I have a fascination with camouflage and thought this video was very interesting!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Downy Woodpeckers
This past spring I found a Downy Woodpecker's nest and monitored it from the excavation to the young ones' departure.
On the evening before the little ones (there were at least two - one male and one female) left I managed to get this short video.
The poor parents, already run ragged by demanding babies were now being bullied by the hungry little ones. The parent leaps backwards when the baby lunges forward. I can't help but laugh.
The parents were fastidious in cleaning the nest after every feeding (which is what you will see at the end).
I hope you enjoy it.
It is posted at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0sKtOu2oyw
On the evening before the little ones (there were at least two - one male and one female) left I managed to get this short video.
The poor parents, already run ragged by demanding babies were now being bullied by the hungry little ones. The parent leaps backwards when the baby lunges forward. I can't help but laugh.
The parents were fastidious in cleaning the nest after every feeding (which is what you will see at the end).
I hope you enjoy it.
It is posted at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0sKtOu2oyw
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Close encounters of the hawk kind.
Recently I had the extraordinary experience of spending well over half an hour sitting between two low slung trees at the Montreal Botanical Gardens while surrounded by four young Cooper's Hawks.
These hawks (along with the two parents) have been drawing dozens of photographers to the Gardens and sometimes there seem to be more tripods than trees!
That being said, I was extremely lucky to have had such a long time alone with the foursome. I was able to squat down and waddle slowly (such an elegant gait) up to each bird until I was within 3 to 4 feet.
The reason I could do this was based on a few factors: the birds have been raised in a place that brings them in close contact with humans; they are young and more trusting than the wiser adults; and one was eating its prey which meant the others were waiting for their opportunity to get a share and I was the least of their concerns.
I took hundreds of photos constantly changing settings, angles, flash versus no flash, etc. and here are some of the best results.
These hawks (along with the two parents) have been drawing dozens of photographers to the Gardens and sometimes there seem to be more tripods than trees!
That being said, I was extremely lucky to have had such a long time alone with the foursome. I was able to squat down and waddle slowly (such an elegant gait) up to each bird until I was within 3 to 4 feet.
The reason I could do this was based on a few factors: the birds have been raised in a place that brings them in close contact with humans; they are young and more trusting than the wiser adults; and one was eating its prey which meant the others were waiting for their opportunity to get a share and I was the least of their concerns.
I took hundreds of photos constantly changing settings, angles, flash versus no flash, etc. and here are some of the best results.
Here is a 28 second video. I get a chill each time the hawk seems to look directly at me!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Wildflowers, weeds and wasps
The other day I was walking along a trail in our local woodland park (a real treasure!) and I started to think about the concept of invasive species. An article in a city publication had mentioned how Buckthorn was being eradicated from this park as it was an “invasive species”. The park has huge gashes in the woods where the offending bushes have been ripped out and laid aside. Another part of the park has large expanses of Milkweed which is celebrated and touted as responsible for a commendation from a Monarch butterfly organization (Milkweed is a major food source for Monarchs). Ironically, some publications list the Milkweed as an invasive species!
Just as a plant can be a cherished wildflower or an offensive weed – it all seems to be in the eye of the human beholder.
Interestingly, the very next day, “The Current”, a CBC radio program, dealt with this whole issue of invasive species. It included interviews with Matt Chew of the Center for Biology and Society at Arizona State University and Dr. Jim Carlton a Professor of Marine Sciences at Williams College.
Matt Chew and 18 other scientists who have co-authored a recent article in the journal Nature, are challenging the pervasive view that we should declare all out war on so-called invasive species.
The article has been published on-line and I have not seen a statement that it can not be reproduced so excerpts are given below:
“Over the past few decades, 'non-native' species have been vilified for driving beloved 'native' species to extinction and generally polluting 'natural' environments. Intentionally or not, such characterizations have helped to create a pervasive bias against alien species that has been embraced by the public, conservationists, land managers and policy-makers, as well by as many scientists, throughout the world.”
“Increasingly, the practical value of the native-versus-alien species dichotomy in conservation is declining, and even becoming counterproductive. Yet many conservationists still consider the distinction a core guiding principle.”
“It wasn't until the 1990s that 'invasion biology' became a discipline in its own right… proponents of biodiversity preservation and ecological restoration commonly used military metaphors and exaggerated claims of impending harm to help convey the message that introduced species are the enemies of man and nature.”
