How many of you lazy suckers in the U.S. took advantage of the extra hour to sleep rather than rise and enjoy life? Your genial host, of course, is hard at work providing entertainment and Albatross grooming.
Reader John Pears sent us some Turkish birds:
I’m a fairly regular visitor to Turkey where I visit and explore the battlefield of Gallipoli where my great grandfather was killed in 1915. The first time I visited I fell in love the country and was enormously impressed by the history and architecture found in Istanbul; Hagia Sophia, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Topkapı Palace, to name but a few. I have always been impressed by its friendly people and by its secular nature although I fear this may be changing.
On my last visit I decided to visit Lake Kuş (Bird Lake) in Western Turkey which is near Bandirma where the ferry departs for Istanbul. The Lake didn’t disappoint and the bird life was spectacular.
I’ve included a couple of photos of the dainty and bashful (couldn’t resist the anthropomorphising) Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)
A selection of shots of great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus):
And two of the greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Finally, I have a stray blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata), nomming seeds, sent by reader Diana MacPherson on Halloween (she called it “Boo Jay”):
Calidris mauri in Turkey ???
It is a Calidris minuta (little stint).
Agreed. You can just make out the characteristic pale “braces” on the back.
Cheers – struggled with ID on that one but didn’t take long for help to come.
Sorry my first comment was rather…dry (the lunch bell was just ringing). Actually the two species are very similar, although well separated geographically (one North-american and one Euro-siberian). But outside from that, the fingers are visible on the second picture, and C. mauri is one of the rare sandpipers with small webbings between the fingers. Your picture shows they are lacking here. And the bill is a bit too short for C. mauri,too.
Thank god the Eurasians weren’t in love with the word “semipalmated.”
😀
People who love to sleep look young. :)))
I enjoy all of the wildlife shots. Can you tell me where the picture of the group of white pelicans standing on the sandbar was taken? The second I laid eyes on that shot I pictured myself back on a boat last winter touring around the National Everglades Park in Florida. We came upon a sandbar loaded with white pelicans just like in the picture. I could sware that the picture in your article, Jerry, was taken of that sandbar in the Everglades National Park. It was such a really neat feeling to look at that picture and think that I was actually in the location where it was shot.
Lake Kus in Western Turkey
Superb pix. That sandpiper is definitely dainty and bashful.
I will only say BOOjay from now on. Keep everybody on their toes 🙂
Its a Little Stilt apparently
*Stint!
Still, generically a sandpiper, in its general sense. 🙂 Not only that, but an official “peep,” too.
White pelicans are a bunch or jerks. When they can’t catch enough food they will grab the heads of brown pelicans and refuse to let go until the brown pelican regurgitates food into the white pelican’s bill. I know they don’t have brown pelicans in Turkey, but I am sure there is some other poor creature the white pelicans abuse there.
Sub
My great grandfather was wounded at Gallipoli. It screwed things up for my great grandmother who had to look after the farm and deal with her kids, who even as old ladies fought with each other.
Fascinating, do you know what regiment he was in or the date of his injury?
No, my mom may know. I’m horrible at remembering anything like that.
In writing a detailed account of my Gr Granddad’s movements before he was killed, I’ve learned a lot about the whole campaign. If you’re interested, and can supply a reg. or date, I might be able to give you some details.
I’ll let you know what I find out. I sent an email to my mom asking. I’m pretty sure he was a sniper. I was always a good shot so I suspect I got my talent from him. Once, at a stupid arcade place we all went to as part of a team building thing for work, I played at a targeting game where you shot a moving target that suddenly appeared. I got all of the targets and quickly. I beat everyone, even the athletic men. I think people were afraid after that. 😀
Rightfully afraid:-). Great way to gain respect! Don’t NObody mess with Diana.
The funny thing was, I beat everyone on a car racing game too. My joke was “shooting & driving, how can I combine these two skills?” 🙂
Move to LA or Chicago?
LOL, Merilee!
So this is what I know from the documentation that my mom has:
Tonge, Frederick Arthur Victor who was born in Melbourne, 1893
regimental number 13/861 & he was with the 6th Hauraki Regiment
He was wounded at Walker’s Ridge in Gallipoli and treated there on July 22, 1915. He had a concussion from shell fire which gave him epilepsy. He was repatriated to NZ via Tahiti.
My mom has his soldier badge — ANZAC Australian Expeditionary Force. He was born in Melbourne but lived in NZ.
Great pictures, and I do not recall seeing flamingos in WEIT before. I have several of the plastic variety in our back yard.
When I sleep more my brain is better able to work out the ideas in “Why Evolution Is True!”
I seem to be someone who needs about 10 hours sleep to not feel sleepy. I find it annoying because there are other things I could be doing besides sleeping.
Today, as yesterday, I woke with a migraine which took the form of face pain down one side. It’s the weather that did it to me. I threatened my neurons with snipping their axons and dendrons but they didn’t care so I just lamented that my facial nerves should stick to allowing expressions and chewing.
I need at least 8 hrs. My bf seems to get away with 5, although he does nod off more than I do.
I envy those people who can sleep very little. It’s probably why I’m such a fan of stimulants like caffeine (my stupid heart puts the brakes on my fun).
Me, too, re: wishing i could get away w less sleep. Caffeine tends to make me jittery without waking me up:-(
Yes, tired but wired.
Exactly.
Sleep is one of the best ways to enjoy life! I love sleeping and taking afternoon naps! And a good sleep means you can enjoy your awake hours even more fully.
My theory, which is mine, is that nobody enjoys sleeping; you can’t, because you’re unconscious! You enjoy the idea of going to sleep, or the feeling of being refreshed after sleep. But you can’t enjoy sleep itself.
I don’t enjoy it because there are better things to do. I think it is no coincidence that Sleep is the brother of Death in Greek mythology because sleep seems to rob you of your life in little nightly increments.
Never forget–the average 9-year-old cat has been awake for only 3 years.
Indeed I don’t enjoy sleeping at all, how can you? I put if off for as long as possible, but I have to do it for 9 hours a night or I will get tired and lethargic. I’d rather be reading, but I have no choice.
Nice Turkish birds.
That is one FAT blue…I mean boo jay.
Wonderful shots, John, and I like your anthropomorphizing! 🙂
Gorgeous Blue Jay capture, Diana! You’ve really nailed some of their remarkable shades of blue/violet.
I think jays are under appreciated for their prettiness. The ones around my place are big mouths, screeching & hollering. They seem to lack stealth. 🙂
About time you indulged in some anthropomorphizing. 😀
And underappreciated due to their commonness, as well; though bring a westerner out here and s/he will be enthralled.
Their behavior is quite interesting as well, which befits a corvid, including a frequently employed ability to mimic other species (esp. hawks) and sounds.
Yes, I heard one mimic a hawk at the feeder once then clean up on the seeds when the other birds beat it out of there. I don’t know of the jay did it on purpose as he had a “where’d everybody go?” look to him. He may have just been amusing himself with the sound.