Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Long-billed Curlew

Long-billed Curlew aka. Sicklebird aka. Candlestick Bird
Cambria, California, USA
Member of the Sandpiper Family
★Largest Shorebird in North America
Largest Bill of Any Shorebird
§A Skein of Curlews§

~true bird fact~ This is an especially interesting one for me, your amateurnithologist, as a San Francisco Bay Area emigree. Candlestick Point was named for these birds, which once lived there in the thousands. By the time Candlestick Park (home of the Giants) was completed, the birds were all but extinct in the area. In fact, they were so overhunted (and have such a restricted range) that they were once considered Near Threatened by the IUCN. Happily Curlews have made something of a comeback in the last 50 years or so.



Would decorate her home with a lot of native art
Thinks a long time before speaking. Goes 'hmmmmmm'
Smiles when being spoken to
Introduces you to new foods and teas

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Black Guillemot



Black Guillemot aka. Sea Pigeon aka. Tystie (?)
Bird Islands, Nova Scotia, Canada
Member of the Auks, Murres, and Puffins Family
§A Loomery of Guillemots§


~true bird fact~ A truly impressive diver. Can go as deep at 165 feet below the water and can stay down for nearly two and a half minutes. Hey, if you don't think it's impressive, you can try it.


Wise and patient. Mentorly
Likes minty flavors
Likes warm weather, yet lives pretty much exclusively in really cold places. Dreams of Florida
Somewhat disconnected from the problems a modern bird faces

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Sanderling



Sanderling
Oceano Dunes Natural Preserve, Oceano, California, USA
Member of the Sandpiper Family
§A Grain of Sanderlings§

~true bird fact~ Sanderlings are one of those extremely long distance migrators. They only breed in the high-arctic tundra, but they spend the winter in a variety of southern locales. Some travel as many as 6000 miles in a season to winter in sunny South America. You gotta go what you gotta do!

Tax dodger
Cares first and foremost about taking care of his friends
Thinks his nonsense is way funnier than it actually is
People are secretly intimidated by his bad temper, but no one is willing to bring it up, so he doesn't even know it's a problem