Category: Uncategorized

This is a barn swallow video from the USA.

From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the USA:

NestWatchers Needed For New Barn Swallow Study

We live in an incredibly well-lit world. All that wattage in heavily-populated areas creates a halo glow that brightens the night sky. Researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Syracuse University, and Globe at Night are seeking participants for a unique new study. Scientists want to know what impact all that extra night light might have on the circadian rhythms of life using Barn Swallows as their subjects. Barn Swallows have adapted to live near humans and nest almost exclusively on structures such as bridges, homes, and yes, barns. Volunteers can sign up through NestWatch.

“Specifically, we’re hoping to learn if the artificial light has an effect—good or bad—on what we call the ‘pace of life,’” says Cornell Lab of Ornithology researcher…

A songbird
quartet on
square tiles —
tessellated
passerines 
in a ring 
of wings —
playing
infinite
symphonies.

There are the flutterbyes flying. (Please click to enlarge)

Bees buzzin, flowers bloomin.

The Holler hummers,

are happy we’re home!

The drought has broken and the rain is falling.

Hawks are courting,

and looking for nests!

Where ever we roam, there’s no place like home!
And cheers to you from all the Holler happy critters, including us~

Jim speaks CAT big time. Cats are naturally attracted to him. They must know how much he likes them. For some people, herding feral cats might be problematic, not Jim, and the old city of San Juan is loaded with feral cats.

Check out Jim herding San Juan’s feral cats! There was no food of any sort involved here. Just Jim, AKA, Dr. Cats Knoke~~

He meows at them and they come running, even the wild Fishing Cat at The San Diego Zoo does this.
Sweethearts aren’t they?

Jim’s pretty sweet too, at least the cats, and I think so.

Before you become profoundly depressed at the prospect of all these cats without homes, take heart. You know I couldn’t leave you (or Jim for that matter) hanging. I had to find out. What is the story about all of these homeless kitty-cats? They are being cared for by a…

This video is called Mutant Planet- The Evolution of Marsupials.

Talking about Australia and climate change …

From Murdoch University in Australia today:

Kangaroo evolution maps climate change

2 hours ago

The evolution of kangaroos has given a clear picture of Australia’s changing climate, according to a new study.

Murdoch University’s Dr Natalie Warburton and Dr Gavin Prideaux from Flinders University have analysed changes to the kangaroo skeleton over time which reflect Australia’s changing environment and climate.

Dr Warburton said in this way kangaroos represent a sort of barometer for climate change.

“This is important for our understanding of historical climate change in Australia,” she said.

“Our study represents the most comprehensive anatomical analysis of the evolution of modern and fossil kangaroos on the basis of the skull, teeth and skeleton – including some of the new fossil species we recently identified from caves on the Nullarbor.”