RAVE HERE thread

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big. 🙂 huge wingspan, sits on top of our light pole. steals guineas from across the street, then uses our roof line to snap their necks, then sits and eats them. or rabbits. middle of the night "WAP" "what was THAT??" "owl hunting again" so much fun, o hey, what did the owl eat last night? go look at the pile of stuff beside the house! and I say huge wingspan, because one of them flew over my head one night...was scared he was after my little dog. or was checking him out...it was cold and so max had on jammies. Owl may have been thinking..."walks like dog. smells like dog. but looks human...???"
also, I LOVE that your dog wears pajamas!!!!
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are bands easy to see on owls? we have a mated pair hanging around our house (and have had a few babies over the years), was just wondering if banded.
For the big guys we use pretty large bands, so they should be pretty obvious. Look on the bottom portion of the right leg next time you see them (right leg is traditionally the banded leg - at least where I was taught).

The saw whet's have fluffy legs, so they aren't quite as obvious. You can usually still see them though.
 
For the big guys we use pretty large bands, so they should be pretty obvious. Look on the bottom portion of the right leg next time you see them (right leg is traditionally the banded leg - at least where I was taught).

The saw whet's have fluffy legs, so they aren't quite as obvious. You can usually still see them though.
I've only ever seen banding on the right leg as well!
 
I've only ever seen banding on the right leg as well!
Lol. We have a small subset of left-banded from when I started banding. I'm left handed so I automatically banded the left leg until I was caught doing it by a senior bander one day. It's a bit of a joke now, since usually whenever we get a left banded recap it was almost guaranteed to be a bird I banded.
 
Lol. We have a small subset of left-banded from when I started banding. I'm left handed so I automatically banded the left leg until I was caught doing it by a senior bander one day. It's a bit of a joke now, since usually whenever we get a left banded recap it was almost guaranteed to be a bird I banded.
Haha that's a funny story to pass on though 🙂 I'm just helping scribe in mist netting and running birds back that need to be bled since this was my first summer doing it 🙂 I'm hoping they'll let me try to get birds out of the nets soon since their project ends next week :/
 
Haha that's a funny story to pass on though 🙂 I'm just helping scribe in mist netting and running birds back that need to be bled since this was my first summer doing it 🙂 I'm hoping they'll let me try to get birds out of the nets soon since their project ends next week :/
Huh, your place does it quite differently than mine. New people scribe first, then learn their bird grips (banders/photographers) and release birds, then the next step is banding under careful supervision. We found the most injuries to birds came from inexperienced extractors, so that is the last thing newbies learn. We also have a formal several-days-long-training workshop you can do (which I did before I started volunteering) that allows you to gain those skills and do everything right off the bat (under VERY close supervision).
 
Huh, your place does it quite differently than mine. New people scribe first, then learn their bird grips (banders/photographers) and release birds, then the next step is banding under careful supervision. We found the most injuries to birds came from inexperienced extractors, so that is the last thing newbies learn. We also have a formal several-days-long-training workshop you can do (which I did before I started volunteering) that allows you to gain those skills and do everything right off the bat (under VERY close supervision).
I am new 🙂 and when I mean run birds back to be bled, I mean that we check the nets every 10 minutes and we only bleed certain species. So, in order for the more experienced people to finish checking the other nets quickly, I take the birds that need to be bled back to the table where another experienced person bleeds them (because they have to be bled within 20 minutes of the last net check)! I don't do it 🙂 I just started extracting birds from the nets today and learning how to hold in the birder's grip and the photographer's grip 🙂 I won't be banding them or bleeding them in this project (maybe down the line in another banding station) 😛
 
ok, I am going to go with the Great Horned Owl, because of the tufts...definitely have seen silhouette/profile, and there are tufts, not smooth headed. If that makes sense. 🙂

