owlice

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neufer
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Re: owlice

Post by neufer » Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:59 pm

owlice wrote:Oh, very cool, geckzilla! I've seen only pics of leucistic robins; have never seen one with mine own eyes.
The Giant New Zealand Gecko - Kawekaweau

<<In 1986 in the basement of the Marseille Museum of Natural History a primative type specimen of a large gecko was found stuffed, unlabelled, lacking any record of its collection date or its point of origin and judging from the specimen must have been there for over a century. The Maori said the Kawekaweau represented the souls of dead ancestors of anyone who saw it and sighting one was an omen it was that persons time to join them. Thus they were largely avoided and left alone by the Maori. It was described as being about 2 feet long and as thick as a mans wrist.>>
Image
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The Laughing Owl - Hakoke, Whekau

<<Once the maniacal laugh like call of this bird rang through the night forests. The Laughing Owl fed on Lizards, insects and small birds for the plentiful fossilised pellets that have been discovered give clear indication of their diet. It was a ground feeder with sturdy legs that preferred to run its prey down.>>
Image
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owlice
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Re: owlice

Post by owlice » Thu Apr 29, 2010 6:55 pm

The Laughing Owl - Hakoke, Whekau wrote:July 1914 saw the last sighting of a Laughing Owl; a specimen was found dead at the Blue Cliffs Station in Canterbury.

Why these birds became extinct is somewhat of a mystery.

Their decline over 40 years has puzzled many. It is believed the invasion of Weasels, Stoats and cats may have spelt their doom.
:cry:
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A Canterbury tail

Post by neufer » Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:45 pm

owlice wrote:
The Laughing Owl - Hakoke, Whekau wrote:
July 1914 saw the last sighting of a Laughing Owl; a specimen was found dead at the Blue Cliffs Station in Canterbury.

Why these birds became extinct is somewhat of a mystery. Their decline over 40 years has puzzled many. It is believed the invasion of Weasels, Stoats and cats may have spelt their doom.
OK, Couette; you had the last maniacal laugh.
Art Neuendorffer

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Re: A Canterbury tail

Post by owlice » Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:55 pm

neufer wrote:
owlice wrote:
The Laughing Owl - Hakoke, Whekau wrote:
July 1914 saw the last sighting of a Laughing Owl; a specimen was found dead at the Blue Cliffs Station in Canterbury.

Why these birds became extinct is somewhat of a mystery. Their decline over 40 years has puzzled many. It is believed the invasion of Weasels, Stoats and cats may have spelt their doom.
OK, Couette; you had the last maniacal laugh.
Small consolation for declining for over 40 years*! :shock:
Wikipedia wrote:In fluid dynamics, Couette flow refers to the laminar flow of a viscous fluid in the space between two parallel plates, one of which is moving relative to the other.
That's viscous!



* I didn't realize I'd started quite so early....

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Re: A Canterbury tail

Post by neufer » Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:39 pm

owlice wrote:
neufer wrote:OK, Couette; you had the last maniacal laugh.
Small consolation for declining for over 40 years*! :shock:
Wikipedia wrote:In fluid dynamics, Couette flow refers to the laminar flow of a viscous fluid
in the space between two parallel plates, one of which is moving relative to the other.
That's viscous!
Oops...forgot the "h". (A Freudian fluid physics slip?)
  • chouette : owl (French)
    couette : quilt (French)
I feel so quilty! :oops:
---------------------------------
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A bedroom tale

Post by owlice » Fri Apr 30, 2010 8:35 am

neufer wrote: Oops...forgot the "h". (A Freudian fluid physics slip?)
  • chouette : owl (French)
    couette : quilt (French)
I feel so quilty! :oops:
---------------------------------
Skid Viscous
Let your couette be your comforter.
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Re: A bedroom tale

Post by neufer » Fri Apr 30, 2010 11:00 am

owlice wrote:Let your couette be your comforter.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GYguOzFGbYk/S ... Owl-ow.jpg OW!
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Re: owlice

Post by owlice » Fri Apr 30, 2010 11:12 am

Snack time!
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bystander
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BA: Owl be seeing you

Post by bystander » Sat May 01, 2010 3:18 pm


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Re: owlice

Post by BMAONE23 » Sat May 01, 2010 3:24 pm

Elf Owl too cute
Image

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owlice
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Re: owlice

Post by owlice » Mon May 03, 2010 7:07 am

bystander and BMAONE23, thank you!!!! I loved the blog entry (how could I not, after all!), and yes, Elf Owls are cute cute cute (almost too cute to be real!)!!

