Birds - Endlessly Fascinating

[snoringdog]

So, today's NYT has an article on the Bar-tailed Godwit.
They migrate 7000 miles from Alaska to New Zealand!
First class all the way!
(Uh, wait... it says "No eating or refueling along the way" )

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/20/science/migratory-birds-godwits.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar-tailed_godwit

If that's not fascinating, don't know what is... How does such behavior come about?!
Truly awesome.

[Mental Fairy]

You should look up our Albatros in Dunedin hills.

[snoringdog]

Doing that now.

Don't want you to feel jealous, but some of these species actually sleep on the wing!
Can you imagine?

[snoringdog]

Little bit of sad news today.

I've been returning to work in one of those glass skyscrapers in a metro area. Usually bring my lunch, but today went to the cafeteria for a sandwich.

Looked out the window and saw a butterfly seemingly trapped outside in an inward glassed corner of the building. Made a note to try to shoo it out to freedom...

But then I saw a poor little Wilson's warbler that had collided with the building at some point.
Went out to collect him. (What else to do?)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson's_warbler

Some good came of it however... I met an intern and spent a few minutes talking about birds, migration, building collisions, etc. She was saddened but excited about birds. I'm going to send her a few links and such. New birdwatcher is being hatched, I think!

So, I now have a beautiful little Wilson's warbler in a baggie in my freezer. I couldn't leave him or put him in the trash. Will give a "Godspeed" and proper burial in a day or two.

BTW - we managed to send the butterfly on it's way as well.

Little things.

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[Mental Fairy]

Oh little buddy he is so cute. Was so cute. Love the colour. Sad.

[Mental Fairy]

To fly all that way to New Zealand they must have great energy stores in the blood stream? The beck of the bird looks like that concord plane!

[snoringdog]

Putting these links here

https://www.reddit.com/r/birding/
https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisbird/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ornithology/

And Mental Fairy - Here's one for you - All things ducks!
https://www.reddit.com/r/duck/

And this one warms my heart -
https://www.reddit.com/r/duck/comments/10ardd3/bros_save_some_ducklings_from_a_storm_drain/

[Mental Fairy]

Oh this is so cool, thank you

[snoringdog]

Hello Mental Fairy,

BTW - How are the ducks?

Here's a sketch we picked up somewhere along the way, thought you might like it.

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[Mental Fairy]

Hi SD

My ducks are good thank you. I have three now and all well behaved. Winter is knocking on the door so we are planning to get extra supply of feed.
We have an albino fantail bird currently and albino sparrow making the rounds of the neighbourhood. Very spooky to see but beautiful all the same. There is a lot of folklore and superstition around the fantail so we keep the doors closed when it comes over.
I do like you picture, is it a pencil sketch?