Will try to get a closer look at right leg. It is hard when they sit on the light pole, all you can see is outline, because of the light. But also sit on top of tree at twilight, so maybe I can tell with the binoculars. (the tree is at the back of the 5 acres...of course)
 
miranda....my dog is a chinese crested...so in cooler months he has to wear flannel or fleece jammies outside! or he would freeze! I am attaching a pic of him in his best winter wear....(or dead of summer in the house when my hubby thinks it is ok to turn the thermostat down to 65) max guitar.jpg
 
miranda....my dog is a chinese crested...so in cooler months he has to wear flannel or fleece jammies outside! or he would freeze! I am attaching a pic of him in his best winter wear....(or dead of summer in the house when my hubby thinks it is ok to turn the thermostat down to 65) View attachment 234526
Oh my god!!!! Officially dying of cuteness!!!!! 😀
and if it's big and has tufts, most likely a great-horned owl 🙂
 
definitely big. big enough to pick up a stupid guinea and fly a decent distance with it, and gain altitude to whack on the side of the house. (neighbor's yard where the birds are is about 200 yards off of road, then across road, and we sit about 300 yards back...) to me that is a ways. carrying a still squaking wriggling guinea. 🙂 but it is all good. between the owls and the hawks, we have not been overun with snakes, mice or rabbits.
 
and our dogs take care of the frogs and lizards that wander into the back yard. I always make sure they get "wandered" back out of the yard so they are safe and sound!
 
definitely big. big enough to pick up a stupid guinea and fly a decent distance with it, and gain altitude to whack on the side of the house. (neighbor's yard where the birds are is about 200 yards off of road, then across road, and we sit about 300 yards back...) to me that is a ways. carrying a still squaking wriggling guinea. 🙂 but it is all good. between the owls and the hawks, we have not been overun with snakes, mice or rabbits.
Wow!!! That's crazy!!!
 
definitely big. big enough to pick up a stupid guinea and fly a decent distance with it, and gain altitude to whack on the side of the house. (neighbor's yard where the birds are is about 200 yards off of road, then across road, and we sit about 300 yards back...) to me that is a ways. carrying a still squaking wriggling guinea. 🙂 but it is all good. between the owls and the hawks, we have not been overun with snakes, mice or rabbits.
So, you keep saying “guinea” (I assume guineafowl) but my brain keeps thinking “guinea pig” and I’m just more concerned why you have guinea pigs roaming your yards
 
My rave for the week, maybe year.

I put my money where my mouth is and just picked up the cables to my new 65" Clevertouch interactive touchscreen whiteboard. I may be old and friendless in College Station, but my board brings all the boys (and girls) to the yard. Mine, specifically. Yep, I'm luring study buddies with high tech devices.View attachment 234399

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You actually did it! I remember you sharing your study space plans with us months ago! Wooooooo
 
skiotter, I am so sorry for the confusion. yes, I mean guineafowl bird things. I honestly believe that they are what somebody was observing when the term 'bird brained' was coined. The neighbor across the street started out with about 20; he is down to 7 or 8 now. They are 'free-range' during the day, which means that they migrate across the street to our yard. not a big deal, since they eat grasshoppers. but it seems as if every week there is at least one that has managed not to get across safely. almost like a live version of frogger. but with big black&white&speckled birds. and the owls take one out every now and then.
 
skiotter, I am so sorry for the confusion. yes, I mean guineafowl bird things. I honestly believe that they are what somebody was observing when the term 'bird brained' was coined. The neighbor across the street started out with about 20; he is down to 7 or 8 now. They are 'free-range' during the day, which means that they migrate across the street to our yard. not a big deal, since they eat grasshoppers. but it seems as if every week there is at least one that has managed not to get across safely. almost like a live version of frogger. but with big black&white&speckled birds. and the owls take one out every now and then.
Hahaha no, not confusion, my brain just automatically pictured guinea pigs even though I knew it was probably guineafowl

But oh dear those birds maybe shouldn’t be free range :laugh:
They need like a net over the backyard hahaha
 
Wiped my ThinkPad's SSD completely clean, trashed Windows 10, and threw on an install of Ubuntu MATE. I've used multiple Linux distros in the past and have wanting to get back to using it but refrained due to needing Windows to run OneNote since it can't reliably be emulated in WINE and there's no good Linux alternative. Since I'm trying to seriously get back into the programming game and no longer have need to worry about incompatibilities that couldn't really be worked around, I decided that it was time for a return. Mmm, it's so nice.

Sorry, super lame and nerdy rave. I know, I know.
I APPRECIATE THE NERDY RAVE EVEN THOUGH I ONLY UNDERSTOOD HALF OF IT. Glad you’re getting back into programming, Sandy!!
 
Just made bread for the first time ever. I wanted to try this recipe as my bf loves strawberries and since he's on a similar diet to me, I wanted something that he could ear. So far I'm pretty pleased even though I think I undercooked it a little.
 

