Comments on: Madam Nancy http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/ America's favorite blog Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:30:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: Murray http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21534 Wed, 22 Nov 2006 13:41:42 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21534 One of my closest friends combines his profession (Ornithology professor) with his love of music. John does research on Kestrel nesting and he uses his recording equipment to capture the sound of the chicks even prior to hatching. Another friend of mine is named Brant. I asked him if he were named after the goose. He looked at me and said that no one had ever asked that before, but I was right. His parents were birders. One of my closest friends combines his profession (Ornithology professor) with his love of music. John does research on Kestrel nesting and he uses his recording equipment to capture the sound of the chicks even prior to hatching.

Another friend of mine is named Brant. I asked him if he were named after the goose. He looked at me and said that no one had ever asked that before, but I was right. His parents were birders.

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21469 Sun, 19 Nov 2006 13:41:35 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21469 Way cool, siobhan. I do know a certified bird count geek, and I have a sister who is simply a bird geek, but a certified molt geek is a new concept to me. Love it. Cooper seems like he might actually be at least part hawk. Way cool, siobhan. I do know a certified bird count geek, and I have a sister who is simply a bird geek, but a certified molt geek is a new concept to me. Love it.

Cooper seems like he might actually be at least part hawk.

]]> by: siobhan http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21463 Sun, 19 Nov 2006 04:55:49 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21463 David, with your dispensation I will freely comment on a bird. Today was a banding day. Not many birds around because it's well past the peak of migration, but what's left is usually quite interesting. We only banded one today, but she was phenomenal... a really robust, healthy adult female Cooper's Hawk. (Coop, you have some damn good birds to share a name.) She was very large by west coast standards, and clearly had not missed any meals. I am a certified molt geek, and her plumage clearly told the story of a successful breeding bird - she was several years old, and her plumage said that she is absolutely in the prime of life and doing her part to keep the coop population healthy. It is so exciting to see such a fine bird up close. The other blinds picked up another adult coop, two adult redtails, a merlin and a handful of other juvenile accipiters and redtails. David, with your dispensation I will freely comment on a bird. Today was a banding day. Not many birds around because it’s well past the peak of migration, but what’s left is usually quite interesting. We only banded one today, but she was phenomenal… a really robust, healthy adult female Cooper’s Hawk. (Coop, you have some damn good birds to share a name.) She was very large by west coast standards, and clearly had not missed any meals. I am a certified molt geek, and her plumage clearly told the story of a successful breeding bird - she was several years old, and her plumage said that she is absolutely in the prime of life and doing her part to keep the coop population healthy. It is so exciting to see such a fine bird up close. The other blinds picked up another adult coop, two adult redtails, a merlin and a handful of other juvenile accipiters and redtails.

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21452 Sat, 18 Nov 2006 12:36:50 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21452 siobhan, Never apologize about commenting on birds. Our resident red tail is as smooth as an owl when flying 'mongst the live oaks. Cool to watch. siobhan,

Never apologize about commenting on birds.

Our resident red tail is as smooth as an owl when flying ‘mongst the live oaks. Cool to watch.

]]> by: hedera http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21448 Sat, 18 Nov 2006 05:54:03 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21448 It was a pretty gorgeous day. Sorry, no condors; one big silhouette raptor I couldn't identify. I did get to watch the penguins at the Aquarium having their pictures taken. They climbed in the staffer's lap (she scratched them under the chin; now I understand why she had waterproof coveralls on), tried to eat the photographer's pants (twice, fortunately he was wearing tough twill), tried to eat his camera strap (at least 4 times) - they were hilarious. At one point the photographer raised his camera to focus it and had a penguin dangling from the strap. They look so cool and puzzled; there's something kind of Marx Brothers about penguins. And the shore bird exhibit now has two ruddy ducks and a bufflehead, they are so cool - they're shaped exactly like rubber duckies. The docent said it took them days to bring themselves to get in the water with the leopard sharks but now they're ok. It was a pretty gorgeous day. Sorry, no condors; one big silhouette raptor I couldn’t identify. I did get to watch the penguins at the Aquarium having their pictures taken. They climbed in the staffer’s lap (she scratched them under the chin; now I understand why she had waterproof coveralls on), tried to eat the photographer’s pants (twice, fortunately he was wearing tough twill), tried to eat his camera strap (at least 4 times) - they were hilarious. At one point the photographer raised his camera to focus it and had a penguin dangling from the strap. They look so cool and puzzled; there’s something kind of Marx Brothers about penguins.

