Upon first seeing the above image from the glass plate negatives in the Bell Museum collection, I was stunned. Dozens of dead birds stacked upon each other in a giant pile. The caption for this photograph reads, “Lapland Longspur,…
I wonder if it is harder to win a staring contest if you have more than two eyelids that you have to keep from blinking? Though humans don’t have that trouble, reptiles, birds, fish, and some mammals (ex: camels, polar…
Ever since it was established as part of the Geological and Natural History Survey in 1872, the University of Minnesota’s natural history museum has provided instruction to citizens throughout the state to promote understanding and appreciation of our natural world….
Rose-breasted Grosbeak feeding young, Long Meadow Gun Club, June 8, 1900 (click on the image for a larger version)…
Inspired by the novelty of a new digital camera – and surely by the bird images that frequent the Exploring blog – a friend shared photographs taken on a recent excursion down the Mississippi River near Lake City, Minnesota. (Thanks…
A comprehensive study of ornithology considers not only the bird as subject, but also attempts to understand bird behaviors and environment. This includes the nest – structure and composition, as well as the eggs – pattern, size, quantity, etc. Thomas…
In the Annals of the Museum of Natural History 1872-1939, Thomas Sadler Roberts, museum director, listed the following entry for January 20, 1928 on a detailed timeline of museum activities and milestones: An original double elephant folio edition of John…
I wonder what this adult Black-capped Chickadee (on the far right) did to incite such emotion in two of the younger chickadees pictured here? Maybe it’s time for lunch? (click on the image for a larger view) – Black-capped Chickadees,…
One of my favorite shows is Portlandia, an IFC original comedy created by Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen. The show is comprised of a series of sketches that light-heartedly satirize the city of Portland, Oregon (with similarities witnessed to that…
In past blog posts we have shared the extreme measures that T.S. Roberts and his bird observation companions took in order to achieve their desired “shots” of the birds they were studying. Prior to becoming curator of the Zoological Museum…