I saw a Northern Harrier this afternoon along the Genesee/Oakland County border. It was hunting in a field by the gamebird farm along E. Thompson Road between Halsey Rd. and Baldwin Rd. This is the first time I've seen this species in our area. I almost crashed into the embankment when I first saw it. Luckily I had my bins in the car and so could get a good look at it.
Happy Birding!
P.S. Oh yeah, I got a good look at a perching Red-tailed too.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Worlds Colliding
Have you ever tried doing something together with two different groups of friends? I’d say that I have at least ten distinct groups of friends. Friends from high school, work, college, chemistry friends, biology friends, wildlife biology friends, micro friends, etc. While I write about this I’m reminded of that Seinfeld episode when George’s complaining about mixing different groups of friends together: "A George divided cannot stand!"
In my mind, it always starts out the same way: "Well, I have fun with this group of friends, and I have fun with this other groups of friends, so therefore I’ll have even more fun with both these groups combined!" Uh, no. What always happened is I end up having to divide my time up between the two groups. The same thing happens on the first day of class when you see several different friends who are in the class too. "OK, who should I sit next to?" If they are true friends, they won’t really care who you sit with, but often enough, someone does get angry.
It's impossible to be all things, to all people. I wish they'd hurry up and start making human clones. That would make things a lot easier I think.
Just an observation ...
In my mind, it always starts out the same way: "Well, I have fun with this group of friends, and I have fun with this other groups of friends, so therefore I’ll have even more fun with both these groups combined!" Uh, no. What always happened is I end up having to divide my time up between the two groups. The same thing happens on the first day of class when you see several different friends who are in the class too. "OK, who should I sit next to?" If they are true friends, they won’t really care who you sit with, but often enough, someone does get angry.
It's impossible to be all things, to all people. I wish they'd hurry up and start making human clones. That would make things a lot easier I think.
Just an observation ...
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Internation Code for Botanical Nomenclature
I'm tired, my brain hurts from having to think all day and from the botany exam, and my stomach hates me for some reason. I'm done for the night.
Monday, October 22, 2007
We Ain't Got No Pancake Mix!
So I'm wondering what I should dress up as this weekend for the Halloween "celebration." I'm thinking something to do with Dane Cook and death. Maybe go as Dane Cook with a railroad spike stuck in my head or something. We'll see...
I'm skipping evolution tonight as we are watching a movie again. That class is a enormous waste of time. I'd not go at all this week except we have an exam Wednesday... a take-home test, so I theoretically only need to show up and get the test and then leave, but that would just be rude.
Till next time,
Buy war bonds!
I'm skipping evolution tonight as we are watching a movie again. That class is a enormous waste of time. I'd not go at all this week except we have an exam Wednesday... a take-home test, so I theoretically only need to show up and get the test and then leave, but that would just be rude.
Till next time,
Buy war bonds!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Murphy Lake SGA - 10/20/07
Mary Beth and I were back out at Murphy Lake again today. While we were out there we got turned around came across an old man in a deer blind hunting. He was really nice and didn't get mad at us, but he was really creepy. Like the kind of person who would kidnap you and put you in a pit in the bottom of his basement. He showed us how to get back to our cars and then went back to his blind ... or so we thought. After we got a little ways ahead, he started to follow us. If you've ever been stalked by a back-woods hick carrying a bow-and-arrow, then you'd know it's not a very good feeling. Luckily he turned around and DIDN'T shoot us in the back.
Birds seen/heard include: Robins, House Finch, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Hermit Thrushes, several Aythya sp., Canada Geese, Great Blue Heron, White-throated Sparrows, Cedar Waxwings, and a Hairy Woodpecker.
No hawks, although there was a Sharpie at my feeders this morning hunting for some breakfast.
Birds seen/heard include: Robins, House Finch, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Hermit Thrushes, several Aythya sp., Canada Geese, Great Blue Heron, White-throated Sparrows, Cedar Waxwings, and a Hairy Woodpecker.
No hawks, although there was a Sharpie at my feeders this morning hunting for some breakfast.
