Dec 20-07

Past-E-Mail: Cam Notes - 2007: December: Dec 20-07
Feeding time    ...scroll down to share comments
Photos by Rick Baetsen
Red phased Grouse    ...scroll down to share comments
Photos by Rick Baetsen
My what big feet you have    ...scroll down to share comments
Photos by Rick Baetsen


By
Mary Drew at Pasty Central (Mdrew) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 06:59 am:

Let's step back into the archives to March 1, 2007, then jump ahead to September 8, 2007. Both of these dates have something in common with today's photos. They feature a Partridge (otherwise known as a Grouse). The first two dates, the bird was photographed by George Beveridge, out in Bootjack, but today's photos were sent in by Rick Baetsen, who contacted George after seeing his photos on the Pasty Cam. Rick is an avid photographer of the variations of Grouse and is compiling shots in different seasons, for a future publication. In today's trio, he captured George luring the partridge in closer with the promise of a treat. Then Rick was the one who got in close for the second picture. So close, that if a partridge had whites in his eyes, you'd be seeing them for sure on this guy. The third shot shows the detail of the foot, which Rick explains is called the pectinations that these birds grow as winter approaches. These comb-like growths act as snowshoes that help keep the bird on top the snow's surface. Then when spring comes and the warm weather melts the snow pack, they lose these pectinations. The pictures have some great detail, but also quite fascinating is the way George Beveridge seems to be able to get these birds to come in so close all the time, perhaps he's a "Partridge Whisperer" of sorts. :->


By Janie T. (Bobbysgirl) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 07:15 am:

These are all fantastic pictures!


By k j (Kathiscc) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 07:36 am:

Anyone hear from the Deb's?


By Alex "UP-Goldwinger" (Alex) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 07:53 am:

The Birdman of Bootjack!


By Rose Beveridge (Rbeveridge) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 08:13 am:

Dad, Nice pictures of pretty bird. Watch out if he gets mad. He may scratch you.


By Cindy Pihlaja Russell (Gone2long) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 08:19 am:

I guess this time of year in the UP it would be a Partridge in a Bare Tree.


By Mr. Bill (Mrbill) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 09:04 am:

re: UP road-runners ~

They're so tame, they should be illegal to hunt, except with a stick.


By Gordon Jelsma (Gjelsma) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 09:16 am:

Pectinations eh!? Great pictures and an education as a bonus. What a great sight.


By Gordon Jelsma (Gjelsma) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 09:16 am:

Woops. I mean site.


By Jacobsville (Barb) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 09:29 am:

Speaking of the Bootjack, I have a question for anybody who might
know...

Recently, I took this photo while traveling along the Bootjack.
There is a crane with a Christmas tree on top of it. But why are
Santa and his reindeer upside down along the bottom side of the
crane arm, instead of on the top?

Enquiring minds want to know!
TreeOnCrane2007


By Peter Osmar (Pcosmar) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 09:52 am:

"Enquiring minds want to know!"

Loop de Loop.

Pull up Rudolph!!


By Ken Scheibach (Kscheibach) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 10:07 am:

Rick Baetsen is a Biologist/Photographer with a very beautiful website.

http://www.rickbaetsen.com/bio.html


By Joe Masterson (Joem) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 10:14 am:

The picture of the tree and santa and reimdeer is not a crane, It is a boom lift used to raise people to work at heights. It has an articulated boom with a caged platform on the end.


By Kathyrn Laughlin (Kathyl) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 10:33 am:

Hi
Cindy/Gone2long's post reminded me of a version of the Twelve Days of Christmas that was done by a couple of comedians pretending to be Canadian backwoodsmen (The Mackenzie Brothers). It has a kind of a UP feel:

"Four pounds of backbacon,
three French toasts,
two turtlenecks and
a beer in a tree"

This'll be my last post til after Christmas, so Merry Christmas everybody.


By Richard Johnson (Dick_fl) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 10:42 am:

How about the Florida version of the 12 Days of Christmas that has a "parson on a par three" ;-)


By Gary W. Long (Gary_in_co) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 11:39 am:

re: Santa and reindeer upside down. It may have to do with gravity. It might be easier for them to hang rather than to place them upright and try to keep them from falling over with wind, snow, etc. where they would ultimately end up upside down anyway.


By Gary W. Long (Gary_in_co) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 11:45 am:

Another thought on upside down Santa: Maybe that is a depiction of the "other" santa, the Australian/South Pole Santa, who was blown off course all the way to the northern hemisphere?


By Dale Beitz (Dbeitz) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 12:08 pm:

Re: Cindy (gone2long)'s post about the partridge in the bare tree. One time I was in a typical "tourist trap" roadside store and saw something that nearly had me rolling on the floor with laughter. Someone trimmed a six inch section of a small tree branch, glued it to a small wooden base, and hung an empty .22 shell casing from the tip. It was labelled a "cartridge in a bare tree".


By Brooke (Lovethekeweenaw) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 12:30 pm:

Santas going bungee jumping.


By Russell E. Emmons (Russemmons) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 02:26 pm:

Rick Baetsen is also a regular contributor and member of www.northbirding.com where you can often find myself among others posting there!


By Rose Beveridge (Rbeveridge) on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 03:39 pm:

Jacobsville Barb, The wind kept blowing Santa and the reindeer over, so we kept them that way. All the kids ask questions when we see them. They love it. Santa is close to being under the tree to deliver his presents. Talk to Santa from Rabbit Bay and he said that he needs to be turned upright because he is getting dizzy hanging upside down. Have a nice Holiday.


By Pete Wilberding (Peshtigopete) on Friday, December 21, 2007 - 11:08 am:

I was skiing from Lake Linden to Copper City via the tracks one night and somewhere between Mayflower and Copper City I skied right accross a partridge sleeping in the snow. It took off with the usual thump thump thump. My heart must have been going 200 beats and my knees were like jelly.


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