Red delight

Hello friends, I’m sorry that I’ve been away from my blog for a while. Sometimes a person gets so busy with some other important stuff that doesn’t have a lot of time left to sit and write and upload images to a blog.

Besides I have my bird feeder just crowded with N. Cardinals, most blackbirds are gone as many other species.

I have a bunch of photos to show you in today’s blog. One thing I can tell you is that N. Cardinals are very abundant! 🙂

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News from Princeton University Press

Below is a note from Princeton University Press director Peter Dougherty announcing Princeton Global Science. PGS will feature books acquired by Natural History and Birding editor Robert Kirk – field guides, illustrated checklists, gorgeous photography books and the like. I hope you will make PGS one of your go-to sites for informative content.

The site is easily accessed here: http://princetonglobalscience.org.

Dear Readers,

Princeton Global Science (PGS, available here http://princetonglobalscience.org) is a new initiative of Princeton University Press highlighting the work of our authors and their books in addressing the great scientific and technological issues alive in the world today.

On the first and fifteenth of each month we will be featuring on the Princeton Global Science blog a recent PUP author, book, series, or other publication that delivers an important message on scientific research, science policy, or the connection between science and culture.

Inspiring PGS are three separate but related factors:

First, as a publisher of science we are launching PGS in response to calls for greater science literacy both among the general public and in our schools and colleges. PGS will address the need to publicize news of the latest research initiatives conducted in society’s interest, the ongoing integration of the “two cultures” of scientific and humanistic knowledge, and the accelerating penetration of technological innovation in people’s lives and society. PGS will serve as a continuing narrative designed to engage these concerns over time.

Second, we see in PGS an opportunity to unite the full array of our science lists in a single venue for communicating what is new and important on these lists to our readers, reviewers, publishing partners, and to science educators and advocates all over the world. The Press has had a long, continuous, and distinguished history of publishing science since publication of Albert Einstein’s The Meaning of Relativity in 1925. Now, nearly a century later, we are distinctive among American university presses not only for publishing throughout the physical and biological sciences, natural history, mathematics, and cognitive science, but also for our social scientific investigations into science, history of science, and science and public policy. PGS provides us the opportunity to communicate the best of them, emphasizing the whole, not merely the sum of the parts.

Third, the opportunity to reach our audience in countries all over the world is much greater than it has ever been, and we see PGS as a prime opportunity to transmit important information on science and related fields to those engaged in scientific research, education, and writing across the globe.

In the same spirit, we see PGS as a new and constructive element in enriching the greater conversation among our authors and editors as they engage with members of the science media, with booksellers and science policy professionals, and with educators, advocates, and students. We look forward to having members of each of these communities and beyond come to see PGS as a locus for engaging important new science ideas.

We hope you will join us in celebrating the launch of Princeton Global Science this month.

Peter J. Dougherty
Director

Picking on Grackles

Why is it that for some people when a Grackle is mentioned they immediately make a face of dislike? I don’t see anything wrong with this bird, in fact I’ve observed and photograph this specie and found it to be quite interesting. Of course, if you’re going to compare a Goldfinch or a Cardinal to a Grackle it would be like comparing tomatoes to potatoes!

If it comes to just seeing the bird as it has been created by Nature, it has a several characteristics typical of a specie that has evolved to adapt itself to many natural conditions and has gained certain advantages over other birds. Perhaps is that what makes this bird not so popular with people. The oddity of their bodies it is like a new design made with many parts that do not harmonize esthetically, however the do the work better.

The more I observe Nature the deepest I get intrigued by it!… Oh well! 🙂

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Big dude!

For the very first time I had the biggest bird that has visited my backyard. I had a huge Turkey Vulture – Cathartes Aura. Perched at the fence. I was very impress to see that is not very scared by just seeing a human, in fact I got out with the camera and walked toward him, he just flexed his wings and before I got too close he took flight. My G-d! It was enormous, with very large wings, his claws long and sharp. I figured his weight must be around 15 lbs. at least if you compare to regular turkeys.

This unexpected visitor made my day for bird related photos! 🙂

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