On Great Blue Herons (from the blog), I see them fairly often; sometimes, I see them in downtown DC, in Constitution Gardens, and even in a little artificial pond in front of the Department of the Interior. (Other birds appearing in one or both of those spots including [nesting] Mallards, [nesting] Red-winged Blackbirds, Canada Geese, Red-tailed Hawks [saw one munching on a Mallard at the DOI pond once :shock:], and Night Herons.)

Though not the Maryland state bird (that would be the Baltimore Oriole), Great Blue Herons represent the Chesapeake Bay (and its conservation) and are depicted on some Maryland license plates. They are indeed magnificent birds to see, flying or fishing.
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Re: owlice

Post by bystander » Mon May 03, 2010 8:48 pm

Rescued Baby Hummingbird Fed in Hand by Mother
Click to play embedded YouTube video.

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Re: owlice

Post by owlice » Mon May 03, 2010 9:46 pm

SO cute!!!!! Thank you!!!
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Re: owlice

Post by makc » Mon May 03, 2010 9:59 pm

I find it interesting that noone mentioned the most famous owl on the net yet.
Image

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bystander
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Re: owlice

Post by bystander » Tue May 04, 2010 2:14 am


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Re: owlice

Post by bystander » Sun May 09, 2010 10:58 pm

Happy Mother’s Day! Now get some sleep.
Bad Astronomy - 09 May 2010

Image
Happy Mother’s Day! If you’re a mother, than I suggest you take a tip from this mom here: Go take a nap!

Touching back story that all mothers will relate to here.

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owlice
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Re: owlice

Post by owlice » Sun May 09, 2010 11:44 pm

Wow, bystander, thank you!! That is one very pretty owl pic, especially at the largest size available.

Here's a Saw-whet Owl in return; what he lacks in size, he makes up for with cute! Image

I saw one of these handsome fellows recently out my office window; he was being harassed by a ... hmmm... grackle, I think it was, though it might have been a crow.
hawk3.jpeg
hawk3.jpeg (97.16 KiB) Viewed 3239 times
A few years ago I was standing on the grounds of the National Academy of Sciences building watching a Red-tailed Hawk sitting in one of NAS's trees; it was being harassed by a robin. There was also a very nervous squirrel in the tree, creeping around in the branches but often moving quite close to the hawk, which surprised me. The robin eventually convinced the hawk to move on, and pursued the raptor even after he flew off.
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Re: owlice

Post by bystander » Sat May 22, 2010 5:21 pm

Photo safari – barking owl
Discover Blogs - 22 May 2010
Not Exactly Rocket Science

Image
This is a barking owl, photographed at Caversham Wildlife Park in Perth. It’s a well-named creature, which, according to Wikipedia, emits noises that “range from a barking dog noise to a shrill woman-like scream of great intensity”. It’s said to be a potential source for Australia’s Bunyip legend, and I’m sure the striking yellow eyes don’t help either.

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owlice
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Re: owlice

Post by owlice » Sat May 22, 2010 5:44 pm

Wow! Cool bird, gorgeous photo!! Thank you for sharing it!
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neufer
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Re: owlice

Post by neufer » Sat May 22, 2010 6:56 pm

[color=#FF0000]W[/color]inking [color=#FF0000]OW[/color]lice wrote:
WOW! Cool bird, gorgeous photo!! Thank you for sharing it!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barking_Owl wrote:
<<The Barking Owl or Winking OWl :wink: (NinOX connivens) is a nocturnal bird species native to mainland Australia and parts of Papua New Guinea. The Barking Owl have large eyes that have a yellow iris, a dark brown beak and almost no facial mask. Their underparts are brownish-grey and coarsely sotted white with their tail and flight feathers being moderately lighter in colour. They mostly choose to live near river, swamp or creek beds as they are attracted to water. It is because they live in such places which include billabongs they have been mistaken for the mythical creature, the Bunyip. Bunyips, according to legend are said to inhabit creeks and lonely river beds in the Australian Bush.

