Pshhhheeeewww!: Science everywhere!
Courtesy SiamEyeI don’t even know where to begin today! All I can think is “OMG!!!!” And each exclamation point I think is like a blood vessel bursting in my brain!

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So why is this a day of excitement, instead of quiet family tragedy? Because the biggest explosions today aren’t happening in little tubes in my head, they’re happening in the world of science! (I don’t consider the physiology of my head to be science. More like magic. Or trial and error.) I just don’t know what to do with all this science.

See, unlike your average Friday Extravaganza, a Thursday Explosion has no focus; it’s just kind of all over the place. A mess! There are all these stories, but we really have to stretch to fit them into a single post… so the loose theme of this explosion will, fittingly, be “flying things.” Am I not helping? Just wait, you’ll see.

Normal mouse becomes flying mouse, doesn’t care!
Check it out: a baby mouse was put into a little chamber and subjected to an intense magnetic field. What happened? All the water in the mouse’s body was levitated. And because those squishy little mice are so full of water, the mouse itself levitated along with the water.

Unfortunately, the first mouse wasn’t quite ready for life as an aviator, and upon levitation, he began to, as scientists say, “flip his Schmidt.” Lil’ mousey started kicking, and spinning, and with minimal resistance in the chamber, he started spinning faster and faster. He was removed from the machine, and put wherever little mice go to relax. Subsequent floating mice were given a mild sedative before flying (pretty much the same thing my mom does), and they seemed cool with it. Now and again the floating mice would drift out of the region of the magnetic field, but upon falling back into it they’d float right back up. After remaining in a levitating state for several hours, the mice got used to it, and even ate and drank normally. Afterwards, the mice had no apparent ill-effects from the experiment (rats had previously been made to live in non-levitating magnetic fields for 10 weeks, and they seemed fine too.)

Aside from the excitement normally associated with floating mice, the experiment is promising in that it may be a useful way to study the effects of long term exposure to microgravity without bringing a subject to space.
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Great tits are dangerous if you’re a sleepy bat!

It’s true! Forget everything you thought you knew about great tits and get schooled once again, my friends, for great tits are killers!

I’m not talking about the senseless murder of bugs, either—everybody already knew that great tits are primarily insectivores. A population of great tits in Hungary have been observed hunting bats!

As fun as it is to keep writing “great tits” with no explanation, I suppose we should be clear that great tits are a type of song bird common in Europe and Asia. Little, bat-hunting songbirds.

Meat eating great tits had been reported in other parts of Europe, but it was thought that those individuals had only consumed already-dead animals. The tits of Hungary were actually observed flying into bat caves, where they would capture tiny, hibernating pipistrelle bats and drag them out of the cave to devour them alive. It even appeared that the birds had learned to listen for the bats’ disturbed squeaking (or, as I like to think of it, their horrified shrieking)—when the same noise (which is too high for humans to hear) was played back for captured tits, 80% of the birds became interested (read: bloodthirsty) at the sound.

If it really is just the Hungarian population that engages in this behavior, the situation also brings up the possibility of culture in the birds. That is, if this isn’t some sort of innate behavior, but something learned and taught, and passed through generations that way, it could be considered culture. Amazing! Great tits are cultured!

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Flying velociraptors!

Well, not so much flying as falling. But falling with purpose. (What was it Buzz Lightyear said? Oh yeah, “I’m so lonely all the time.”)

We all know about how awesome raptors are. I think it’s part of kindergarten curriculum now, just between how not to accidentally poison yourself, and why you shouldn’t swear and hit. Well, I remember reading a news item a couple years ago about how some paleontologists were thinking that raptors’ famous giant toe claws may not have been for disemboweling their prey. Instead, the scientists proposed, raptors would lodge the massive claw into the skin of their prey with a kick, and then use it to hang on to the unlucky animal while the raptor went bite-crazy. The researchers had made a simulation of a raptor claw, and found that it could easily puncture thick skin and flesh, it didn’t seem to be sharp enough to actually cut the skin. (Cutting is necessary for a good disemboweling.) One might argue over the strength and sharpness of raptor claws, considering that the fossilized bone claws we see in museums would have been covered with a tough, horny substance, which did not fossilize, but whatever—the new scenario was still pretty cool.

