our winter visitors. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/8320754338/" title="rtha_2834 leuc by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8358/8320754338_6c5f62c480_z.jpg" width="640" height="519" alt="rtha_2834 leuc" class="nomargins" /></a> Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk Put on your winter whites and join me below.... rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus Recommended _1252279 Sun, 03 Nov 2013 14:00:19 +0000 Dawn Chorus: I didn't want to go to Bodega Bay, for a change. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/13/1246621/-Dawn-Chorus-I-didn-t-want-to-go-to-Bodega-Bay-for-a-change I love Bodega Bay, get there several times a year.  But yesterday I would much rather have been banding.  However, thanks the ongoing tantrum by the GOP, the shutdown made that impossible.  We operate in a National Recreation area and are not allowed to access the banding blinds.  We have lost nearly two weeks worth of data at the peak of the season.  People doing informal counts around the area during this period have recorded several days with huge flights.  We can go back to banding, hawkwatching and telemetry when the shutdown ends, but we'll never get this peak back. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/7955569062/" title="photo by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8305/7955569062_d90d2d8d10_z.jpg" width="640" height="478" alt="photo" class="nomargins" /></a> The Headlands... in sight, and off limits. So time for Plan B. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) birds Birdwatching bodegabay DawnChorus Recommended _1246621 Sun, 13 Oct 2013 13:03:33 +0000 Dawn Chorus: I'm with the band http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/06/1244068/-Dawn-Chorus-I-m-with-the-band For a bander, the moment of releasing a bird is bittersweet.  After this brief overlap in lives, the bird is now on its way to continue its journey (yea!) but in all likelihood, we'll never (knowingly) see that bird again.  If we ever hear anything about it, it will probably be because the bird has died (hopefully some years later).   <iframe width="640" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/aIpY71NqszI" frameborder="0" defang_allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Continue your journeys safely. Sometimes we get lucky and someone is able to read the band number on a live bird, thanks to the combination of optics and the occasional digital camera.  That's usually limited to larger birds like redtails, whose bands are big enough that the numbers can be seen in the field.  Even then it's tough because the number wraps around the leg and you need to see enough of it to make a positive ID. This year, the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory is making it easier to tell if we're encountering an old friend. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/10092457403/" title="release_6272 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5460/10092457403_7788db7382_z.jpg" width="579" height="640" alt="release_6272" /></a> Hope to see you again someday... rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) BirdBanding Birding birds DawnChorus Raptors Recommended Shutdown _1244068 Sun, 06 Oct 2013 13:00:22 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Migration http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/08/1235633/-Dawn-Chorus-Migration Migration is pretty simple.  Birds fly south for the winter, and north for the summer.  First Robin of spring and all that. Right? A biologist describes waterfowl movements: <iframe width="640" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/duP0k8fi14s" frameborder="0" defang_allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Okay, so maybe it's not as clearcut as all that. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus Migration Recommended _1235633 Sun, 08 Sep 2013 13:00:33 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Getting High http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/01/1235003/-Dawn-Chorus-Getting-High The simplest experiences can be the most satisfying. Take my Saturday night a couple of weeks ago.  I was sitting at the table in my site at Tuolumne Meadows campground, starting in on my dinner - pasta with homemade pesto and some very fine wine (in a plastic mug).  There was a purple glow showing through the trees, the signal of a potentially great sunset.  I dumped my pasta into a storage container so it wouldn't spill, grabbed my mug and dashed across the road into the meadow.  Finding a suitable rock, I sat and watched an amazing sunset unfold. Bliss. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/9553040517/" title="Now that's a dinner location."><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7313/9553040517_17428996f0_z.jpg" width="640" height="283" alt="fbcover_6164" class="nomargins" /></a> rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus Recommended TiogaPass TuolumneMeadows Yosemite _1235003 Sun, 01 Sep 2013 13:00:32 +0000 Dawn Chorus: mmmm.... Oysters! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/04/1228401/-Dawn-Chorus-Oh-BLOY I admit it - I'm BLOY-crazy.  Shall we turn the spotlight on... <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/3779421111/" title="san mateo_0842 bloy odd by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2585/3779421111_9ac378ffd9_z.jpg?zz=1" width="640" height="445" alt="san mateo_0842 bloy odd" class="nomargins" /></a> ... the BLack OYstercatcher? rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds BlackOystercatcher Bloy DawnChorus Recommended _1228401 Sun, 04 Aug 2013 13:00:17 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Cut and Paste Edition http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/07/1221788/-Dawn-Chorus-Cut-and-Paste-Edition Not everything with wings that fascinates me is a bird.  