Kentucky Warbler. Bread Bad For Birds. Non-lead Ammo. Baby Budgies. Thrushes, Grebes, and Nests ... First Jet. Faith 7. Grooming Dixie.

 

For “Winged Wednesday”:

Kentucky Warbler

“A rich, rolling "churee churee churee" rings out from the lush understory of the woods, then the songster itself flits up to a low branch and sounds out again. This golden and olive warbler with the black mustache spends much of its time on the ground in deep woods, where it nests, but the patient birder can often catch a glimpse of one, especially as males stake out their territories each spring.

The Kentucky Warbler’s characteristic loud song is heard less frequently today, and continued losses of bottomland hardwood forests across the southeastern United States may be the reason why. However, destruction of habitat on its wintering grounds through clearing for agriculture and pasture may pose an even greater threat.

ABC is partnering with the Yucatán Peninsula Avian Alliance (AAPY) in Mexico to protect the Yucatán Peninsula - a major migratory pathway for the Kentucky Warbler and many other neotropical migrants. Over 1,600 acres of migratory bird habitat have been purchased within the Yum Balam-Sian Ka’an Biological Corridor so far, with more land acquisitions planned.”    Support ABC's efforts to conserve native birds and their habitats!    Photo by Greg Lavaty; Range Map by NatureServe

_______ 

Are any human foods UNSAFE to feed ducks and birds?

“Yes. Birds should not be offered many of the foods humans eat.

• Bread (fresh or stale): provides no real nutritional value for birds; moldy bread can harm birds.
• Chocolate: toxic to birds, just as it is to dogs and cats (it contains theobromine); never offer birds any foods containing chocolate.
• Table scraps: some may not be safe or healthy for birds; most table scraps will attract mice or rats.”

_______

Require Hunters to Use Non-Lead Ammunition

Bald Eagle suffering the effects of lead poisoning by Marge Gibson

“The science is clear: we've known for over a century that lead ammunition poisons the environment. Since 1991, waterfowl hunters have been required to use non-lead ammunition and since 2008, hunters in California’s condor range have as well. But it’s not enough: half of California condors have dangerously high lead levels, and protected species like eagles continue to fall sick and die. Humans who eat deer or birds hunted with lead ammunition also have higher blood levels.

Lead is already banned in pipes, paint, and gasoline. In 1991 lead ammunition was banned for hunting waterfowl, and in 2008, lead ammunition was eliminated in California's condor range. These efforts, while laudable, aren't enough: half of California's wild condors tested have dangerously high lead levels, and bald eagles are also affected. Just this month, a golden eagle near Sacramento was found paralyzed due to lead poisoning from hunting ammunition.

Non-lead ammunition is already widely available and performs just as well, if not better, than lead ammunition (based on hunter surveys from state wildlife agencies). It's time to take the next logical step and ban lead ammunition in hunting completely.

Lead-free fishing sinkers and jigs are also widely available, and where used will prevent the needless deaths of waterfowl such as Trumpeter Swans, loons, ducks, and geese.”     Petition at: https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=5977

Once it gets stopped in CA, we can go on from there.

_______

Baby Budgies Life Cycle

 

_______

BirdNote Weekly Preview: Thrushes, Grebes, and Nests ...  Upcoming Shows:

 

 

Red-breasted Nuthatch

SUNDAY
Birdsongs near Home
by Chris Peterson
LISTEN NOW ►

Swainson's Thrush

MONDAY
Salmonberry Bird
by Todd Peterson
LISTEN NOW ►

Pied-billed Grebe

TUESDAY
Pied-billed Grebe Nest Construction
featuring Martin Muller, Pied-billed Grebe expert
LISTEN NOW ►

Black-faced Solitaire

WEDNESDAY
Black-faced Solitaire -
Elusive Singer
featuring Roger Melendez, Costa Rican naturalist
LISTEN NOW ►

American Robin

THURSDAY
Nesting Niches
by Frances Wood
LISTEN NOW ►

Golden-cheeked Warbler

FRIDAY
Endangered Species Day
by Bob Sundstrom
LISTEN NOW ►

California Thrasher

SATURDAY
Unique Chaparral
by Dennis Paulson
LISTEN NOW ►

_______

On This Day:

First Allied jet flies, May 15, 1941:

“On May 15, 1941, the jet-propelled Gloster-Whittle E 28/39 aircraft flies successfully over Cranwell, England, in the first test of an Allied aircraft using jet propulsion. The aircraft's turbojet engine, which produced a powerful thrust of hot air, was devised by Frank Whittle, an English aviation engineer and pilot generally regarded as the father of the jet engine.

From the first Wright brothers flight in 1903 to the first jet flight in 1939, most airplanes were propeller driven. In 1910, the French inventor Henri Coanda built a jet-propelled bi-plane, but it crashed on its maiden flight and never flew again. Coanda's aircraft attracted little notice, and engineers stuck with propeller technology; even though they realized early on that propellers would never overcome certain inherent limitations, especially in regard to speed.

As the Gloster Aircraft Company worked on an operational turbojet aircraft for combat, Whittle aided the Americans in their successful development of a jet prototype. With Whittle's blessing, the British government took over Power Jets Ltd. in 1944. By this time, Britain's Gloster Meteor jet aircraft were in service with the RAF, going up against Germany's jet-powered Messerschmitt Me 262s in the skies over Europe.”

_______

 

The flight of Faith 7, May 15, 1963:

“On May 15, 1963, Gordon Cooper is launched into space aboard Faith 7 on the longest American space mission to that date. Faith 7 was the capstone of Project Mercury, the NASA program that put the first American into space in 1961 and the first astronaut into orbit in 1962. Cooper completed 22 orbits of the earth and spent 34 hours in space. He was the first American astronaut to spend more than a day in space. On the afternoon of May 16, Faith 7 landed safely in the Pacific Ocean, four miles from the recovery ship Kearsarge.”

_______

Yesterday:

Misty and I went to get Jay, and had just a short walk down there, as a dog was coming to be groomed.

Jay screwed some more boards up on the roof extension over my screen porch, as the new roof will go over it and the front porch.  He lost his helper for the day….ME.  There was no-one to hand him screws or boards, so he was up and down the 8’ step ladder, and the extension ladder, constantly.

I had taken on a big job, and the only reason I did was because it was for one of our SPCA foster moms.  Her 10 year old Collie, Dixie had become matted and needed to be cut down.  There was no way the mats could be brushed out. That’s a big dog, and I couldn’t get her up on the grooming table by myself, so I was bending over her to clip her while she lay on the floor.  That wasn’t very good for my back, it felt like it was going to seize up.   It took me most of the morning and part of the afternoon, with a quick break for lunch, when I took Jay home.  He said that now he realizes how much help I am to him! He was worn out from not having a helper.

I have a 10 gallon trash bag full of Dixie’s fur.  When it came time to bathe Dixie,  I couldn’t get her in the tub for her shower.  Ray wasn’t home, so I left a message, and then called Dixie’s Mom to see if she could come and help me.  Ray got here first, and it was easy for the two of us to lift her into the tub.  By the time Dixie’s Mom arrived, the bath was nearly over.  I just couldn’t bend over any more, so it took the three of us to get her up on the grooming table to dry her with towels and hair dryers.  She is too big to fit in my dog dryer.

Then I did a bit more clipping, and cut her nails.  Dixie felt a lot better, and her Mom was very pleased with the job I did. I was exhausted, too tired to eat, and went to bed early.

I don’t think she will ask me to do Dixie again, as she knows that it took a lot out of me yesterday.