Category Archives: Nature

Suicidal Seagull

Dear Diary:

On a balmy fall night, my wife and I saw a seagull strutting up Fifth Avenue.

Suddenly, the bird darted across the street into the rush-hour traffic. I cringed as it avoided the first car, then got clobbered by the second one. Like a punch-drunk fighter, the gull got up and limped toward the fine shops on Madison Avenue.

Unable to watch a drama that was destined to end badly, I raced toward the kamikaze bird. Shaken, it tried to fly away, but a broken wing kept it earthbound. As I picked it up, it stared defiantly and bit me.

Read the rest at the New York Times feature, “Metropolitan Diary”

Mt St Helens Recovery

NASA has a beautiful series of photos showing Mt St Helens before the 1980 eruption and annually since then. Go watch it – it only takes a few minutes.

Update: Oh, and happy new year!

Baby Owl Practices Moves

Drying Dance

This bird spent several minutes pushing wings and tail under the water.

And then danced on the surface to shake off the rinse.

Fluid

Claire Morgan makes astonishing assemblies of taxidermied animals and other materials, meticulously placed with nylon strands. She uses many kinds of animals and insects, as well as fruit and leaves. I don’t have any idea what to make of any of it. I can’t decide whether I love it or would never want it in any space I occupy, even briefly (I or the work). Lots more photos of many installations over the last seven years at her website.