Roger G

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus

I'm not the most active person on this site but I'd sure hate to see you go.

Javelina [Collared Peccary] Bosque del Apache, New Mexico

Glenn your bird is a Long-billed Curlew. Same genus as Whimbrel [Numenius} but a noticeably longer bill and plain rather than barred underparts. Nice photo!

American Kestrel Falco sparverius[ATTACH=full]1320831[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=full]1318614[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1318614[/ATTACH]

Cool! I hope Fluffy enjoyed Halloween. It has been suggested on another website that my bats are Townsend's big-eared bats.

Would you like to pet the bats I just posted?! They are pretty cute.

Hibernating bats in a cave in New Mexico

In the sense of "full of interest; lively and exciting"

Calypso bulbosa

Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana

Hi Tony fun "talking". I agree it's not always necessary to specify. But you might say "I saw a robin today in the Scilly Islands", I might not be impressed. But if you said you saw an American Robin there that would be extremely impressive. I guess it's all in the context, but seeing as eBird is worldwide they really have to provide the full name. Birds are fun.

Yes eBird is a fantastic resource sponsored by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. And it is worldwide, covers all 10,000 or so currently recognised species. If you go here, https://ebird.org/home and click on explore, and enter chaffinch, you'll see that there are in fact 2 species of "chaffinch", common and blue. I know little about Blue Chaffinch [Cornell does], but of course the bird ordinarily known in the UK as Chaffinch is more properly Common Chaffinch, to distinguish it from its congener. Just for fun, enter "robin" and you will see many entries. The robin known in England is more properly European Robin, the common robin in N America is [reasonably enough] American Robin. They're not even that closely related. Here endeth today's biogeography lesson!

Do you have coverage for "mysterious disappearance"? If anything does go missing, will you need a police report to file a claim? That might be tricky if you are in a country where you don't speak the language. Or on a cruise ship. Or in an off-the-grid location.

Smallish raptor but I can't ID it. Without giving it away, would you disclose where the photo was taken?

I'd check for water resistance, which I believe tends to improve as price goes up.

Oscar Wilde - Cimetière Père Lachaise

First dump the jeans! Then think in layers. I dress more warmly from the waist down than from the waist up. If I'm too hot I can remove a jacket, or hat etc. I use long underwear [thickness varies depending on temperature and activity], then Montbell insulated down pants. Then a removable breathable rain/wind pant if temperatures will be near freezing or significant wind expected. Above the waist I use long underwear, synthetic shirt with button pockets [keep extra batteries and phone warm] a light jacket, a warmer jacket, and rain/wind shell as indicated. A neck warmer [scarf, neck gaiter etc] is vital. Also vital is proper head gear and gloves/mittens. That way I stay comfortable whether I am back-country skiing, hiking, or hanging around waiting for the perfect photo. Temperatures here in New Mexico are often around 0F [-17C] in the mountains. Frequently lower.

Swainsons Hawk Buteo swainsoni Fledgling