Thu 29 Dec 2011

Hooded Crane in Tennessee

Posted by sienel under birding
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To test out my new car I headed down to Tennessee a couple weekends ago to see the Hooded Crane that has taken up residence at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge near Chattanooga.

Ended up with some nice pics of the Sandhill Cranes, a mediocre (but recognizable) photo of the Hooded Crane, and a really, really poor (marginally recognizable) photo of an immature Whooping Crane.

Sandhill Crane Hooded Crane Immature Whooping Crane

 

Sun 2 May 2010

Caesar Creek State Park

Posted by sienel under birding , Caesar Creek
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Went chasing after the reported Pacific Loon at Caesar Creek but struck out. I did end up with some really nice views of one of the breeding-plumaged Common Loons that was present though.

In the five hours(!) I was wandering around CC looking for the bird I saw the following (in completely random order):

  1. Canada Goose
  2. Common Loon
  3. Double-crested Cormorant
  4. Tree Swallow
  5. Common Grackle
  6. Brown-headed Cowbird
  7. American Crow
  8. Mourning Dove
  9. Red-winged Blackbird
  10. European Starling
  11. Song Sparrow
  12. Chipping Sparrow
  13. Field Sparrow (heard only)
  14. American Goldfinch
  15. Red-bellied Woodpecker (heard only)
  16. Prothonotary Warbler
  17. Eastern Kingbird
  18. Belted Kingfisher
  19. Great Blue Heron
  20. American Robin
  21. Northern Mockingbird
  22. Brown Thrasher
  23. Eastern Bluebird
  24. Eastern Meadowlark

I also added to my life mammal list with a cute little Deer Mouse. Also picked a not-so-cute little Dog Tick off me.

 

Mon 4 Jan 2010

January movie-viewing (Jan 17)

Posted by sienel under movies
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bold = first-time viewing
italic = repeat viewing
* = theater

Movies

  1. Holiday (1938, George Cukor) – 10/10
  2. Rollerball (1975, Norman Jewison) – 5.5/10
  3. Crazy Love (2007, Dan Klores) – 7/10
  4. Gun Crazy / Deadly is the Female (1950, Joseph H. Lewis) – 7.5/10
  5. Flying Down to Rio (1933, Thornton Freeland) – 6.5/10
  6. Drag Me to Hell (2009, Sam Raimi) – 7/10
  7. Jailhouse Rock (1957, Richard Thorpe) – 6/10
  8. * The Book of Eli (2010, Albert Hughes / Allen Hughes) – 6/10
  9. The Hurt Locker (2009, Kathryn Bigelow) – 7.5/10
  10. * The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009, Terry Gilliam) – 7/10

Shorts

  1. Pigeon: Impossible (2009, Lucas Martell) – 7/10
  2. Statuesque (2009, Neil Gaiman) – 7/10
  3. Alma (2009, Rodrigo Blaas) – 8/10
  4. Bars and Stripes (1937, Joseph Sherman) – 6.5/10

TV
Firefly (2002-2003, Joss Whedon)

  1. 1.1 – Serenity – 8.5/10
  2. 1.2 – The Train Job – 8/10
  3. 1.3 – Bushwhacked – 8/10
  4. 1.4 – Shindig – 8/10
  5. 1.5 – Safe – 7/10
  6. 1.6 – Our Mrs. Reynolds – 8/10
  7. 1.7 – Jaynestown – 8.5/10

The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1986-1988)

  1. 2.4 – The Bruce-Partington Plans – 7/10
 

Thu 31 Dec 2009

December movie-viewing (31 dec 09)

Posted by sienel under movies
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bold = first-time viewing
italic = repeat viewing

