Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Found these in the Chinle about a month ago:
Night hawk hatchling
While working in the Chinle, there was an 1/8th mile stretch where I had to spend a couple of hours surveying and throughout the course of it was hollered at by this crazy bird that just wouldn't fly away. She was squawking and dive-bombing me at the end of the day, and when I went back the next day, there she was again! It took me quite a while to realize that she was trying to protect a nest.
Everytime I would approach her, she would fly further away and press her entire wingspan to the ground, making the worst screaming bird calls you could possibly imagine. She was leading me away from the nest, as I realized later, and pretending to be injured so that I would stalk her and gobble her up instead of her babies. How amazing is that?
Here she is, keeping a watchful eye:
The act:
Extremely incensed:
All for this little one (I got to pet a baby night hawk in the wild!! [don't worry, its momma came back afterwards to keep it and the other egg warm]):
What I'm doing instead of studying for the GRE
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Oh the temptatious delights that await you in Vernal...
Ryan and I went hunting for dinosaurs yesterday. We were able to find some participating in their favorite recreational activities, while others were chained up and serving time for assorted felonies like this guy:
it's okay, sinclairsaurus :'(KISS lost it's backup singer:
Little Foot's mother was trafficked to the parking lot of an abandoned gift shop --
We give directions in Vernal by referencing where the destination is in relation to The Pink Dinosaur.
Check out those awesome eyelashes --
Ryan is extra excited by these prospects:
This next fellow likes to get dressed up for EVERY occasion. Here he is as his latest incarnation. All that's missing from this tasteful display is a "Honk if you ♥ drilling" sign.
Char, I can so hear your impersonation of MetaStreisand's enraged howl while looking at this:
Oh, don't worry, there's more where that came from.
New mammal track site
Sunday, July 26, 2009
A couple of weeks ago, I got to go with Dan and George out to this newly-discovered mammal trackway site in the Glen Canyon formation that you can read all about here (I took the third picture down). Press release just went out on this. Access to the area is difficult and it really is on a very steep, high-angle dune surface, they're going to have to get technical with ropes just to access the majority of tracks. Exciting to see paleontological discoveries (of far more paramount importance than the bone scrap we keep finding in the Chinle) in action!
what spring does with the cherry trees
Monday, July 20, 2009
Came across this totally new and exquisite gem today in a book of poetry that a neighbor left at our house. I am blind in love with all the imagery he uses from the natural world:
EVERY DAY YOU PLAY
Every day you play with the light of the universe.
Subtle visitor, you arrive in the flower and the water.
You are more than this white head that I hold tightly
as a cluster of fruit, every day, between my hands.
You are like nobody since I love you.
Let me spread you out among yellow garlands.
Who writes your name in letters of smoke among the stars of the south?
Oh let me remember you as you were before you existed.
Suddenly the wind howls and bangs at my shut window.
The sky is a net crammed with shadowy fish.
Here all the winds let go sooner or later, all of them.
The rain takes off her clothes.
The birds go by, fleeing.
The wind. The wind.
I can contend only against the power of men.
The storm whirls dark leaves
and turns loose all the boats that were moored last night to the sky.
You are here. Oh, you do not run away.
You will answer me to the last cry.
Cling to me as though you were frightened.
Even so, at one time a strange shadow ran through your eyes.
Now, now too, little one, you bring me honeysuckle,
and even your breasts smell of it.
While the sad wind goes slaughtering butterflies
I love you, and my happiness bites the plum of your mouth.
How you must have suffered getting accustomed to me,
my savage, solitary soul, my name that sends them all running.
So many times we have seen the morning star burn, kissing our eyes,
and over our heads the gray light unwind in turning fans.
My words rained over you, stroking you.
A long time I have loved the sunned mother-of-pearl of your body.
I go so far as to think that you own the universe.
I will bring you happy flowers from the mountains, bluebells,
dark hazels, and rustic baskets of kisses.
I want
to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.
Pablo Neruda
