Thursday, September 16, 2010

The Hawks Near My House

There are three coopers hawks near my house. They like to fly high up in the air over a clump of trees to the west of my home. They started coming last summer, when they where juveniles. Back then, I used to go out to look for them every day, as if they were my best friends. They used to sit on a fence, each one next to each other. They then grew and became adults, and they divided territories. Sometimes I see them riding the thermals together, and I think about how beautiful they are.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Reptiles and birds?

Scientists are still trying to decide if birds should be classified reptiles.Bird legs are covered with scales, and there toes have claws. There feathers are modified scales, and they, like reptiles, lay eggs. In addition, birds evolved from dinosaurs,which were reptiles. But in my research, I found out something even more interesting, that supports the fact that birds are reptiles. In 2003,a scientist called Horner,who helped make the jurrasic park movie,made a amazing discovery. Horner figured out that he could retro-engineer the modern day bird to turn it into its ancestral relative, a group of dinosaurs called "Raptors."Horner believed that a modern bird's DNA contains a genetic memory that could be "switched on" again, resurrecting the long-dormant dinosaur traits. First,Horner tried this on the emu. It didn't work. Then, he found out that the chicken was a possible choice too. He managed to make one grow teeth, almost identical to those of an alligator!For more info, go to this link:Jurassic park comes true!

Monday, October 26, 2009

The Bird rehabilitation Center



It was an amazing experience going to the Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center in Key Largo.I got to see a Kerstrel(shown to the left),a Peregrine falcon,a couple of Red-Shouldered hawks,a Spotted owl,Great Horned owls, eastern Screech owls,brown pelicans and Double Crested cormorants,even a Great White Heron,which are only found in the Florida keys. Then me and my sister got to feed the pelicans!It was an amazing experience. Have you ever had a memorable experience with birds?

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Ospreys everywhere!




When I started to get intrested in raptors,or birds of prey,I always wondered when I would see an awe-striking osprey. When summer break ended, my hope of seeing this amazing raptor died away. But one day, coming back from school , my sister saw a huge bird on an utility pole.An osprey! All of a sudden,I started seeing ospreys everywhere. One even made it's home near my lake! It wasn't until a couple of months later I took a picture of this unique bird of prey. What is your favorite bird?

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Birds of prey


I see birds of prey every day.Accipiters, such as coopers and sharpshinned hawks roam my back yard looking for squirrels.Accipiters have short,stout wings and long tails for manuevering through thick undergrowth. Buteos,the larger species of hawk with long, broad wings, also live near me.Another awesome raptor,the osprey,lives near my lake.I love watching raptors.A thrill runs through me every time I see one.
Which birds of prey do you see every day?




Thursday, October 15, 2009

Birds of the world


There are millions of different species of birds all over the world.From the tiny ruby throated hummingbird to the majestic harpy eagle,they all have something special about them.When I wake up in the early morning,, I hear an osprey whistle, or a blue jay screech.I love going in search of birds, no matter how common they are.
I enjoy seeing different species of birds each day in the swampy habitat near my home, specially raptors.(Hawks,eagles,etc)What birds live near you?