Take this critter, for example: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/9228224721/" title="IMG_3710 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3791/9228224721_aeb843356a_z.jpg" width="640" height="464" alt="IMG_3710" class="nomargins" /></a> I went to close the tailgate after unloading some gear at Yosemite, and this was sitting on the edge of the opening.  I wasn't going to squash it, but I also wasn't too keen to touch it.  Look at that needle at the front!  Fortunately, it turned out to be harmless - a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/9228224601/" target="blank">Small Bee Fly</a> - so we just shooed it away, and went on with our birding. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus NN13 Recommended Yosemite _1221788 Sun, 07 Jul 2013 13:01:33 +0000 I need a new sig line. w00t!!!! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/26/1219071/-I-need-a-new-sig-line-w00T For the past two years or so, my sig line has been "DOMA delenda est" - quasi Latin for "DOMA must be destroyed." :-) Time for a new sig line.  Now auditioning in the comments... rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) DOMA gonegonegone LGBT Recommended _1219071 Wed, 26 Jun 2013 14:08:56 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Back to the Farallones (breeding season) http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/16/1214997/-Dawn-Chorus-Back-to-the-Farallones-breeding-season If you're looking for that gateway to excitement, normally it doesn't start with:  Marry an Engineer.  And yet... I'm the one who loves wild places and wildlife.  I sit at a desk and stare at a computer screen all day.  My husband loves electromagnetic waves and things I don't understand.  He is a broadcast engineer and spends a number of his days in salt marshes and on mountain tops and, occasionally, on the Farallon Islands.  Every now and then, I get to join him. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/9042855338/" title="arch rock_3861 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5454/9042855338_7d093f9ed2_z.jpg" width="640" height="476" alt="arch rock_3861" class="nomargins" /></a> Back to the otherworldy islands.... rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus farallones FarallonIslands fnwr Recommended wegu _1214997 Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:00:13 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Meet the locals! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/26/1210621/-Dawn-Chorus-Meet-the-locals Who are you looking forward to seeing in San Jose at Netroots Nation? Our locals welcome you to San Jose.  I'll do my part to help you meet as many of them as possible.  First, greetings from our State Bird.... <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/5939652527/" title="caqu molt_3916 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6022/5939652527_6f121275e4_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="caqu molt_3916" class="nomargins" /></a> California Quail - recently molted topknot growing back. Though the Bay Area may not offer quite as many "target" species as southern Arizona, Florida, Texas or Alaska, it is a great place for birding.  Most counties in the area have a "300 Club" - people who have seen at least 300 species within that county. Just over the hill in Monterey, there's a <a href="http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/MTY_400.html" target="blank">"400 Club"</a> with 19 members; one member has 460 species in Monterey County alone.  Our area's dense mix of habitats - ocean and bay, redwoods, oak woodlands, coastal scrub, sage scrub, grasslands, tidal marshes and more - gives birds a lot of options. At Netroots Nation, we will try to introduce you to as many of them as possible.  There will be an "official" birding trip on Sunday after things wrap up at the convention, but I'm up for early morning and lunchtime quick trips whenever it works.  There's a lot to see within minutes of the convention center.  Any local Kossacks who aren't able to attend NN13 are still welcome to join in any walks or trips - Kosmail me. Without further ado, let's meet some locals.  We can start with the less-common and more highly sought-after birds. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus NetrootsNation13 NN13 Recommended SanJose _1210621 Sun, 26 May 2013 13:00:18 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Reyes of Sunshine, aka Herps and Chirps http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/05/1206102/-Dawn-Chorus-Reyes-of-Sunshine-aka-Herps-and-Chirps Back to Point Reyes, the little slice of paradise to our north.  Two weekends in a row - very different trips, but the same overwhelming awesomeness of place.  Two weeks ago, I spent the weekend at the Marconi Conference Center in Marshall while hubby took part in a historic radio event; last week, I spent Saturday "Birding to a Fault" as part of the Point Reyes Birding Festival. It's a great time of year to be in West Marin – even with our very dry winter, the hills are still green and the wildflower bloom was pretty good; the days were clear and sunny but not unspeakably hot.  Bliss, in other words. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/8705626291/" title="IMG_3577 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8258/8705626291_a4390f02e6_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_3577" class="nomargins" /></a> The "I-swore-I-wrote-the-name-down-but-apparently-not Lily".  