hello everyone,

today's mystery bird is mostly a "gimme" but i include it because the image and the bird are both really gorgeous, and seem appropriate somehow, considering that Autumn seems to have descended upon NY as if a light switch had been flipped;

http://bit.ly/9V2Jb

the most recently demystified mystery bird (which generated a fair amount of discussion) was a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Empidonax flaviventris, thanks to photographer, Joseph kennedy;

http://bit.ly/e4yrK

for those of you who wish to live lightly on the earth, you might be interested to know that today is "Earth Overshoot Day". This is the day when humanity begins placing more demands on the planet's resources -- from filtering CO2 to producing food, fiber and timber -- than the planet can provide in one year. If you would like to calculate your carbon footprint and compare it to what it might be in if you lived in other developed countries and compare it to other people's footprints, you can go here;

http://bit.ly/6zpHj

after calculating your footprint, you might need something to make you smile, so i include this amazing story about the rediscovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker;

http://j.mp/4knqdG

here is a fascinating video about the newest display at AMNH: a textile made from the silk of more than one million spiders;

http://bit.ly/ScYx7

almost makes you want to live in NYC so you can jump on the train and go see it, huh?

happy recycling,

GrrlScientist
http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/
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Roosting high up a tree somewhere in Central Park, NYC