This week in birds - #574

 A roundup of the week's news of birds and the environment:

It's December and the Chipping Sparrows are back!

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Our sun has been putting on a show this week with the biggest solar flare since 2017.

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A robotic spacecraft launched by NASA has brought back asteroid pieces that offer clues to life's origins.

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Two men have been charged with killing more than 3,600 birds, including Bald Eagles, to sell on the black market. The mind boggles at the wanton waste.

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Are you a morning person? Then you might have Neanderthal genes as part of your makeup.

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The climate summit approved a plan to move away from fossil fuels and to ramp up the use of renewable energy. Still, climate experts were disappointed that the summit fell short of insisting on a phase-out of fossil fuels.

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The fossil of a juvenile tyrannosaurus rex showed that before its death it had recently feasted on turkey-sized creatures somewhat similar to an emu. It died with a full stomach.

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The Guardian's "This week in wildlife" features some amazing animal pictures.

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Who can take water from Nature and who decides who can do it?

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I have to admit I had never heard of this bird. It is the Golden-backed Mountain-tanager, a bird found only in Peru, and it is the American Bird Conservancy's Bird of the Week.

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It's true - Christmas tree farms can actually be a boon to wildlife.

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The reintroduction of endangered Mexican wolves to the southwestern United States has had its ups and downs.

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The Great Lakes are suffering from a new plague - pet goldfish released into their waters. 

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A 700-year-old forest has been discovered near a busy North American highway.

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Ruffed Grouse can be very elusive birds but, under the right circumstances, they can become quite friendly with humans

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Free-ranging cats can have a quite devastating effect on wildlife.

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Cats are notoriously independent critters, but they will play fetch. When they want to play fetch.

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Here are some amazing pictures of the Northern Lights.


Comments

  1. Good morning, Dorothy. Thank you for the roundup. I think that all of us who follow such things are reeling at the weak outcome of COP, but hardly surprised. Given the record of climate conferences, grand promises, and pious statements, one is conditioned for failure before the opening gavel is banged. My own country, Canada, has never met even one of our commitments on emissions and I have not the slightest illusion that we will ever do so. The tipping point has been passed anyway, I fear.

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  2. I hope those two cretins who killed more than 3,500 birds get more than slaps on the wrist.

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  3. Wow! That Golden-backed Mountain-tanager is beautiful.

    And thanks to you I was able to let my husband know that he is (apparently) quite the Neanderthal.

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    Replies
    1. Glad I could help! I'm married to one of those, too.

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  4. That sounds unusual about the friendly grouse. They are usually so skittish.

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