“But many of the claims driving people's perception that introduced species pose an apocalyptic threat to biodiversity are not backed by data. Take the conclusion made in a 1998 paper that invaders are the second-greatest threat to the survival of threatened or endangered species after habitat destruction. Little of the information used to support this claim involved data, as the original authors were careful to point out. Indeed, recent analyses suggest that invaders do not represent a major extinction threat to most species in most environments — predators and pathogens on islands and in lakes being the main exception. In fact, the introduction of non-native species has almost always increased the number of species in a region.”
“Nativeness is not a sign of evolutionary fitness or of a species having positive effects. The insect currently suspected to be killing more trees than any other in North America is the native mountain pine beetle Dendroctonus ponderosae.”
“Most human and natural communities now consist both of long-term residents and of new arrivals, and ecosystems are emerging that never existed before. It is impractical to try to restore ecosystems to some 'rightful' historical state.”
I tend to agree, however I confess that I am not directly impacted by these species and so can afford a less biased view. But the more I read about eradication programs as well as restoration programs; e.g. the re-introduction of animals into areas where they have been driven out in the past (usually by humans) - for instance wolf recovery programs - the more I think all this management of nature needs to be stopped. Yes, let us curb our destructive habits and tread more lightly on the Earth but now trying to force it into a balance that we deem the proper one is only causing more grief.
On a somewhat related note, last Sunday while in these same local woods, I was delighted to find what I believe were Paper Wasps building a nest behind the glass of a large wooden sign at one entrance to the park. I watched them for quite some time and took many pictures (always trying to eliminate the darn glare from the glass). This nest was at eye-level and afforded me a glimpse into their lives without any danger of unintentionally inciting an attack because of the glass barrier. It was a great opportunity for learning.
Three days later I returned to check on their progress and all the wasps lay dead inside the sign. Some were still in the nest. It looked like a battle scene with all these brightly coloured warriors lying lifeless. I guess someone in the city park services determined that these animals were also to be destroyed.
I wonder if there will ever be an area close by where I can go to see unmanaged, unmassacred, unharassed wildlife.
I dedicate this blog post to the wasps.
Just as a plant can be a cherished wildflower or an offensive weed – it all seems to be in the eye of the human beholder.
Interestingly, the very next day, “The Current”, a CBC radio program, dealt with this whole issue of invasive species. It included interviews with Matt Chew of the Center for Biology and Society at Arizona State University and Dr. Jim Carlton a Professor of Marine Sciences at Williams College.
Matt Chew and 18 other scientists who have co-authored a recent article in the journal Nature, are challenging the pervasive view that we should declare all out war on so-called invasive species.
The article has been published on-line and I have not seen a statement that it can not be reproduced so excerpts are given below:
“Over the past few decades, 'non-native' species have been vilified for driving beloved 'native' species to extinction and generally polluting 'natural' environments. Intentionally or not, such characterizations have helped to create a pervasive bias against alien species that has been embraced by the public, conservationists, land managers and policy-makers, as well by as many scientists, throughout the world.”
“Increasingly, the practical value of the native-versus-alien species dichotomy in conservation is declining, and even becoming counterproductive. Yet many conservationists still consider the distinction a core guiding principle.”
“It wasn't until the 1990s that 'invasion biology' became a discipline in its own right… proponents of biodiversity preservation and ecological restoration commonly used military metaphors and exaggerated claims of impending harm to help convey the message that introduced species are the enemies of man and nature.”
“But many of the claims driving people's perception that introduced species pose an apocalyptic threat to biodiversity are not backed by data. Take the conclusion made in a 1998 paper that invaders are the second-greatest threat to the survival of threatened or endangered species after habitat destruction. Little of the information used to support this claim involved data, as the original authors were careful to point out. Indeed, recent analyses suggest that invaders do not represent a major extinction threat to most species in most environments — predators and pathogens on islands and in lakes being the main exception. In fact, the introduction of non-native species has almost always increased the number of species in a region.”
“Nativeness is not a sign of evolutionary fitness or of a species having positive effects. The insect currently suspected to be killing more trees than any other in North America is the native mountain pine beetle Dendroctonus ponderosae.”
“Most human and natural communities now consist both of long-term residents and of new arrivals, and ecosystems are emerging that never existed before. It is impractical to try to restore ecosystems to some 'rightful' historical state.”
I tend to agree, however I confess that I am not directly impacted by these species and so can afford a less biased view. But the more I read about eradication programs as well as restoration programs; e.g. the re-introduction of animals into areas where they have been driven out in the past (usually by humans) - for instance wolf recovery programs - the more I think all this management of nature needs to be stopped. Yes, let us curb our destructive habits and tread more lightly on the Earth but now trying to force it into a balance that we deem the proper one is only causing more grief.
