FYI: Montana and More..

Let me start with a few links to things of interest. There will be more, on everything from mushrooms to Anonymous Best Guns..

Mary sent this unusually detailed and intelligent report from Montana on the return of the Peregrine. They do make one common error, surprisingly because the rest is so good: PEREGRINES WERE NOT IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION. This is a surprisingly widespread notion, reaching its reductio ad absurdum when local anchorcreature Carla Aragon intoned breathily that there were "only twenty- eight of these beautiful birds left in the world"-- I think that was a misreading of twenty- eight natural pairs west of the Mississippi. Or something. Peregrines were wiped out by pesticides only in North America (and even there the east was hit much worse than the west) and parts of western Europe. As they are found virtually everyplace else on the earth but Antarctica, they were not remotely in danger of "extinction"-- Tom Cade, THE expert, estimated about 28-30,000 PAIRS existed. Great that we have learned something, and great to have them back, but let us not propagate falsehoods. A pet peeve-- harrumph.

Staying with Montana: Derb just visited for the first time, with his whole family, found it good, and had some remarkably perceptive things to say about it. I'd say "for an easterner", but Derb is English- born and has lived in China, even though he now lives near NYC. Is it a natural thing for an educated Englishman to write well about every place he visits, or is it Derb's own viewpoint, interested in everything but cool and realistic? A little of both, I suspect. Also, he is a Thinking Man, as in the adage "the world is a tragedy to the Feeling Man..."

He also has some nice things to say about me. I don't think I am better- traveled than he-- but maybe have beeen in a few stranger places...

Nature and zoological (and travel) bloggery: Pluvialis is still down through her regular links, with her "Fretmarketeers" awaiting tales of Central Asia as we await a monsoon in the desert. But Reid says you can see her photos through his link below.

Darren begins to explain the babirusa, surely one of the most fascinating mammals. More, please! He also has a way of hinting about future posts that can drive one crazy-- again, more! Some fascinating material about hybridization in the comments also.

Carel Brest Van Kempen has been having a productive blog- week and you should read it all. But my favorite must be "Glorious Goatsuckers", especially his Christmas card with goats, goatsuckers, and milk snakes. Lots of good zoology too. And for some artists we both like (not counting Chuck Close) check out "Photography and the Painter Part II: The Photorealists".

Neandertals are of perpetual interest. Good new stuff here. Actully, the surprise is not that our species may (though it is by no means sure) carry a few Neandertal genes, but that we still kept our bloodlines separate. We must have lived very different lives. Hat tip Father Jim.

Glenn Reynolds has a podcast and interview with Rod Dreher of Crunchy Con and Nina Planck, author of Real Food. I haven't even had time this week to listen to it, but as a fan of both writers will recommend it anyway.

Next: what is hunting and what is not?