Now, the same group of paleontologists is proposing that raptor claws were also well suited to tree climbing. Raptors could have waited on overhanging limbs, and then pounced on their prey from above. Pretty neat! The researchers point out that the microraptor a tiny relative of the velociraptor, had feathered limbs to help it glide down from high places, so it’s not a stretch to think that its cousins were comfortable in trees too. “The leg and tail musculature,” one scientist says, “show that these animals are adapted for climbing rather than running.”

I’ll take his word for it, I guess, but I do have some questions on that point. There’s a dromaeosaur (it looks a lot like a velociraptor) skeleton here at the museum, and I seem to remember that its tale was supposed to be very stiff—it has these cartilage rods running the length of the tail to keep it rigid. I feel like a long, stiff tail would be a pain in the butt up in a tree. It’s not the sort of thing arboreal animals invest in these days. Also, I wonder what sort of vegetation was around in the areas raptors lived. Plenty of big trees with good, raptor-supporting limbs? (I’m not implying that there weren’t, I’m just curious.)

The researchers do acknowledge that tree climbing wouldn’t have been every raptor’s cup of tea, however. Species like the utahraptor, weighing many hundreds of pounds, and measuring about 20 feet in length would have been “hard put to find a tree they could climb.”

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Pretty neat stuff, huh? Explosions usually are. But you see now why I couldn’t wait for three posts to get it all out there.

Tags : raptors, paleontology, mice, levitation, gravity, explosion, dinosaurs, culture, birds, bats

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Sign at Hawk Ridge: Photo by Mark RyanEvery year, I try to get up to Hawk Ridge in Duluth, Minnesota to watch the hawk migration that takes place every autumn. I’ve written about this event before, so I won’t elaborate too much about it in words. You can check my posting from last year here. And if you want even more information, check out the official Hawk Ridge website.

Kestrel in flight: Lake Superior serves as the backdrop as observers follow a kestrel in flight across the ridge. Photo by Mark Ryan.

Hawk Ridge birdwatchers: Approaching raptors catch the crowd's attention. Photo by Mark Ryan.I did want to mention that the day I was there wasn’t an optimal day for seeing a lot of hawks (on some days when the wind is right thousands of them can be seen flying over), but what it lacked in quantity, it made up for in quality – and with gorgeous weather to boot.

Bald eagle soars above Hawk Ridge: Some raptors conserve energy by riding thermals, sun-heated updrafts that flow up the face of the ridge. Photo by Mark Ryan.

Eyes on the skies: Photo by Mark Ryan.

Raptor identification: A posted display aids observers in identifying hawks in flight. Photo by Mark Ryan

Taking count: Throughout the migration official raptor counters are stationed each day at Hawk Ridge (except when rainy and foggy). Photo by Mark Ryan.

Hawk Ridge tote board: The migrating birds are tallied and the count is updated throughout the day. Photo by Mark Ryan.

Close up encounter: Hawks are netted and banded and sometimes presented to the crowd before being released again. Photo by Mark Ryan

Tags : Hawk Ridge, hawk migration, hawks, raptors, bird migration, bald eagles, phenology

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Visitors to the Science Museum will get to pick a name for at least one of the peregrine falcon chicks in the High Bridge power plant nest box. (Last year, we got to name one. Your pick? Starshadow.)

