| Report Calls for 'Fundamental Reform' of Climate Panel The world's leading scientific academies prepare to deliver their critique of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. feeds.nytimes.com |
Scientists find drugs that may fight bat disease By MARILYNN MARCHIONE 2010-09-13T17:39:39ZBOSTON (AP) -- Scientists may have found some ways to help the nation's bats, which are being wiped out by a novel fungal disease.... hosted.ap.org |
Human-powered plane takes to skies A Canadian student inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's centuries-old sketches of an ornithopter he was the first to make a sustained flight in a human-powered, wing-flapping aircraft. bbc.co.uk |
Mystery Bird: Western sandpiper, Calidris (Erolia) mauri | GrrlScientist This stunning and challenging-to-ID mystery bird tells us that scientists are still learning about the mysteries of avian evolution, as made obvious by this bird's two scientific names!Leucistic (nearly totally white) western sandpiper, Calidris (Erolia) mauri, photographed at Iona Beach Regional Park on Iona Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. Image: Kevan Cowcill, 15 September 2010 (You'll probably want to look at this challenging bird with binoculars).Canon PowerShot SX20IS. Probably not more than 20x magnification. Question: This stunning but challenging-to-identify shorebird goes by two different scientific names. Can you identify this bird and tell me both scientific names? Response: The western sandpiper, Calidris mauri - also known as Erolia mauri - is part of a very large group of small migratory shorebirds known in America as "peeps" and in the UK as "stints." The genus Calidris is paraphyletic, meaning that the birds in this group resemble each other closely despite not being close relatives - a stunning example of convergent evolution that anyone can see for themselves whilst walking along the beaches. It's easy to see the source of this confusion: most "calidrids" share a common colour pattern; brownish above with a contrastingly pale (usually white) belly. The sides of their breasts are almost always the same colour as their topside, and they usually have a lighter supercilium ("eyebrow") with brownish cheeks. Due to their similar habits and habitats, many of the "calidrids" are difficult to identify because of the striking similarities between species, and between their various breeding, non-breeding, juvenile and moulting plumages. More confusingly, some plovers - which are distinct enough to not be classified as "calidrids" - are also similarly patterned, especially in winter. Embedded below is a 2 minute radio programme about the Western Sandpiper, thanks to my friends at BirdNote Radio:If you have bird images, video or mp3 files that you'd like to share with a large and appreciate audience, feel free to email them to me for consideration.GrrlScientistguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Authorities probe mass bird deaths along coast The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is investigating the death of large numbers of birds on Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay island beaches. abc.net.au |