Archive for July, 2009

Scattered lights

July 31, 2009 at 9:24 pm · Filed under Astronomy, Sky

Since my thoughts seem to be kind of scattered today, I thought I would do a post on another scattered item, the lights in the sky.

First up, this article on some lights here on the ground. It’s entitled “The Bonfire of the Fireflies” by Brian Clark Howard at The Daily Green. Good stuff.

Then looking a little higher we have “Can We Have Too Much Light?” by Roseann Moring at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch but unfortunately, I couldn’t find a link to this article, followed by “Light Brings Lakes to Life” by Paul (no last name) at the New Scientist.

Finally, if your just looking up in the sky to see what’s out there, then here’s a great article about someone else who is doing the same thing (who would have thought the Vatican). It’s entitled “Vatican’s Celestial Eye, Seeking Not Angels but Data” by George Johnson at the New York Times.

Lights out!

Green Librarian

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Heading south

July 24, 2009 at 6:28 pm · Filed under Animals, Birds, Elephants, Insects, mammals

While summer is still in full bloom, the topic of migration has been on a lot of peoples minds, including mine as I finally hope to finish The Life of the Skies by Jonathan Rosen on my way home from work. Here are a few of the articles I’ve come across lately.

This one I just came across yesterday and I found it fascinating. It’s entitled “14,000 km Dragonfly Migration Discovered, Longest of Any Insect” by Bryan Nelson at EcoWorldly.

Next up there is “Rock Quarry Could Permanently Transform Elephant Migration” by Ruedigar Matthes at Planet Save.

Then there are these two on migration of mammals. They are ” Migration  of Large Mammals in Serious Decline-Six Have Vanished Entirely” by Mongabay.com at SustainLane and “Large Mammal Migrations Are Disappearing” by Brett Israel at Live Science.

The last two here are on birds (of course) and are entitled “Northward” by David Oates at High Country News and “Bird Migration: Toxic Molecule May Help Birds ’see” North and South” at Science Daily.

Finally, I’ll throw in one last article here for those who love birds. It’s entitled  “With Rebels on the Run, Columbia is for the Birds–and Binoculars” by Matt Moffett at the Wall Street Journal.

Boy are my arms tired!

Green Librarian

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Lights, sunset, action…

July 23, 2009 at 1:24 pm · Filed under Animals, Bugs

With my kids deep into summer, we’ve made several attempts to catch a few lightning bugs in order to create a “nature” designed night light (with the idea of me then releasing them) after the kids are asleep. We tried it once but failed miserably.

While I have yet to read it, here is an article that may hold the answer. Check out “Blink Twice if You Like Me” by Carl Zimmer at the New York Times.

Lights out!

Green Librarian

Blink Twice if You Like Me

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A, Bee, C…

July 22, 2009 at 8:54 pm · Filed under Bees

With my intent tonight to read a book (about bee’s) from the pre-school my mom started years ago and after looking through some old family pictures last night of that school, I thought it would be good to follow those articles from my last post with few that I didn’t get too.

First up, not sure what bee’s are good for? Check out “Beehive Fence Deters Elephant Raiders” at Science Daily.

Then, for those of you who do know what bee’s are good for, check out “Start Anew: Become a Honey Farmer” by Makenna Goodman at Chelsea Green.

Then for those who have read all the doom and gloom about the bee honey collapse, we have “A Cure for Honey Bee Coloney Collapse?”at Science Daily and “Can Native Black Honeybee May Save UK Bee Industry?” by Sami Grover at Treehugger.

Finally, even with all the bad news there is this article, which is the best news of all. It’s entitled “Domesticated Bee Numbers Soar Amid Buzzing Demand” from the Agence France-Presse courtesy of Mother Nature Network.

Buzz!Buzz!

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Not your garden variety

July 18, 2009 at 4:50 am · Filed under Bees

As my kids and I were checking out our local garden tonight, we noticed several bees on the sunflowers that appeared to be “resting”. So I thought today would be a good day to post a few articles on our friends, the bees.

That said, the first one might actually be able to help me learn more about this behavior. It’ s a podcast entitled “Wayne Esais on Honeybee Behavior” at EarthSky.

If that doesn’t do the trick, then maybe this review of a book that I’m hoping to get to might help. The article is “Fruitless Fall” by Devereaux Bell at the Mother Nature Network.

Finally (and speaking of behavior), I found this article a couple of weeks ago and like a lot of recent articles on our animal friends across this planet, it too talks about the reprecussions of climate change. It’s entitled “Hornets Suffocate in Bee Ball” by Rachel Ehrenberg at Science News.

Night, night!

 

Green Librarian

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This one is for the birds

July 17, 2009 at 8:27 pm · Filed under Birds

After finally re-starting my current book, The Life of the Skies by Jonathan Rosen, I’ve come across a couple of articles today that I thought I would share on our friends, the birds.

The first one is “Numbers for the Birds” by Ed Quillen at the High Country News. It just reiterates what is mentioned in the book regarding bird-watching.

The other is “Institute Studies Clash Between Wind and Raptors” by Karp Zaher of the Matter Network via the Environmental News Network.

Keep your chin up-

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Hot!Hot!Hot!

July 2, 2009 at 4:23 am · Filed under Climate, Lakes, Trees, Water

Summer arrived here in St. Louis (maybe a little early) as last week was a week in the 90’s. So while this post was started last week and thankfully it’s now in the 80’s, here are the couple of articles that I had originally planned for that day.

First up, we have “Desert Icon Joshua Trees Are Vanishing, Scientists Say” by Janet Zimmerman at the Environmental News Network.

Second, half way around the world we have “Human Health Endangered By Australian Drought” by Susan Kraemer at EcoWorldly.

Sincerely-

 

Green Librarian

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Getting back up and running

July 1, 2009 at 4:48 pm · Filed under Camping

It’s been a while but today is as good as day as any to get going again. School and life will do that to you.

I hope everyone had a fun time at the Great American Backyard Campout last Saturday. I know my kids did. I’m hoping to post a picture or two via the National Wildlife Federations website soon.

Sincerely-

Green Librarian

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