Sunday Switchup: Black-Crowned Night-Heron?

Posted on August 10, 2014 by Adam Lang

I start my new job tomorrow… everyone wish me luck.

I ran into this fine lady (maybe? Apparently the females are smaller…) when I was visiting Marin’s WildCare Center, where Autumn and I are members. But no, this is not a rescued bird… it is just one who likes to come down and hang out near all the other rescued birds. I’m not sure whether it is being kind and providing company, or whether it is just doing the bird equivalent of saying ‘nyah nyah, I can fly away any time I like and you can’t!’

Black-Crowned Night-Jar Grooming

Identification of this bird took much longer than usual, because I didn’t know the difference between a ‘crest’ and a ‘plume’. You live and learn.

Black-Crowned Night-Jar Showing Off Wing Feathers

They have a very disgruntled expression, don’t they? But lovely storm-cloud feathers.

Black-Crowned Night-Jar Grooming Its Wing And Showing Off Crest

I must have sat and watched this bird for a good five minutes, from about ten feet away.

Black-Crowned Night-Jar Staring at the Camera

A very aggressive stance.

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Caturday Supplement: Kitty!

Posted on August 9, 2014 by Adam Lang

Another kitty from the Mission Dolores Park cat-together.

Woman in Octocat Sweatshirt With Cat In Her Lap

That’s a octo-cat sweatshirt from GitHub. No idea if she works there or just likes GitHub though.

Pretty Grey Cat

Pretty. A tiger tabby, except the stripes are only on the tail.

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Dog of the Day: Bennie the Miniature Australian Shepherd Puppy

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Adam Lang

Autumn’s finally coming home from her summer music tour (well, sort of) tomorrow. Now, tomorrow’s caturday, but Autumn’s more of a dog person, so I’m posting something adorable today in celebration of her return.

Bennie was 5 months old when these pictures were taken. He loved playing with everything he could get his paws, or mouth, on.

Tricolor Miniature Australian Shepherd Puppy with Heterochromia

The opposite of yesterday’s dog… this pup has a blue right eye and a brown left one.

Tricolor Miniature Australian Shepherd Puppy Playing With A Ball

It’s amazing how similar puppies and kittens can be sometimes.

Tricolor Miniature Australian Shepherd Puppy Playing With A Stick And Looking At A Ball

Bennie could not decide between stick and ball. And no matter how hard he tried, his mouth wasn’t big enough for both.

Tricolor Miniature Australian Shepherd Puppy Looking At A Ball

I’m not sure he wouldn’t have stood there all day trying to decide.

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Dog of the Day: Siberian Husky Mix

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Adam Lang

Not sure about this pup… he looks an awful lot like Betty, but he’s got one blue eye and… I just feel like there has to be some husky in there. I don’t know what else though.

Black With Tan Points Husky Mix With Heterochromia

The light isn’t quite right… the left eye is a really pretty light blue.

Black With Tan Points Husky Mix

Not sure why I like this picture, but I do.

Black With Tan Points Husky Mix

Could he be a husky/kelpie? Man, this is a tough one.

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Dog of the Day: Saint Bernard Mix

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Adam Lang

I ran into this pup a month ago, and took some pictures. And then I ran into him again today, and thought, “I should post those pictures!” And then I came home and found out that none of them came out terribly well. So I’ll post a couple of okay ones and keep my eye out for him again.

Because he really is something. When I saw him I stood up and said, “Is that a… Saint Bernard/Cocker spaniel mix? I… how?’ Well, it turns out that people are out there trying to breed miniature Saint Bernards, and that among the crosses they’re using (probably artificially inseminated) Cocker spaniels. The mind boggles.

Awfully sweet pup, though.

Saint Bernard Mix

I think he is still less than a year old, but he’s not going to get any taller than this. (Remarkable tail, huh?)

Saint Bernard Mix

These three all got along great, although our dog of the day did indulge in a little attempted humping activity.

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Dog of the Day: Cei the Leonberger

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Adam Lang

Posting is going to be sparse(r than usual) for the next week or so… I’m changing jobs, and trying to wrap up my old job in some semblance of order and get organized for my new one and actually get some sleep (FAILING to get ANY sleep… I am nervous and excited to the point of distraction) and so minimal posts are called for.

That said, I do have to at least give Cei’s story: he is a seven-year-old Leonberger (in great shape!) His mom said that his name meant ‘Faithful Companion’ in Gaelic, but I did a little digging and, well, pretty close: it’s actually the name Kay, as written in Welsh. Sir Kay was the faithful companion of King Arthur in some of the earliest Arthurian legends (he kind of ended up being a bit of an ass in the later ones), and is a prominent hero in the Mabinogi of Culhwch ac Olwen. (Can anyone tell I liked Arthurian legends when I was a kid?)

Cei is a vital employee  at a company called ‘Hired.com’, as displayed in their employees list (look under ‘Office Happiness Coordinator’). They’re kind of a neat company (though no, I didn’t get my new job through them) and are well worth a look if you’re in a computer profession and are looking for a job. Plus they have an AWESOME Office Happiness Coordinator.

Leonberger Lying Down

Cai takes his duties seriously. When I was visiting their HQ I saw more or less everyone who walked by him get at least one kiss.

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Sunday Switchup: Moth

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Adam Lang

I know we have several birders in the audience. I wonder if we have any… um…

…well, if someone who knows a lot about and likes birds is a birder, then I wonder what one would call someone who knows a lot about and likes bugs?

Anyway, I have no idea what kind of moth this is, but it was quite pretty. Also quite dead.

Some Kind Of Moth, I Don't Know, What?

Maybe I should have saved this for moth-er’s day?

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Caturday Supplement: Cat in Mission Dolores Park

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Adam Lang

There was a cat gathering today at Mission Dolores Park. I know, I know, I should have posted about it here before going to it. In my defense, it has been a very busy and exhausting few weeks… I’m about to start a new job, and dealing with the fallout of my medical issues from a few weeks ago (and my insurance company is making it has hard as possible).

So instead, I’m going to be posting some pictures of cute kitties from the event over the next few Caturdays, so you can enjoy it vicariously.

Tiger Tabby Cat

Most of the cats were actually having a surprisingly good time.

Tiger Tabby Cat

One of those confusing cat postures, because it looks sort of angry but it’s not. Ears forward means ‘I’m not upset’ and eyes mostly closed means ‘I don’t feel like I have to be really careful and watchful around you’. This cat was, in fact, soliciting scritches, which she got soon afterwards.

Tiger Tabby Face

The little pink nose!

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Dog of the Day: Cody the (Laundry Dog) Golden Retriever

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Adam Lang

Cody is all grown up now, and he likes to perch on top of the washing machines in the laundromat and wag at people as they walk by. He figured out how to get up there all by himself. It is totally adorable, and (since he only comes by when his dad comes in to shut the place down at 11 at night) really hard to get any good pictures of.

Golden Retriever Sitting Atop An Industrial Washing Machine

Everyone who walks by this laundromat at 11 at night stops to say hello to Cody. Most people squeal, too.

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Dog of the Day: Watson the 5-Month-Old Miniature Schnauzer

Posted on July 30, 2014 by Adam Lang

It’s another Watson! And I would not like to pit the two Watsons against one another in a cuteness contest, because I think the collateral damage would be terrible.

Miniature Schnauzer Puppy Smiling

It constantly amazes me that some people can’t read dog expressions, but do fine with human ones. I mean, look at that face. How could you not know that’s a happy face?

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