It was a nice day, so I took a quick spin around Prospect Park at lunch time. I picked up 34 total species including two American Wigeons, a Belted Kingfisher, and a record high 40+ American Coots. However, the highlight of the day was not one, not two, not three, but four banded geese:
The last couple of weeks have seen the an influx of New York’s winter residents like this Winter Wren:
Most birds fly south for the Winter, but for some species New York City is far enough south. Temperature doesn’t really bother them. As long as they can find food, they’re happy.
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Estigmene acrea, 2006-10-21, Mount Loretto Unique Area
ID not 100% certain
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has decided to release the Raven Lite sound analysis software as free-beer. Previously it cost about $25. I’d been meaning to try this product out since first hearing about it from Don Kroodsma at the ABA Convention back in June. Now maybe I’ll finally get around to it.
The professional version costs $800, which I think is ridiculous. Academic research software like this should be open source. Not only are Cornell and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology large recipients of tax dollars and charitable donations which I think gives them some obligation to open up more to the broader community. Most importantly, you simply get better science when the software is as open as the data.
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Melanoplus differentialis, Mount Loretto Unique Area, 2006-10-21
Wooly Bear caterpillar, Mount Loretto Unique Area, 2006-10-21
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