The challenge? Each chick in the nest box program gets a unique name. No repeats. So here's a list of all the names that are "taken" already:

Abby, Alice, Allie, Alpha, Amanda, Amilia, Amy, Andrea, Andy, Angel, Anton, Apryl, Athena, Barbara, Belinda, Bend, Berger, Bern, Bert, Bertha, Beta, Bolt, Bomber, Bor, Brice, Britta, Burt, Buzz, Candy, Cassie, Charlee, Charlie, Cherokee, Chicklet, Chris, Cleo, CoCo, Cole, Colleen, Coz, Craig, Crystal, Cyndi, Dale, Dana, Danberg, Davey, Dawn, Delene, Delta, Diamond, Diana, Diane, Dick, Dixie Chick, Donna, Doolittle, Dot, Ed, Eileen, Elaine, Electra, Esperanza, Faith, Fast Track, Fluffy, Fran, Frank, Gamma, George, Gib, Gloria, Gold, Gretta, Grunwald, Harmony, Hickey, Hippie, Hope, Horus, Hotshot, Howard, Hunter, Huske, Irvine, Isabel, Jackie, Jacob, Jan, Janice, Jasmine, Jay, JB, Jenny, Jessy, Jim, Joe, Judy, Julie, Kali, Karlsen, Katraka, Kester, Kitty, Kidy, Kramer, Krista, Laura, Leo, Leon, Leona, Leonard, Liberty, Lightning, Lily, Linton, Lolo, Lon, Lora, Loree, Loretta, Lori, Louise, Lucky, Mac, Mae, Maggie, Malin, Manthey, Mapper, Marie, Marshall, Marty, Mary, Laude, Mew, Mica, Michael, Michelle, Minnie, Miranda, Miss, Miss Pam, Mulder, Murphy, Neil, Nero, Nicole, Nora, Oar, Orville, Oscar, Pam, Pamella, PF Flyer, PaTao, Pathfinder, Penelope, Penny, Phyllis, Polly, Porky, Prescott, Princess, Putnam, Quark, Queen, Rachael, Ralph, Razor, Red Ed, Rick, Rochelle, Rocket, Rocky, Romeo, Ryan, Ryu, Sarah, Scarlett, Screech, Scully, Seminole, Shakespeare, Sharky, Sheri, Sheridan, Sherlie, Smoke, Smokey, Sonic, Sophia, Speedy, Spider, Spirit, Spivvy, Starshadow, Static, Stephanie, Sue, Survivor, Swoop, Terri, Thelma, Thunder, Travis, Tundra, Vector, VernaMae, Veronica, Waldo, Wanda, Warren, Wayne, Webster, Wilbur, Willie, Wood, Younger, Yugi, Zack, Zippidy

Have a name you think would suit a falcon? Tell us. We'll turn the list of submitted names into a visitor poll, and the names with the highest number of votes will go to the chicks.

One other thing: last year, the number one name was "Santa's Little Helper," but it was too long. Keep the names short, if you want yours to be the one!

Tags : falcon, phenology, spring, chicks, names, peregrine, raptors, 2007

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This shot, captured late Monday afternoon, shows three new chicks. Athena's going to be busy...

Please contact us if you have questions about the rights on this image.

Hawk watchers at Hawk Ridge: Photo courtesy Mark RyanDuluth, Minnesota is one of the best places in the Midwest for watching hawks and other birds of prey as they make their annual migration south for the winter.

Red-tailed Hawk in flight: Photo courtesy National Park Service.Since the migrating birds avoid crossing large expanses of water, Lake Superior acts as a funnel, forcing them into Duluth where the lake narrows to its western point, and crossing is easier. This means that thousands of hawks and raptors fly over the region, coming down from Canada and other points north. One of the best sites to see them is at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve, which is situated, in eastern Duluth at an overlook along the city’s Skyline Parkway.

The observation site draws not only vast numbers of birds (averaging over 94,000 per year) but also vast numbers of visitors who come each fall to watch the migration and enjoy the stunning panoramic views of Lake Superior and eastern Duluth.

If conditions are right, a lucky visitor may see Broad-wing Hawks, Osprey, Bald and Golden Eagles, Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks, American Kestrels, Northern Goshawks, and Peregrine Falcons. Great Horned and Long-eared Owls can also be seen at times.

The raptors can be seen just about everyday during Autumn, except when it’s raining, Generally, the birds begin migrating over Hawk Ridge in mid-August through November. The best time to spot them is when the wind is blowing in from the west or northwest for a couple of days straight. Official counters scan the skies with binoculars most days and tally the migration. During “The Big Days”, which generally take place between September 10-25, tens of thousands of Broad-winged Hawks can be spotted soaring over the ridge. This past week over 28,000 of them were counted in just two days!