On a somewhat related note, last Sunday while in these same local woods, I was delighted to find what I believe were Paper Wasps building a nest behind the glass of a large wooden sign at one entrance to the park. I watched them for quite some time and took many pictures (always trying to eliminate the darn glare from the glass). This nest was at eye-level and afforded me a glimpse into their lives without any danger of unintentionally inciting an attack because of the glass barrier. It was a great opportunity for learning.
Three days later I returned to check on their progress and all the wasps lay dead inside the sign. Some were still in the nest. It looked like a battle scene with all these brightly coloured warriors lying lifeless. I guess someone in the city park services determined that these animals were also to be destroyed.
I wonder if there will ever be an area close by where I can go to see unmanaged, unmassacred, unharassed wildlife.
I dedicate this blog post to the wasps.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Well I am up and running
After my various computer woes, I now have a brand new hard drive (to which I have been re-installing all the software) and so far so good. However, a bizarre thing happened when I was loading some new photos. As is usual with Windows 7 (or maybe not, but usual in my experience), photos that were taken in the vertical (portrait) format must be rotated manually. I have done this many, many times and the application says "saving" and then it appears in my pictures folder as a vertical photo. Well, after doing this a couple of times I started to realize that the pictures were disappearing! Yikes! However, when I would do a search under the file name, it would say it was saved in the folder. Huh?? After various futile attempts at understanding this and doing tests I decided to ask Microsoft for help. They indicated via their website that I would need to contact the computer manufacturer. On no! Not again!
I plaintively cried out loud "I just want my system back to the way it was...".
Then I saw they had a site where kind souls help others with their problems and I keyed in "rotating pictures" and astonishingly, several people were writing in to say that every time they would rotate a picture it would disappear! One poor woman was distraught because she had taken pictures of her daughter saying good-bye to her father (the woman's husband) for some unknown destination (possibly Afganistan?!) and now her pictures were gone.
Well, thanks to some really smart people, they figured it out that the latest version of McAfee virus protection (which I guess I now have) is responsible. How discernible is that?! I would never have thought of it.
And two solutions were proposed: return to an earlier version of the virus protection until the company corrects it or unhide files. (For some reason, the virus protection program labels a rotated file as a file to be hidden.)
I chose the second option and so far, all is well. This of course, took until 1:00 am this morning to do! I am rather stubborn sometimes and stick with things to the bitter end.
Anyway, I am now in a position to share a couple of new photos with you so here they are:
Grasshopper
Viceroy butterfly (a mimic of the Monarch butterfly)
I plaintively cried out loud "I just want my system back to the way it was...".
Then I saw they had a site where kind souls help others with their problems and I keyed in "rotating pictures" and astonishingly, several people were writing in to say that every time they would rotate a picture it would disappear! One poor woman was distraught because she had taken pictures of her daughter saying good-bye to her father (the woman's husband) for some unknown destination (possibly Afganistan?!) and now her pictures were gone.
Well, thanks to some really smart people, they figured it out that the latest version of McAfee virus protection (which I guess I now have) is responsible. How discernible is that?! I would never have thought of it.
And two solutions were proposed: return to an earlier version of the virus protection until the company corrects it or unhide files. (For some reason, the virus protection program labels a rotated file as a file to be hidden.)
I chose the second option and so far, all is well. This of course, took until 1:00 am this morning to do! I am rather stubborn sometimes and stick with things to the bitter end.
Anyway, I am now in a position to share a couple of new photos with you so here they are:
Grasshopper
Viceroy butterfly (a mimic of the Monarch butterfly)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Computer woes
Warning! This is going to be a post to vent!
I have been without a computer for four weeks now. ..
Actually, now that my defective power supply and motherboard have been replaced, I can access the Internet to write this blog but now that my hard drive seems to be defective also (which, of course, only became evident a day after the other parts were replaced), I have no data left on it and therefore I cannot upload any photos into this post - but probably that is just as well as the only thing appropriate would be pictures of me pulling my hair out.
On top of all the failing hardware, there has been a comedy of errors throughout this ordeal. When a three hour phone session with Technical Support brought no resolution, it was determined that the company (who will remain nameless) would need to send me CDs in order for me to re-install the operating system but ... the CDs were being held by Purolator since, it seems, my apartment number was not indicated in the address - even though I distinctly remember telling the company to add it.