I see a lot of these. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) amphibians Birding birds DawnChorus pointreyes Recommended Reptiles _1206102 Sun, 05 May 2013 13:00:14 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Spring Pilgrimage http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/14/1201220/-Dawn-Chorus-Spring-Pilgrimage Mid-April means taxes to many people and it makes them kinda grouchy.  Mid-April means Mines Road to me, and nothing could make me happier. For nearly 20 years now, I've made the trip to this wonderful road in the southeast Bay Area - often more than once.  Yesterday was the day.   <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/8647704850/" title="gcsp_0184 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8527/8647704850_454ffc85ca_z.jpg" width="640" height="472" alt="gcsp_0184" class="nomargins" /></a> This late-departing sparrow shows why he's called a Golden-crowned.  In a matter of days, they should be out of here and headed to points north. rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus Recommended _1201220 Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:00:15 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Okay, maybe some fuzzy chicks for Easter after all http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/31/1198195/-Dawn-Chorus-Placeholder I suppose I should be posting pictures of fuzzy chicks and maybe even a couple of eggs, since it's Easter and all.  At least it's not a bunch of hawks ripping apart prey... [Update:  Title changed to reflect the fact that there are a bunch of great pictures of fuzzy chicks and bunnies and flowers in the comments.] The diary scheduled for today has apparently gone to Easter Brunch somewhere, so this is a bit of an impromptu fill in with photos I've taken for the Daily Bucket backyard bird count.  More on that in the comments, if you're interested in taking part. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/8460889561/" title="calt_2949 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8365/8460889561_22eacdc3b7_c.jpg" width="687" height="800" alt="calt_2949" class="nomargins" /></a> Cal Towhee perched on The Pole That Every Bird Loves rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) birds DawnChorus Recommended _1198195 Sun, 31 Mar 2013 13:12:40 +0000 Dawn Chorus: Ospreys. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/17/1194228/-Dawn-Chorus-Ospreys I usually like to work a little wordplay into my titles, in hopes of catching the eye of casual readers.  But when the topic is Ospreys, no cleverness is necessary.  They are just plain cool.  And damn good looking. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/4586114819/" title="ospr_6114 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4040/4586114819_5831a9b26f_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="ospr_6114" class="nomargins" /></a> rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus ospr ospreys Recommended _1194228 Sun, 17 Mar 2013 13:00:18 +0000 Happy Birthday, Leaves on the Current! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/01/29/1182806/-Happy-Birthday-Leaves-on-the-Current teacherken told us that his wife, Leaves on the Current, has been having health problems <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/01/27/1182628/-Quakers-ask-people-to-hold-them-in-the-light" target="blank">and has been hospitalized</a> [update <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/01/28/1182798/-we-thank-you-and-an-update" target="blank">here</a>]. Today is her birthday.  Let's send her some wishes for a good day, and a good outcome.   (And if you want to send teacherken words of encouragement, I bet he'd like those, too.  He's got a brief update in the comments <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/comments/1182806/49221329#c10">here</a>.) rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Community Recommended TeacherKen _1182806 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:00:07 +0000 Dawn Chorus: She was not a refined woman... http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/01/27/1182441/-Dawn-Chorus-She-was-not-a-refined-woman <blockquote>She was not quite what you would call refined. She was not quite what you would call unrefined. She was the kind of person that keeps a parrot.      - Mark Twain </blockquote> Or two. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lineatus/5983578222/" title="IMG_0329 by lineatus, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6020/5983578222_e7f5d6b077_z.jpg" width="640" height="478" alt="IMG_0329" /></a> Dawn Chorus is generally about wild birds and birding and getting out in their habitat.  I haven't talked much about domesticated birds, but living with birds has fueled my interest in wild birds - and vice versa.  I have shared my home with birds (finches initially, and then parrots) for almost 25 years now.  My understanding of wild birds and their behaviors has certainly been shaped from watching our birds go through the same actions and reactions. One thing I want to be clear about up front - Birds, as pets, require a serious commitment and an understanding of very different needs than dogs or cats.  This is especially true of parrots, who form strong relationships and can have much longer life expectancies than cats or dogs.  Like most serious parrot lovers, I am more likely to steer people away from getting them as pets rather than encouraging it.   rss@dailykos.com (lineatus) Birding birds DawnChorus parrots Pets Recommended _1182441 Sun, 27 Jan 2013 14:00:04 +0000