For directions and further information visit the Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory website. Then pack up your binoculars and camera, and head north to Duluth.

Tags : hawks, raptors, bird migration, birds of prey, phenology

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In 1989, a Northern States Power (now Xcel Energy) employee spotted a peregrine falcon hanging out around the stack of the Allen S. King Plant in Bayport, Minnesota. The company installed a nest box, which quickly became home to a falcon named Mae.

The nest box was a success, and the power company decided to provide nest boxes at nearly all of its Minnesota power plants, including the High Bridge Plant. (You can see the High Bridge Plant, about a mile upstream from the museum, from the windows of the Mississippi River Gallery on Level 5.)

This year, the High Bridge Plant nest box is home to falcons named Athena and Smoke. They appeared at the nest box for the first time this year on February 3rd. And Athena laid eggs on March 28, March 30, April 2, and April 5. Want to see what they're doing right now? Click here. (You can also watch the falcons on a big video screen in the Mississippi River Gallery.)

Check out these pictures of the nest box over the last 24 hours.

Why the nest boxes?
Peregrines once were found throughout North America, favoring rocky perches along coasts, rivers, and lakes. They prefer these areas because the open water makes it difficult for birds to find cover from a diving peregrine.

Peregrine populations plummeted in the 1950s and 1960s. The pesticide DDT thinned the eggshells of falcons and many other bird species to become so much that adults crushed the eggs while incubating them. By 1968, only about 39 nesting pairs remained in the entire United States. DDT was banned in the U.S. in 1972, and as DDT levels decreased in the environment, peregrine populations started to rebound.

But peregrines needed assistance to fully recover. In 1989, the Allen S. King Plant on the St. Croix River in Bayport, Minnesota, became the first power plant in the U.S. to provide a nest box for peregrines. Power plant nest boxes are largely responsible for returning the peregrine falcon to its rightful place on the bluffs of the Mississippi River.

Over 2000 pairs of peregrines are now nesting in North America. Because of this spectacular recovery, the peregrine has been taken off the federal government's endangered species list. Peregrines are now beginning to expand from power plant nest boxes to their former nesting habitats of cliffs and bluffs.

Between 1989 and 2000, 114 young peregrines have fledged from nest boxes located on the stacks of seven Xcel Energy power plants. Nest boxes exist on the stacks of other power companies as well as on a few commercial office buildings.

What can we expect to see at the nest box in the next few months?
Female peregrines usually lay three to five eggs in early spring. The male and female share the 33-day incubation duties, which include turning the eggs regularly. (We expect to see baby peregrines sometime between May 4th and May 10th!)

At hatching, baby peregrines are covered with white down, weigh about two ounces, and have a small bump on their beaks. This "egg tooth" helps them break out of their shells. It disappears as the chicks mature.

Feathers replace down in three to five weeks. Young falcons are banded for identification and study when they are about 20 days old. Juveniles leave the nest (fledge) when they are about 45 days old. Sixty percent of peregrines die during their first year of life. After that, the annual mortality rate is around twenty percent. And peregrines can live for 12-15 years.

Peregrines pick their mates for life when they're about three years old, and the pairs stay together even when they're not breeding. They establish a nest site at the center of a thirty-plus-mile home range. They will defend their nests from intruders and want no peregrine neighbors closer than three miles from their home.

What do we know about the High Bridge falcons?
FEMALE: Athena
Band #: 01/D
She hatched in 2003 from the Firstar Bank in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
If she stays, 2005 will mark her first year here.

MALE: Smoke
Band #: *3/*1
He hatched in 1998 from the King Plant in Oak Park Heights.
One of Mae's chicks, Smoke was one of the first two falcon chicks to "grow up" on-line. Smoke's brother Prescott has nested at the Red Wing grain elevator since 2001.
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Tags : phenology, raptor, birds of prey, raptors, peregrines, falcons, High Bridge

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