And the shore bird exhibit now has two ruddy ducks and a bufflehead, they are so cool - they’re shaped exactly like rubber duckies. The docent said it took them days to bring themselves to get in the water with the leopard sharks but now they’re ok.

]]> by: siobhan http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21447 Sat, 18 Nov 2006 05:44:36 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21447 Oh, god, I swore I'd resist bird talk... but kestrels! I can't help myself. Kestrels do utilize thermals for trasportation, but for hunting they often rely on hovering by flapping. They can also make use of a strong updraft (at a seaside cliff, for example) to hang in place without flapping. Kestrels and kites use this hunting style a lot; you will also see it used on by roughlegs, redtails (occasionally) and (rarely) merlins. Over the years in the Headlands, I've had a lot of opportunity to watch kestrels hunt, both flapping and non-flapping. It's amazing to think about the flight dynamics that are involved with holding a place in the sky, even more amazing to watch it up close. Kestrels are the best. Kestrels at Big Sur are the best, in the best location. My idea of perfection, Hedera. (see any condors?) Oh, god, I swore I’d resist bird talk… but kestrels! I can’t help myself.

Kestrels do utilize thermals for trasportation, but for hunting they often rely on hovering by flapping. They can also make use of a strong updraft (at a seaside cliff, for example) to hang in place without flapping. Kestrels and kites use this hunting style a lot; you will also see it used on by roughlegs, redtails (occasionally) and (rarely) merlins.

Over the years in the Headlands, I’ve had a lot of opportunity to watch kestrels hunt, both flapping and non-flapping. It’s amazing to think about the flight dynamics that are involved with holding a place in the sky, even more amazing to watch it up close.

Kestrels are the best. Kestrels at Big Sur are the best, in the best location. My idea of perfection, Hedera.

(see any condors?)

]]> by: hedera http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21446 Sat, 18 Nov 2006 05:22:52 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21446 I had an unusual bird view last week: I saw a kestrel (as we later determined from Sibley) from above. This was on the Old Coast Road in Big Sur - at the top of the first hill you can look down on the power lines over the valley. The kestrel was flapping madly when we saw him and then settled on the wire for awhile. It's really hard to identify a raptor from above and behind - it's not a view that the bird books show... About the flapping: can't they hover on thermals? He looked like he was trying to catch his balance. I had an unusual bird view last week: I saw a kestrel (as we later determined from Sibley) from above. This was on the Old Coast Road in Big Sur - at the top of the first hill you can look down on the power lines over the valley. The kestrel was flapping madly when we saw him and then settled on the wire for awhile. It’s really hard to identify a raptor from above and behind - it’s not a view that the bird books show… About the flapping: can’t they hover on thermals? He looked like he was trying to catch his balance.

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21401 Fri, 17 Nov 2006 13:55:49 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21401 Could we maybe employ some of those strategies directly on "W - The President"? We did at least toss a towel at His Royal Tunnelvisionness last Tuesday. Could we maybe employ some of those strategies directly on “W - The President”? We did at least toss a towel at His Royal Tunnelvisionness last Tuesday.

]]> by: dee http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21399 Fri, 17 Nov 2006 13:45:15 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21399 When I have to trim Olive's nail I use a towel. But that's only to wipe up my blood from trying to get her into the cat carrier to take her to the vet. When I have to trim Olive’s nail I use a towel. But that’s only to wipe up my blood from trying to get her into the cat carrier to take her to the vet.

]]> by: Murray http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21377 Thu, 16 Nov 2006 14:39:16 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/11/09/madam-nancy/#comment-21377 Having grabbed a Great Horned Owl in a tree and had to climb down using only one hand while holding an animal that can produce 250# of pressure on its needle sharp talons, I can understand the reluctance of the game warden. The trick is to throw a towel around it to hold the wings, talons and beak together while puting the bird in the dark to calm it. I do this when ever I have to trim Thicket's beak. Having grabbed a Great Horned Owl in a tree and had to climb down using only one hand while holding an animal that can produce 250# of pressure on its needle sharp talons, I can understand the reluctance of the game warden. The trick is to throw a towel around it to hold the wings, talons and beak together while puting the bird in the dark to calm it.

I do this when ever I have to trim Thicket’s beak.

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