In Ohio County, Indiana, an incredibly cruel animal abuse event is organised named Snapperfest. The terrified turtles are grabbed by the participants, dubbed ''contestants'', by the tail, their heads yanked from their shells and swung around until the contestants can grab a tight hold on the animal's neck.
PETA and many other animal rights groups have tried to make the politicians see sense, but to no avail. I myself have e-mailed many politicians and the campground where the event is being held but have received no replies nor heard of any progress. I urge you to sign this petition to see some results for next year!
Every year rattlesnakes are tortured to death at Oklahoma rattlesnake roundups. Rattlesnakes are put into a freezer for "about two hours" where their blood begins to crystallize. Their fangs are often ripped cruelly from their mouths before having their mouths sewn shut. They are deprived of food, water and shelter. According to §1685 AND §1680.1 of the Department of Agriculture Cruelty to Animal laws, already on the books, this is felony animal cruelty.
These rattlesnakes are put on display for the purpose of making money allowing hundreds of people to have their photo taken with "a real live rattlesnake". These snakes die within a matter of hours due to lack of food/water, lack of shelter, stress and shock. It is a slow and torturous death.
A week ago I finally caved and got my first iPad. I didn't think with an iPod touch and a laptop computer that it was something I really "needed". I was excited about getting the iPad but once I had it I could see it was just a larger version of my iPod touch. It took me a while to warm up to it. I am warming up and find that it is the device I pick up most often when at home. I don't take it along with me when I leave Homey to shop or go for a walk..I have my ipod touch for that. I find, unless I need my computer to lookup passwords or do a blog post..I use the iPad. So here is my first iPad blog post...I have blogged using my iPod touch in the past. I am using a few photos I have here on my iPad. I haven't yet purchased the SD card reader so that I can transfer photos from my camera. Here is a screen shot I took of my birding and nature apps.
What apps do you have? Any suggestions? Below is a photo I took with my iPad.
This a panorama I took with my DMD app. I am not sure how it will come up just uploading via this blogging app. Below is a link and a photo..not sure how either will look once uploaded. So here goes.
Here is the link for my panorama, i don't know how to embed it with this blogging app. Still working on getting that right too..things just didn't match up.
I am adding this panorama embed with Windows Live Writer..couldn’t find how to do it via Blogger+
Do you have an iPad? Do you blog with it? What apps do you like?
No~I haven't lost my head..this is not a Catbird. This sweet little Chipping Sparrow is just one of the birds checking out their reflection in our windows.
This Catbird is now a regular visitor..
Hanging out..trying to figure out what this reflection or bird is all about.
It stares at the window and sometimes flies into it fighting with its reflection.
Its only a few feet away from my dining window.
Our Homey is parked in Mom and Dads driveway….Muther says she cant see her purdy Rhododendrons now…Homey is blocking her view.
We have great views…Thanks Muther ~come visit and look out my dining room window.
Last year while at the Biggest Week Jeff and I did not see a Kirtland’s and I don’t believe that any were seen.
Kirtland's Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii) is a small songbird of the New World warblerfamily (Parulidae), named after Jared P. Kirtland, an Ohio doctor and amateur naturalist. Nearly extinct just 50 years ago, it is well on its way to recovery. It requires large areas (> 160 acres) of dense young jack pine for its breeding habitat. This habitat was historically created by wildfire, but today is primarily created through the harvest of mature jack pine, and planting of jack pine seedlings.[1]
Since the mid-19th century at least it has become a restricted-range endemicspecies. Almost the entire population spends the spring and summer in the northeastern Lower Peninsula of Michigan and winters in The Bahamas. From Wikipedia
First sighting of Kirtland reported at Ottawa NWR..There was a mass exodus of birders from Magee Boardwalk to Ottawa NWR when the twitter alert went out.
Just a handful saw the bird.
All here did not.
Video of birders waiting and watching for the*K* Bird seen by just a few at Ottawa NWR.
Dawns Tale of the Second sighting…
May 9th
It was early morning~Jeff and I were on our way out of the Motorhome when I got a twitter alert to my phone that a Kirtland’s Warbler was seen. Adrenaline pumps thru my body. This is the last of the Eastern Wood Warblers we needed to add to our Life List. A difficult bird to see in most places,unless you go to its breeding grounds.
I told Jeff to forget about dropping off a Guitar to the Park owner~Lets high tail it to Magee Marsh.
The K Bird was seen on the boardwalk just a few minutes earlier.
I was supposed to be helping Adrian Binns with a Bird Sit at nine and It was close to nine.
We drove towards the east end of the Boardwalk and noticed people streaming out of the boardwalk. Word was the the K bird had flown over the water area and had not been re-found.
I felt obligated to go to the sit and told Jeff to call me if the K bird was re-found.
Friends Debbie and Dave called~
The K bird was being seen again....
I ran from the West end of the boardwalk to the eastern area off the boardwalk hoping I would not be too late.
Many people had nice looks of the K bird.
A life bird for Jeff and me.
Yes people actually jump off a wheelchair to see the K Bird! ;) see below
Yipppppeee..I made it!
I had a few good looks of the K bird~~ Way up there in the tree.
A male Kirtland’s Warbler.
Read Bobby Harrison’s post of how this bird was found on the boardwalk.
Saturday May 12th..
A female K bird was found by three young Amish birders on a new Crane Creek Estuary Trail.
Bird was seen here for quite a while.
Jeff and I went out around 5 to see if people were still seeing it.
They were.
And so did we.
Much better looks than the male K bird.
She looks lovely with flowers..
She sits and preens..
Oblivious to her large audience.
Isn't she a beauty?
It was so exciting to see not one but two of these rare Warblers!
If you don’t like crowds please don’t let this scene discourage you..there are soo many places on the boardwalk and other areas to bird where you will find solitude.
Birding Metzger
Shorebirds!
Shorebird tour at Ottawa NWR
There ARE shorebirds out there..even though my camera wont reach them.
When birding..be prepared for any type of weather..
