@QMS

I heard a quote by Henry Ford ...

“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

#2.2

the big heavy flywheels were to carry the crank over to the next fire
not as necessary with the steam machines

"The worst way to deal with failing technology is to transform human beings
into machines"

--Grantham

@dystopian

Was the precip snow or rain? How usual or unusual is lightning in your parts?

Maybe some names like ‘oldsquaw’ should be censored, is a question I asked myself. If its origins are derogatory and from solely the perspective of white males, then I think, yes. Next I thought about how different and more simply descriptive the name would sound when spoken by native american indians originally, and that left a very different impression. I find it a good example to reflect on when considering the act of censorship.

Is there a significant female bird watcher and recorder from the past?

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and observations. They are aways informative and inspiring.

#4.2 #4.2 #4.2 #4.2 #4.2 Hi Janis, good questions!

Sorry had to go last night... we got a couple inches of precip, tons of lightning, some close strikes, raining again now and supposed to for a couple days more.

Where's the red in the redstart, or the blue for that matter in the lazuli ; )

In the old days the scientists were male and misogynist as can be in general. This is reflected in very well in bird names. They are named after adult males. Where is the Red wing on a female Red-winged Blackbird? How about the long tail on a female Long-tailed Duck. Which used to be called Oldsquaw, which is what I know it as, but so was a rare example of a bird being named after the female, and which was allowed apparently because it was derogatory. Now it is Long-tailed Duck. Which I would never describe the female as.

The male Lazuli Bunting is the most beautiful Azure, Cerulean, or ahem, Lazuli. There is the slightest trace of blue edging on the wing and tail flight feathers of the female. Males take two years to get full color in many songbirds, for American Redstarts those yellow areas will be replaced by flaming orange fire, and the rest jet black, what an awesome bird. They flash their wings and tail as they forage about (the start), believed to startle and flush insects, which they then snag with a sally.

SP
In S.D. Co., like all coastal socal, Am. Redstart is mostly a scarce but regular fall vagrant. A few occur in spring, but it is much rarer then. A few winter annually in socal, mostly along the coast. But it is considered an 'eastern warbler', and is a vagrant. Might be one nesting record in the state in far far NE corner of state.

The Lazuli Bunting I think breeds there in S.D. Co. so should be findable. is a fairly common spring and less so in fall migrant. Mostly in foothill type habitats with scattered brush and fields. Often just outside, upland of, riparian zones where Blue Grosbeaks are. A male in the sun is stunning, there is no bird with that color of blue in America. Worth seeing, would recommend, five stars.

edit - buffed and polished wee bits