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Odd rave: I have a place to live for this year!!! The apartment complex I’m moving into only requires a 30 day notice before leaving (and the time for me to resign my lease for my current apartment building to keep my unit has already passed). So I was first on their ‘Move in July’ waitlist, and I got the call today that I got the apartment style that I want!!!!!

It’ll be a 2 bedroom apartment for cheaper than I’m paying for a 1 bedroom apartment now!
 
Odd rave: I have a place to live for this year!!! The apartment complex I’m moving into only requires a 30 day notice before leaving (and the time for me to resign my lease for my current apartment building to keep my unit has already passed). So I was first on their ‘Move in July’ waitlist, and I got the call today that I got the apartment style that I want!!!!!

It’ll be a 2 bedroom apartment for cheaper than I’m paying for a 1 bedroom apartment now!
Congratulations!!!!!!!! 😀
 
Odd rave: I have a place to live for this year!!! The apartment complex I’m moving into only requires a 30 day notice before leaving (and the time for me to resign my lease for my current apartment building to keep my unit has already passed). So I was first on their ‘Move in July’ waitlist, and I got the call today that I got the apartment style that I want!!!!!

It’ll be a 2 bedroom apartment for cheaper than I’m paying for a 1 bedroom apartment now!
And they’re niceeeeee
SO HAPPY YOU HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE
 
Been feeling kind of in a rut with my fitness routine lately. Made a snap decision to sign up for a month of Pure Barre classes at the local studio and I'm soooo excited to try them out! I used to do a group kickboxing class that I loved so I'm hoping a new group class is the change-up I need.
 
I was just asked to be the undergrad speaker at my department’s graduation ceremony! Huge surprise I did not see coming. No idea where I’m going to finding the time to write a speech when I have two papers and a final to get through in the next five days but hey what a good way to spend study breaks
 
I was just asked to be the undergrad speaker at my department’s graduation ceremony! Huge surprise I did not see coming. No idea where I’m going to finding the time to write a speech when I have two papers and a final to get through in the next five days but hey what a good way to spend study breaks
That's amazing!!! Congratulations!!! 😀
 
I have spent the last 3 weeks struggling through a spring physics course and spending 14+ hours per day doing physics, but I am FINALLY DONE!! :soexcited:Now I'm gunna go home and hibernate.
 
As of today, I'm officially done with my cut and switching over to a maintenance (aka slightly less strict but still structured) plan for the summer! Super thrilled with my results and may be down a total of around 14# if my bf's scale is accurate. I'm more happy with the body composition changes and less concerned about the actual number. Now off to celebrate his bday today with an El Salvadorian style BBQ, Tres leche cake and beer.
 
Scam Call ridiculousness! :banana:
Me: "Hello?"
Scammer:"Ma'am my name is John Watchmaker, I'm here to talk
to you today about our solar program. Are you a homeowner?"
Me: "No, sorry, I'm not. Thank you and have a nice day."
Scammer: "How old are you?"
Me: "Why does that matter? I just said I'm not a homeowner. I can't put solar panels on a house if I don't own one."
Scammer: "Are you married?"
Me: *Laughs and hangs up*
 
Finished up my last day at the Smith Kilborne program. It was such a blast, and I got to meet amazing students from almost every other school that have similar career interests.

I wish there was a part 2 I could go back to
 
I just finished tearing out a brick planter in my backyard that my ex said he'd take out before he left and never did.

Never underestimate a chick with a sledgehammer. I feel so accomplished.
 
I turn 22 today! My wonderful boyfriend drove an hour to come surprise me with a birthday cake before I left for work this morning! He got off work at 2:30 am and managed to get a few hours of sleep before arriving at my place at 7 am. He's coming again when I get off work for a party with some vet school friends. It's the little things that make such a difference.
 
I turn 22 today! My wonderful boyfriend drove an hour to come surprise me with a birthday cake before I left for work this morning! He got off work at 2:30 am and managed to get a few hours of sleep before arriving at my place at 7 am. He's coming again when I get off work for a party with some vet school friends. It's the little things that make such a difference.
@cheathac Happy Birthday to you!

Hope you have a blast with your boyfriend and your (hydrating) vet school friends!

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Just found out an abstract I'd submitted was selected for a talk at a conference next month, AND finally succeeded in getting Hamilton tickets. Pretty sure today can't get any better.
 
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