Friday, October 19, 2007
How I'm Spending My Weekend
Saturday: Working, physics homework.
Sunday: Stress Management and bioethics homework, studying for botany exam.
If I’m lucky, maybe the world will come to an end and I won’t have to do anything. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed.
Sunday: Stress Management and bioethics homework, studying for botany exam.
If I’m lucky, maybe the world will come to an end and I won’t have to do anything. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Colbert In '08?
It seems Stephen Colbert is running for president, but only in South Carolina. I doubt he will actually try to run for office, (he'd have to take a major pay-cut I'm sure) but I'd vote for him!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Politics & Religion - Minus The Religion
It’s REALLY crappy outside today. Good napping weather.
The gloomy weather and the relatively little work I had to do today gave me time to nap and think about the absence of a presidential candidate worth voting for. Let’s see, our choices at the moment are:
1) Mitt Romney- what kind of name is Mitt? He’s a Mormon, so he’s probably crazy. I know nothing about him. He’s out.
2) Barack Obama- first of all, he doesn’t even have a campaign slogan. Again, I don’t know what he stands for or what he plans to accomplish. He’s out.
3) Rudy Giuliani- a little more socially liberal than his republican competitors. Good. Strong on terrorism. Alright. Started an opera club in high school. Oh, so close, but no.
4) Hillary Clinton- ah, no. Maybe if she tried to make healthcare more universal, but otherwise, no way.
5) John Edwards- lost in 2004, his neighbors hate him, pays $400 for haircuts. NO!
6) John McCain- used to like him, but he crossed over to the dark side when he started to change his position and supported Bush. No.
7) Fred Thompson- not even close.
There’s not one candidate that stands out from the others as being THE candidate. I try to be as independent as I can. I don’t care if the person is a democrat or republican, conservative or liberal. I’m conservative on some issues but liberal on others. I just want someone’s who’s honest and who will distance themselves from the Bush administration without going off the deep-end and say we need to become friends with countries like Iran.
If the election were held today, I could not bring myself to vote for any of the candidates. I would probably hand in a blank ballot so it would at least be counted as a dissatisfied voter.
Oh well, looks like we’re screwed for at least another 4 years.
The gloomy weather and the relatively little work I had to do today gave me time to nap and think about the absence of a presidential candidate worth voting for. Let’s see, our choices at the moment are:
1) Mitt Romney- what kind of name is Mitt? He’s a Mormon, so he’s probably crazy. I know nothing about him. He’s out.
2) Barack Obama- first of all, he doesn’t even have a campaign slogan. Again, I don’t know what he stands for or what he plans to accomplish. He’s out.
3) Rudy Giuliani- a little more socially liberal than his republican competitors. Good. Strong on terrorism. Alright. Started an opera club in high school. Oh, so close, but no.
4) Hillary Clinton- ah, no. Maybe if she tried to make healthcare more universal, but otherwise, no way.
5) John Edwards- lost in 2004, his neighbors hate him, pays $400 for haircuts. NO!
6) John McCain- used to like him, but he crossed over to the dark side when he started to change his position and supported Bush. No.
7) Fred Thompson- not even close.
There’s not one candidate that stands out from the others as being THE candidate. I try to be as independent as I can. I don’t care if the person is a democrat or republican, conservative or liberal. I’m conservative on some issues but liberal on others. I just want someone’s who’s honest and who will distance themselves from the Bush administration without going off the deep-end and say we need to become friends with countries like Iran.
If the election were held today, I could not bring myself to vote for any of the candidates. I would probably hand in a blank ballot so it would at least be counted as a dissatisfied voter.
Oh well, looks like we’re screwed for at least another 4 years.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Will the torture of bioethics ever end???
What do you do after spending 5 hours at school working on a bioethics exam? You go home and spend another 2 hours working on bioethics assignments.
Nothing exciting happened today. The only thing that could be considered even slightly eventful was when I had left over Chinese for lunch. I'm done. Goodnight.
