Animal Person

MAY 27, 2009

You may recall that Massachusetts voters let their opinions about dog racing be heard when they voted to ban racing in their state. Rhode Island's only dog track, Twin River, will be "suspending" dog racing. And not every dog's career ends in death or broken bones. Here are a couple recent bits of good news.

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Greyhounds Rhode Island Massachusetts Adopt Dog 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 26, 2016

I had spent a fair amount of time listening to the night sky, trying to filter out barking dogs, the annoying rumble of trucks and motorcycles, and even the faint sounds of “The Simpsons” from neighborhood televisions with the hope of catching a calling cuckoo zipping overhead. Did it stop off in Mexico, Honduras, or Florida?

Costa Rica 136

Costa Rica Baltimore Illinois Honduras 136

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

E.g. I remember trying to enter my local scrubland once, just across the car park behind the last apartment building and there, awaiting me, was a territorial pack of stray dogs barking at an intruder – me. Not sure that I impressed them, I chose to bluff them and looked left and right for a suitable tree branch to pick.

Animal 116

Animal Bears Stray Dog Blackbirds 116

10,000 Birds

JULY 16, 2012

Jake lives in southern Florida, so he and his friends had to be interested in learning about these birds, which they saw everyday, right? And then I showed them the one photo that was not taken in Florida, an image of baby American Robins in a nest in Central Park. There is nothing as deadly as 15 bored 4-year olds.

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Birds Owls Switzerland Lions 230

Animal Person

MARCH 23, 2009

Stephanie has been dealing with the usual "dogs-love-to-run" and "it's-part-of-our culture" and "this-is-what-they're-bred-to-do" crowd, which is a thankless, enervating and maddening job. Finally, there's an alert from Susan Hargreaves, who is a humane educator here in South Florida (via Trish). Direct line # 561-676-0633.

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Elephants Vegan Bullhook Laws 100

Animal Person

MAY 12, 2009

It wasn't much--clusters of mushroom-like townhouses that are ubiquitous in Florida--but it was on a lake. So there was no traffic, no noise, and each day we awoke to the drama of the creatures who lived right outside our door. And a dead end. Now I have the drama of the feral cats and of course the greyhounds.

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Geese Ducks Feral Cats Vermont 100

Animal Person

JULY 7, 2009

In case you haven't guessed, it is the relocation of a fresh (or not) carcass, usually with entrails spilling out, to a place more hospitable for the buzzards and hawks who evidently at least in South Florida do not judge the speed of oncoming traffic very well. At least they're dead and it wasn't my fault, but I still have a responsibility.

Opossums 100

Opossums Raccoons Cats Squirrels 100

Animal Person

AUGUST 18, 2009

It has been a humbling 17 days as I walk the dogs early, shower, and get gussied up to sit in traffic for 1.5 hours on I-95 (we here in South Florida are known for our very limited public transportation options--boy do I miss NYC). Imagine if kids in 4-H were taught how to raise dogs for dogfighting (not a perfect analogy, I know).

Vegan 100

Vegan Ethics Humane Killing 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2016

And, although these days I like to switch it around, sometimes using National Geographic or Stokes or a specialty guide or my Sibley phone app, that creased, dog-eared, red library tape bound book is still the field guide I keep in my car or slip into my suitcase for a trip to anywhere east of the Rockies.

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North America 2003 Birds America 177

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2018

Each one was followed up by a litany of dog barks, some high in pitch, others low, far-carrying woofs. In the meantime, I’m still going to keep a year list and maintain said list right here at this post. Emerald Tanager – Tangara florida; El Tapir, 1-Jan. I want to help her reach that goal.

Costa Rica 173

Costa Rica Birds Parrots Woodpeckers 173

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2014

There’s a movement at the corner of my eye, and an off-leash dog bounds towards me (not an issue you have to deal with on pelagics much.) Like right now, for instance. I watch the birds settle into the nearby shrubs and weeds, picking around for late bugs and grass seeds to occupy their time until the dog moves on.

San Diego 179

San Diego Sparrows Breeders 2009 179

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2019

This year the big prize must go to Tom who has pushed himself, right to the wire to acheive a magnificent score for a self-funded, wife-organised, wife-sponsored Little Big Year , accounting for 57% of the total. Florida Scrub-Jay – Aphelocoma coerulescens. Florida Canyon–lower. Florida Bass Conservation Center.

2018 113

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 113

Animal Person

DECEMBER 21, 2009

On a very quiet night during a lull in the drama of the ducks, I was researching the Greyhound racing industry, and seething over its treatment of dogs as well as the support it often gets, through subsidies, to help it survive. And you can’t drive on the Interstate without seeing signs telling you when to exit for the “Dog Track.”

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Greyhounds Dogs Ducks Litter 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2011

Breeding behaviour and plumage was very apparent, but John Wise , an ex-pat Brit now resident in Orlando, told me that the birds’ activities had been held up for a couple of weeks during a cold snap that saw frosts in Florida. There are more at the Orlando, Florida post on Redgannet. Wicked, right? Get yours today!

2011 118

2011 Alligators Florida Deer 118