Image

Most people hear the Barking Owl rather than see it as it has an explosive voice unlike many other Australian owl species. It has a double dog bark and various growls that so closely mimic the real thing it is nearly impossible to tell the difference. The screaming of the Barking Owl is said to sound like a woman screaming in pain. Hearings of 'screaming lady,' as it is so nicknamed, are very rare and many only hear the sound once in their life even if they live next to a Barking Owl nest. In the early settlement of Australia a screaming noise matching the Barking Owl's description was credited and told to the settlers by the Indigenous Australians or the Aboriginals as the Bunyip. The Bunyip was said to be a fearsome creature that inhabited swamps, rivers and billabongs. Bunyips had many different descriptions but most were of an animal of some sort whose favorite food was that of human women. The cries and noises coming from swamps and creeks at night were not said to be the victims but actually the noise the Bunyip made.>>
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Re: owlice

Post by wonderboy » Sun May 23, 2010 11:22 am

Well there you go... I just learned what a leucisitc bird is. Thanks very much guys.

My favourite bird is a kingfisher! Love to watch them dive in the water.


Paul.
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Re: owlice

Post by owlice » Sun May 23, 2010 5:31 pm

Paul, kingfishers are cool! They are very noisy; I usually hear them long before I see them.
neufer wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barking_Owl wrote:
<<The Barking Owl or Winking OWl :wink: (NinOX connivens) is a nocturnal bird species native to mainland Australia and parts of Papua New Guinea. The Barking Owl have large eyes that have a yellow iris, a dark brown beak and almost no facial mask. Their underparts are brownish-grey and coarsely sotted white with their tail and flight feathers being moderately lighter in colour.
I couldn't possible comment on this.... :wink:
neufer wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barking_Owl wrote:The screaming of the Barking Owl is said to sound like a woman screaming in pain.
I sometimes hear Barred Owls, which do not sound like a woman screaming in pain, when I bike or walk on the C&O Canal towpath. I've never spotted one along the towpath, however. Their call is characterized as "Whoo cooks for you? Whoo cooks for you-ooooo?" and this video demonstrates how apt that characterization is:
Click to play embedded YouTube video.
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neufer
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Re: owlice

Post by neufer » Sun May 23, 2010 6:43 pm

owlice wrote:I sometimes hear Barred Owls, which do not sound like a woman screaming in pain,
when I bike or walk on the C&O Canal towpath.
I've never spotted one along the towpath, however.
Unlike fuzzy goslings which dominate the towpath currently.
(I also bicycled past a blue heron right on the towpath and it didn't budge an inch!)
owlice wrote:Their call is characterized as "Whoo cooks for you? Whoo cooks for you-ooooo?"
Who cooks for me? Who cooks for meeee?

The chief at the local Dove Bar, of course.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-winged_Dove wrote:
The White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) is a dove whose native range extends from the south-western USA through Mexico and the Caribbean. White-winged Doves are large, chunky pigeons at 29 cm. They are brownish-gray above and gray below, with a bold white wing patch that appears as a brilliant white crescent in flight and is also visible at rest. The cooing calls are who-cooks-for-you and hoo hoo hoo.
Click to play embedded YouTube video.
Image
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owlice
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Re: owlice

Post by owlice » Sun May 30, 2010 6:35 pm

I'm getting LOTS done today.... :roll:

http://www.fotoportmann.com/birdblog/
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Re: owlice

Post by wonderboy » Tue Jun 01, 2010 4:42 pm

Was just perusing the Apods when I seen this one which reminded me of an owl eye, and thus reminded me of you.

Hope you like it, you don't need to pretend you do if you don't, its just a forum lol.


Paul.




http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990729.html
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