tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post7947186213831592372..comments2024-03-28T15:05:10.372-05:00Comments on Every goddamn day: 03/29/24: Encounter with an owlNeil Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11468057838260476480noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-24723684530064084632017-10-16T09:04:51.711-05:002017-10-16T09:04:51.711-05:00So that means that pigeons have better survival in...So that means that pigeons have better survival instincts than 46% of the voters in the last presidential election. Interesting.Tony Galatihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944671504245191140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-58238333086490074782017-10-16T08:43:36.807-05:002017-10-16T08:43:36.807-05:00One of the unique things about owls is that they a...One of the unique things about owls is that they are virtually silent as they fly -- their wing control means they make very little sound while flapping/gliding, unlike most birds of prey. So pigeons -- which have the instinct to fly away if they _see_ wingspread -- are pretty much at the mercy of owls at night.<br /><br />Pigeons' instinct to take off when they see wingspread meant that when I was a grad student, a number of my colleagues got pretty good at making pigeons take off when they were dominating sidewalks and pathways, simply by raising their arms to imitate flight.Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03634642987617262810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-11763864863674719922017-10-15T22:11:38.868-05:002017-10-15T22:11:38.868-05:00It is getting a little hard to tell the difference...It is getting a little hard to tell the difference, isn't it?Bitter Scribehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04645909858616987997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-64855919448751387412017-10-15T18:46:41.418-05:002017-10-15T18:46:41.418-05:00Are we still talking about pigeons or have we move...Are we still talking about pigeons or have we moved on to the electorate?Tony Galatihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944671504245191140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-68478491012245887352017-10-15T15:44:11.642-05:002017-10-15T15:44:11.642-05:00I'm not saying they should go into mourning, b...I'm not saying they should go into mourning, but you'd think they'd be at least a little aware of what was happening, for their own safety's sake.Bitter Scribehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04645909858616987997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-71875500065559277372017-10-15T15:25:20.139-05:002017-10-15T15:25:20.139-05:00Right you are. Much appreciated—I misread the sour...Right you are. Much appreciated—I misread the source I was using. Fix made. Thanks.Neil Steinberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11468057838260476480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-8665800527321641882017-10-15T13:00:03.536-05:002017-10-15T13:00:03.536-05:00Lame? Not at all. Doves are in the same family as ...Lame? Not at all. Doves are in the same family as pigeons and I'm always happy when they're nesting in the neighborhood. Their song is beautiful, haunting.Tony Galatihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944671504245191140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-906062029423798322017-10-15T12:49:51.719-05:002017-10-15T12:49:51.719-05:0011:59 and all's well in Trumplandia.11:59 and all's well in Trumplandia.Tony Galatihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944671504245191140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-71483577496386610822017-10-15T11:59:00.398-05:002017-10-15T11:59:00.398-05:00Because I feel compelled on this stuff: "The ...Because I feel compelled on this stuff: "The Parliament of Owls" is the fourth chapter of _The Silver Chair_, itself the fourth book of the Chronicles of Narnia. I think some words got lost in posting this.Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08674198657010416085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-81097550395897438522017-10-15T11:38:03.254-05:002017-10-15T11:38:03.254-05:00Hence the saying "Ignorance is bliss".😏...Hence the saying "Ignorance is bliss".😏SandyKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-42682829405982146602017-10-15T11:05:47.830-05:002017-10-15T11:05:47.830-05:00I think pigeons get a bad rap -- well, except for ...I think pigeons get a bad rap -- well, except for the part about shitting all over everything -- which I suppose is the main rap, so maybe that's not a bad rap, after all. They seem pretty interesting in the design and coloration of their feathers, for lack of actual descriptive words to indicate whatever the hell I mean. Anyway, I find myself thinking that if they were rare instead of being ubiquitous nuisances, they'd be more appreciated for their beauty.<br /><br />Lamest comment ever? It's in the running! ; )<br /><br />Very nice photo and interesting stuff, though I still don't quite get what the Brookfield Zoo folks were doing downtown on the banks of the Chicago River with an owl...Jakashnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-25439552128507357222017-10-15T10:12:01.586-05:002017-10-15T10:12:01.586-05:00The mind reels with metaphors regarding our curren...The mind reels with metaphors regarding our current situation. Too easy.Dennis Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03936110563379328219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-74068612272674360972017-10-15T08:32:48.721-05:002017-10-15T08:32:48.721-05:00Bitter Scribe is right. Pigeons aren't the bri...Bitter Scribe is right. Pigeons aren't the brightest crayons in the box. I used to know a guy who sold them to hunting clubs. He'd go down to the railyards with a giant net that somehow shot out over the birds as they were feeding. Then he'd crate them up, strap the crates to the open bed of a truck, and drive down the expressway. All the while, the birds acted as if nothing unusual was happening. Tony Galatihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944671504245191140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-57434725322732087722017-10-15T06:41:21.645-05:002017-10-15T06:41:21.645-05:00I'm not sure. We tend to anthropomorphize anim...I'm not sure. We tend to anthropomorphize animals. Imagine if the pigeons got upset every time one of their number went down. "Oh no, they got Randolph!" And when you look at people—Las Vegas was, what, two weeks ago?—we can be pretty indifferent ourselves, after the initial display of shock.Neil Steinberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11468057838260476480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-29395234300439701832017-10-15T01:07:31.989-05:002017-10-15T01:07:31.989-05:00I once saw a GIF of an owl swooping out of nowhere...I once saw a GIF of an owl swooping out of nowhere at night and snatching a pigeon from a nest. You could see its eyes glowing in the distance as it approached the nest. What was weird was that the other pigeons barely even turned their heads as their comrade was snatched away. I guess they're pretty stupid birds.Bitter Scribehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04645909858616987997noreply@blogger.com