Nothing exciting happened today. The only thing that could be considered even slightly eventful was when I had left over Chinese for lunch. I'm done. Goodnight.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
My First REAL Blog
Alright, I’ll probably be the only person who actually reads this thing on a regular basis, but I’ve wanted to have my own blog for a while. I’ve always heard about the glamorous lifestyle of the blogger, with all the typing, and the take-out-ordering, and the lie-telling, it’s got to be an amazing life. So, what can you expect from this blog? Well, a lot of venting, but mostly nothing. A majority of the things I post will probably have to do with nothing: mindless bloviating designed to create a false sense of importance and relevance. Topics may include the events of the day, what’s bothering me at the time, updates on bird sightings and research progress, good restaurants, TV shows, and movies, basically meaningless drivel. So enjoy and don’t take anything I write too seriously as I have a habit of over-exaggeration and hyperbole. Here we go:
Since school started I’ve had all of 4 days where I didn’t have to go anywhere or do anything. I sat down today and came up with a detailed schedule for everyday of the week. When I say detailed schedule, I mean a structured plan for every hour and half hour of the day. It turns out that due to the fact that I’m taking 5 classes and I have three jobs plus I’m one of only two biology tutors, that I’m about 3 hours and 16 minutes away from complete insanity. Luckily, one of my online classes ends next week, freeing up all of 4 hours in my week. Let’s see, what can I do with that 4 hours? I could do more homework or studying, or I could work more, or I could waste time and watch TV or write another blog. Hmm ...
On a completely unrelated note I finally set out my bird feeders this past week. I’ve had about 10 species so far, some of which I’ve never had at the feeders before: Red-breasted Nuthatches (I know, kinda weird that I’ve never had them before), Yellow-rumped Warblers, and White-crowned Sparrows. Also, the DE Juncos have returned. The only real problem I’m having is with all the House Sparrows. This is why I don’t feed in the summer, all the feed gets eaten by the h. sparrows and blackbirds. Oh well, hopefully old man winter will "remove" some of the problem birds for me.
I’m helping Ernie (one of my professors) and Mary Beth (grad student) with starting point bird surveys and breeding bird surveys at Murphy Lake State Game Area located in southern Tuscola Co. We’ve only been scouting that area out so far: locating trails, noting habitat information. We’ve not really done a lot of birding, but we have seen/heard a couple species of note so far including Red-shouldered Hawks and a Northern Goshawk. It’s possible that both species breed there.
That’s enough for now. Hey, I actually do get to sleep-in tomorrow. I don’t have to tutor anyone until 11am. Whoohoo!
Since school started I’ve had all of 4 days where I didn’t have to go anywhere or do anything. I sat down today and came up with a detailed schedule for everyday of the week. When I say detailed schedule, I mean a structured plan for every hour and half hour of the day. It turns out that due to the fact that I’m taking 5 classes and I have three jobs plus I’m one of only two biology tutors, that I’m about 3 hours and 16 minutes away from complete insanity. Luckily, one of my online classes ends next week, freeing up all of 4 hours in my week. Let’s see, what can I do with that 4 hours? I could do more homework or studying, or I could work more, or I could waste time and watch TV or write another blog. Hmm ...
On a completely unrelated note I finally set out my bird feeders this past week. I’ve had about 10 species so far, some of which I’ve never had at the feeders before: Red-breasted Nuthatches (I know, kinda weird that I’ve never had them before), Yellow-rumped Warblers, and White-crowned Sparrows. Also, the DE Juncos have returned. The only real problem I’m having is with all the House Sparrows. This is why I don’t feed in the summer, all the feed gets eaten by the h. sparrows and blackbirds. Oh well, hopefully old man winter will "remove" some of the problem birds for me.
I’m helping Ernie (one of my professors) and Mary Beth (grad student) with starting point bird surveys and breeding bird surveys at Murphy Lake State Game Area located in southern Tuscola Co. We’ve only been scouting that area out so far: locating trails, noting habitat information. We’ve not really done a lot of birding, but we have seen/heard a couple species of note so far including Red-shouldered Hawks and a Northern Goshawk. It’s possible that both species breed there.
That’s enough for now. Hey, I actually do get to sleep-in tomorrow. I don’t have to tutor anyone until 11am. Whoohoo!
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