Tuesday, August 14, 2007

"Houston, we have a pupa..."

(I was so proud of that title when I thought it up, I had to call Geoff and tell him about it)

Snookie is wrapped up in a sweet, surprisingly tiny chrysalis. I was surprised at how small it was...in pictures on other's blogs, etc, they look big, like the size of a bowl of a spoon...but it's less than 2 inches long. And you can't really call them cocoons, because they don't spin silk like moths do. Chrysalis or pupa.

Pupa

I wanted to be there to videotape it turning into a pupa, but we were gone.
But you can bet your bippy I will be there to videotape the emergence!


You know the other birds point and laugh
You know other birds point and laugh.


And a totally different bird:

Juv cardinal
I found this juvenile male cardinal yesterday (with just a beginning of sheathed red feathers), weakly "chipping" near the fountain. I had my camera, so I got one quick pic, examined it to see if it was flighted (it wasn't) and took it in to get a box and to call Marilyn, one of our RAPTOR rehabbers who also treats songbirds.
The poor bird died in my hands in less than two minutes.

One of two owl emotions

This is one of two emotions that owls have.
One is disgust, and the other one is this...startled.
News: Our gray screech owl has made a full recovery from her foot infection, and should be back at RAPTOR tomorrow! Yippee!
Now the red SO won't be publicly humiliated anymore. He can molt in peace. And by the way, I have seen "Molt" also spelled "Moult". They are both correct, right? English is stupid sometimes.

Okay, birders...someone please, please tell me I can put these on my life list...
Guinea fowl!

Guinea fowl!
They were out in the middle of nowhere (no house anywhere near them), and ranging free. Someone tell me that this is a well-established introduced species that is now part of our avifauna.
What do you think? Listable?



News:
My Mom, the woman who didn't get an answering machine until the late 1990's, now has a freakin' lap top.

My Mom has a freakin lap top!
...With a wireless connection, which I connected for her, I might add.
She's entered the 21st century. I'll be dipped.
(Look at the fingers sticking up...I think she is afraid that it might blow up if she touches it too roughly.


T moth

Can't find the ID for this moth.
You'd think those "T" shapes would be easy to find in a guide.

Baby wrens growing

Mom's wrenlets are big and fluffy and strong. At least a few baby bewds came from that nest box.

Tomorrow, I get to meet a fellow blogger. Trixie is in Cincinnati and we are going to meet up and let the kids play (so we can talk, hopefully), and I'm sure it will be bloggalicious.

8 comments:

Mary said...

Susan,

Please give Trixie a hug for me! I'd love to meet her and wonder how she fared in that SC heat! I hope she hasn't melted down before you see her.

I've never had a bird die in my hands...you know I would have not handled it well...

That owl is a HOOT! So expressive - in disgust or whatever.

Love the wrens.

Shake your Mom's hand for me. Brave soul. I wish my Mom would have been on-line!

Very, very cool post. You cover so much in one day. But, then again, you are mighty SUSAN!

Anonymous said...

Susan -- It looks like you have a
very worn and tattered Tulip-tree
Silkmoth (Callosamia angulifera).
Found on Plate 10 of A Field Guide
to the Moths of E. North America
by C.V. Covell, Jr. Enjoy your
blogs very much!
Hap in New Hope (Minnesota)

Dave Dorsey said...

Sorry about the Cardinal but happy about the Screech.

dguzman said...

Great post, though I'm very sad about the little cardinal. I guess it just wasn't meant to be for him.

Still, that owl's expression is almost like someone's poked him in the nether regions! OH!

We have guinea hens near us, at the farm of this survivalist who has all kinds of animals out on his property, all mixed together. They are LOUD BIRDS at all hours of the day and night! Then they get the two roosters going, and it's impossible to sleep....

Poor little mothy; he looks pretty shagged out.

NatureWoman said...

I'm loving all of the stuff you've shown us here. I think it is *so* cool your Mom got a laptop! Go Susan's Mom!

Kathi said...

Guinea fowl - Sorry, not listable. Imported, not a native.

~Kathi, who lives next to guinea fowl and can't stand them

Susan Gets Native said...

Kathi:
Sh*t.

Betsy Berlinger said...

Susan,
I was just doing some blog browsing and came upon your blog. I love it! I'll definitely be back. Your owl picture cracks me up, along with his only 2 emotions! :-) I have a blog called The Power of Pets, in the Journal and Courier online. If you get a chance to stop in..read the post "Pets I don't get." I know you're more of the wild bird type..but any insight?? finches? what's up with them?