Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Lone Baby? Nene Geese. Joshua Tree Quail,etc. Cargo Trailer Table Slider. RAIN!

How to help an injured animal


"Seeing baby animals in the yard causes many people to feel a natural instinct to help them and make sure they survive. While sometimes humans can be helpful to wild animals, they are generally fine on their own, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) reports.
 
The idea of an orphaned animal can cause human concern about whether the baby can take care of itself. The HSUS reports that many animal parents leave their young alone during the day and check on them occasionally. While there are different specifications for different species, if humans spot a baby animal on its own that appears quiet and at peace, its mother is probably nearby.
 
There are cases, however, when humans should step in to help wild animals. The HSUS reports that if the animal shows evidence of bleeding, shivering or a broken limb, humans should contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. The same is true if a pet dog or cat presents the animal to humans, or if the animal's dead parent is nearby.
Humans should never handle a wild animal without first consulting a professional, as improper treatment can cause serious injuries. Humans could also disrupt the animal's life course or accidentally hurt it."
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_Born to wander, the perigrine falcon's amazing migration routes may take them from North America's chilly tundra to the heart of South America.
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Nene geese born at Denver Zoo


"The Nene geese, named for the sound "nay nay" that the animals produce, are a cause for celebration at the Denver Zoo, where three newborns are adding to the scarce numbers for this endangered animal, according to a new report from the Huffington Post.
 
The Nene geese are the state birds of Hawaii but have seen their numbers bordering on extinction from as early as the 1940s. The animals are currently under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, which went into effect in the 1970s under Nixon.
The three new births represent a first for the Nene geese at the Denver Zoo. Nene geese are often hunted by animals such as pigs, dogs and cats. There are only about 1,200 total of these animals left in the wild, according to the Denver Zoo.
 
There is still time to save endangered animals and plants, but the government as well as activists have to work together. A backlog that has kept many decisions concerning species' endangered statuses from receiving federal protection has put conservation groups at odds with some authorities. More than 200 animals are currently on the waiting list."
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The iconic Baltimore oriole that summers in your backyard migrates south for an exotic winter vacation in the rainforests of Central and South America!
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Video of a robin with it's eggs...they hatch...all the way through to when they finally leave the nest.  NEAT!
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=9479342&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1
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Fast Food for the Hammerkop

Photo of the Month 
Taken from a boat on the Kazinga Channel in Uganda, this picture recently won first place in USAID's Frontlines Environment Photo Contest. (You can view the top ten winners here.)

WCS Staff Photographer Julie Larsen Maher describes her award-winning shot: "The Hammerkop spent a long time with his prey. It looked more a like a ritual dance, as the bird tossed the lizard high in the air, and caught it again and again. I set my camera on the fastest frames-per-second and caught the shot."

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Thousands Run to Save Penguins


Penguins
"At the WCS Run for the Wild in April, some 6,500 runners and walkers raised money to support WCS's work to save Magellanic penguins and other imperiled wildlife around the globe. The event was a "wild" success, with participants raising more than $350,000!
Penguins need all the help they can get. These tuxedoed birds are too often struggling to survive due to pollution, overfishing, and climate change. Recently they've also been plagued by a mysterious feather-loss syndrome that leaves chicks without their insulating coats for several weeks, decreasing their chances to grow into healthy adults.
But WCS researcher Dee Boersma is happy to report that the penguins of Punta Tombo, Argentina – the world's largest colony of Magellanics – are out to sea until early September. And because the region experienced a warm spell earlier this year, many of the featherless chicks managed to survive, eventually growing in their juvenile plumes before leaving shore."
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Gambell's Quail endangered at Joshua Tree.


image"It's time to close the door on the Eagle Mountain Landfill once and for all!
The proposed landfill would be the nation's largest dump, surrounded on three sides by Joshua Tree National Park wilderness. If allowed to proceed, this project would harm wilderness canyons, air and water quality, and the quality of life for the park's gateway communities. It would also harm iconic and threatened species like golden eagles, desert bighorn sheep, and desert tortoises.

Despite NPCA's long fight and recent legal victories, developers are trying to keep this misguided project alive. As we approach the park's 75th anniversary, NPCA is committed to stopping this plan. With your help, we'll let the Department of the Interior know that the best birthday present for Joshua Tree National Park is to say "Not here, not ever!" to the Eagle Mountain Landfill.
While millions celebrate Joshua Tree National Park's 75th anniversary this year, plans continue to try to develop the country's largest landfill in an area surrounded by the park's wilderness. Hundreds of thousands of park supporters have already stated their opposition to this project. Please help protect Joshua Tree National Park by opposing the Eagle Mountain Landfill."      Take Action

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Yesterday:

Casita-Liberty Jay and I made something different.  We had never done this before, so it was a learning process, inventing as we went.
In the cargo trailer, the dinette benches are going to be the normal distance from the table, but what if you want to get past it to get to the rear bed? 
Now, this floor plan was copied from the Casita Liberty, and as far as I know, you have to sit on the center dinette bench and scoot yourself over to the bed, or remove the table if you are of over-average proportions.

So we made this for the bottom of the dinette table:
Table-slide-1
Table-slide-2






We found the drawer runners up in my attic, and adapted them to make this slider.  It doesn't have a pole support screwed onto it yet, as I was out of them.  It seems sturdy enough, but we will have to see how it works out.  It will look better after Ray had painted it.

It was raining this morning, so we worked on the table at the front of the workshop with the big overhead door open and the rain sloshing down outside.  The weather was a lot cooler and it was pleasant working as this rain didn't just bring heat and more humidity.    There was no sense in moving the kittens into their big cage in the house, as the air conditioner's compressors hardly come on at all.

No work this morning, as it is time to go shopping in Conroe today.

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