-
Two Hawks on the Fence Flinch at Mobbing Little Birds
We got sort of a comedy show by what we suspect are a couple of young Red-tail hawks on our neighbor’s fence. They looked a little clumsy, like they’re still getting used to their wings. We’re not sure why they were pecking at the ground. And for a couple of seconds they got dive-bombed by…
-
James Alan McPherson Park Update
This being National Park and Recreation Month, I was looking for whether or not a memorial plaque has been dedicated and placed yet at James Alan McPherson Park in Iowa City. The issue of the plaque has been up in the air for years. I remember it being discussed at the dedication of the park…
-
The Hawk is a Head Bobber
The interesting thing about the Red-tail hawk in the video we got was that it bobbed and tilted its head a lot. It just looked really odd. So, I looked on the web to find out why it does that. It turns out that a hawk’s eyes are fixed in its skull, so in order…
-
Kickball Event Cancelled Due to Extreme Heat!
Great news! The University of Iowa Psychiatry Dept. annual kickball event has been cancelled because of the extreme heat warning! Now, about that annual cribbage challenge…
-
Extreme Heat Warning!
The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning through Wednesday. Temperatures will be in the 90s with heat indices of 105-110 degrees. Do not play kickball. Play matball instead in an air-conditioned gym. Thank you for your time.
-
Are These Hawks Talking?
We saw these two Red-tail hawks sitting together at the top of a tree in the outlot past our backyard. They seemed like they were somehow talking either to or at each other. We couldn’t tell whether it was a male and a female or not. But it didn’t look like they were having a…
-
Little Miracles in Nature
We got out to Terry Trueblood Recreation Area and Sand Lake looked like it rose a little. We saw a bald eagle and lots of flowers, bumblebees, and a whole line of bicyclists smiling on their way by on the trail. It was overcast which helped keep the heat down, at least for a while.…
-
Heat Forecast for Annual U of Iowa Psychiatry Dept Kickball-Play Cribbage Instead!
OK, a reminder that the University of Iowa Psychiatry Dept. Annual Kickball game is on for this coming Monday, June 29 and the heat forecast from the National Weather Service is for temperatures to be in the 90s with heat indices in the 100s. The announcement about the kickball game is: “What: Psychiatry department annual…
-
Reblog of “New Namesake for Johnson County”
My blog post entitled “New Namesake for Johnson County” on this date in 2021 is reblogged below. The name of Johnson County had originally been named for a slaveholder. That was changed on June 24, 2021 when it was renamed in honor of Dr. Lulu Merle Johnson, a distinguished African American scholar.
-
Guess Who Came to Dinner?
Sena noticed a Red-tailed hawk feasting on something this morning. It’s pretty different from yesterday, I can tell you. At first, I thought it was a squirrel. Sena made a better identification. See if you can guess. This hawk knew what it was doing and it looked hungry. It also peered all around and up,…