Then to complicate things, while I was waiting for various (futile) processes to run during the aforementioned three hour phone call, I received a sales pitch for a second hard drive. I was quoted a good price ($65) so I said "OK", then the tech guy came back with a final price of $86 ("because you are in Canada"), I said "OK" again, and he processed it. But then he came back to inform me that I need a special cable and that was another $25 and then after that he said he made a mistake and he ordered two (other) cables and it should have only been one. Well by this time I was getting frustrated and asked to cancel the order, but no, it was too late that evening and I would have to call the next day.
I did that first thing the next morning but the order had already been shipped. Then I was told they would contact Purolator to have the package returned but ... it can't be that simple of course. Purolator was now handling both the CDs (which I wanted) and the hard drive order (which I didn't want). Both were due to be delivered the same day. Then Purolator called me directly about the address kerfuffel and said they had two packages - what did I want them to do? Is one package flat like it could have CDs in it I asked? Yes. OK then, please send me the flat package and send back the other, heavier one. Sure they said. Great I thought. But ... the flat package contained the two small cables! The CDs were somewhere else. Now, I had to repackage the cables and go to the Purolator store to ship them back. Who knows how my refund will be processed.
OK, so now lo and behold, the CDs arrived! Yay!
I just spent half an hour with a Tech guy trying to use them to re-install Windows, etc. but it turns out that it can't be done! Something about being unable to delete partitions. Then I am told that they will therefore send me a new hard drive with everything installed at the factory (sort of like when I bought this *&^$# computer just one year ago!) but wait - no - since I LIVE IN CANADA they can't send me this type of hard drive - they can only send me a blank one with CDs and I will have to install it all myself (with help on the phone).
So, again I will have to take time off work to receive the technician and then spend hours on the phone trying to re-install everything. Probably by the time all this is done, the computer will break down again (with an expired warranty) or be obsolete!!
I feel guilty complaining about my computer problems when there are real, terrible issues that people are dealing with in the world but venting makes me feel better.
I have been without a computer for four weeks now. ..
Actually, now that my defective power supply and motherboard have been replaced, I can access the Internet to write this blog but now that my hard drive seems to be defective also (which, of course, only became evident a day after the other parts were replaced), I have no data left on it and therefore I cannot upload any photos into this post - but probably that is just as well as the only thing appropriate would be pictures of me pulling my hair out.
On top of all the failing hardware, there has been a comedy of errors throughout this ordeal. When a three hour phone session with Technical Support brought no resolution, it was determined that the company (who will remain nameless) would need to send me CDs in order for me to re-install the operating system but ... the CDs were being held by Purolator since, it seems, my apartment number was not indicated in the address - even though I distinctly remember telling the company to add it.
Then to complicate things, while I was waiting for various (futile) processes to run during the aforementioned three hour phone call, I received a sales pitch for a second hard drive. I was quoted a good price ($65) so I said "OK", then the tech guy came back with a final price of $86 ("because you are in Canada"), I said "OK" again, and he processed it. But then he came back to inform me that I need a special cable and that was another $25 and then after that he said he made a mistake and he ordered two (other) cables and it should have only been one. Well by this time I was getting frustrated and asked to cancel the order, but no, it was too late that evening and I would have to call the next day.
I did that first thing the next morning but the order had already been shipped. Then I was told they would contact Purolator to have the package returned but ... it can't be that simple of course. Purolator was now handling both the CDs (which I wanted) and the hard drive order (which I didn't want). Both were due to be delivered the same day. Then Purolator called me directly about the address kerfuffel and said they had two packages - what did I want them to do? Is one package flat like it could have CDs in it I asked? Yes. OK then, please send me the flat package and send back the other, heavier one. Sure they said. Great I thought. But ... the flat package contained the two small cables! The CDs were somewhere else. Now, I had to repackage the cables and go to the Purolator store to ship them back. Who knows how my refund will be processed.
OK, so now lo and behold, the CDs arrived! Yay!
I just spent half an hour with a Tech guy trying to use them to re-install Windows, etc. but it turns out that it can't be done! Something about being unable to delete partitions. Then I am told that they will therefore send me a new hard drive with everything installed at the factory (sort of like when I bought this *&^$# computer just one year ago!) but wait - no - since I LIVE IN CANADA they can't send me this type of hard drive - they can only send me a blank one with CDs and I will have to install it all myself (with help on the phone).
So, again I will have to take time off work to receive the technician and then spend hours on the phone trying to re-install everything. Probably by the time all this is done, the computer will break down again (with an expired warranty) or be obsolete!!
I feel guilty complaining about my computer problems when there are real, terrible issues that people are dealing with in the world but venting makes me feel better.
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