Movies

  1. Detour (1945, Edgar G. Ulmer) – 7/10
  2. Cape Fear (1962, J. Lee Thompson) – 7/10
  3. In & Out (1997, Frank Oz) – 7/10
  4. Du rififi chez les hommes / Rififi (1955, Jules Dassin) – 8/10
  5. The Blue Gardenia (1953, Fritz Lang) – 6/10
  6. Orphée / Orpheus (1950, Jean Cocteau) – 8/10
  7. Elf (2003, Jon Favreau) – 7.5/10
  8. Whirlpool (1949, Otto Preminger) – 6.5/10
  9. For All Mankind (1989, Al Reinert) – 7.5/10
  10. Christmas in Connecticut (1945, Peter Godfrey) – 6/10
  11. Un conte de Noël / A Christmas Tale (2008, Arnaud Desplechin) – 8/10
  12. Le samouraï (1967, Jean-Pierre Melville) – 8.5/10
  13. The Last Picture Show (1971, Peter Bogdanovich) – 7/10
  14. Django (1966, Sergio Corbucci) – 7/10
  15. The Accused (1949, William Dieterle) – 6/10
  16. Toy Story 2 (1999, John Lasseter) – 8/10
  17. Tonari no Totoro / My Neighbor Totoro (1988, Hayao Miyazaki) – 8/10
  18. Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950, Otto Preminger) – 8/10
  19. The Singing Revolution (2006, James Tusty / Maureen Castle Tusty) – 7.5/10
  20. Ben-Hur (1959, William Wyler) – 7.5/10
  21. The Trip to Bountiful (1985, Peter Masterson) – 6/10
  22. Prelude to War (1943, Frank Capra / Anatole Litvak) – 6.5/10
  23. Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009, Steve Carr) – 7/10
  24. To Be or Not To Be (1942, Ernst Lubitsch) – 7/10
  25. Up in the Air (2009, Jason Reitman) – 8/10
  26. Black Angel (1946, Roy William Neill) – 5/10
  27. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939, Alfred L. Werker) – 6/10
  28. Meet John Doe (1941, Frank Capra) – 7.5/10
  29. Conflict (1945, Curtis Bernhardt) – 6/10
  30. Christmas in July (1940, Preston Sturges) – 7/10
  31. 42nd Street (1933, Lloyd Bacon) – 7/10
  32. The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944, Preston Sturges) – 8/10
  33. Siu nin Wong Fei Hung ji: Tit Ma Lau / Iron Monkey (1993, Yuen Woo-ping) – 7/10
  34. The Nazis Strike (1943, Frank Capra / Anatole Litvak) – 7/10
  35. Shadow of a Doubt (1943, Alfred Hitchcock) – 9/10
  36. Il mio nome è Nessuno / My Name is Nobody (1973, Tonino Valerii) – 6.5/10
  37. Divide and Conquer (1943, Frank Capra / Anatole Litvak) – 7/10
  38. Calgary Stampede (1948, Saul Elkins) (short) – 6/10
  39. Aventure malgache (1944, Alfred Hitchcock) – 6.5/10
 

Thu 26 Nov 2009

Nov 21-26: North Carolina birdlist

Posted by sienel under birding , North Carolina
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* new for the lifelist

  1. Snow Goose - Pea Island NWR–South Pond NC - 24-Nov-09
  2. Brant - Ocracoke Island–North End NC - 22-Nov-09
  3. Canada Goose - Wright Brothers National Monument NC - 23-Nov-09
  4. Tundra Swan - Pungo Lake – Pocosin Lakes NWR NC - 21-Nov-09
  5. Gadwall - Pea Island NWR NC - 24-Nov-09
  6. American Wigeon - Mattamuskeet NWR NC - 21-Nov-09
  7. American Black Duck - Mattamuskeet NWR NC - 21-Nov-09
  8. Mallard - Ocracoke Island–Silver Lake NC - 22-Nov-09
  9. Blue-winged Teal - Pea Island NWR NC - 24-Nov-09
  10. Northern Shoveler - Bodie Island Lighthouse & Pond NC - 23-Nov-09
  11. Northern Pintail - Pea Island NWR NC - 24-Nov-09
  12. Green-winged Teal - Pea Island NWR–North Pond NC - 25-Nov-09
  13. Bufflehead - Pea Island NWR NC - 24-Nov-09
  14. Hooded Merganser - Pea Island NWR NC - 24-Nov-09
  15. Ruddy Duck - Pea Island NWR NC - 26-Nov-09
  16. Pied-billed Grebe - Pea Island NWR NC - 24-Nov-09
  17. Northern Gannet - Avon, North Carolina NC - 24-Nov-09
  18. American White Pelican - Pea Island NWR NC - 26-Nov-09
  19. Brown Pelican - Ocracoke Island NC - 22-Nov-09
  20. Double-crested Cormorant - Mattamuskeet NWR NC - 21-Nov-09
  21. Great Blue Heron - Pungo Lake – Pocosin Lakes NWR NC - 21-Nov-09
  22. Great Egret - Mattamuskeet NWR NC - 21-Nov-09
  23. Snowy Egret - Bodie Island Lighthouse & Pond NC - 23-Nov-09
  24. Little Blue Heron - Pea Island NWR NC - 24-Nov-09
  25. Tricolored Heron - Bodie Island Lighthouse & Pond NC - 23-Nov-09
  26. Cattle Egret - Ocracoke Island NC - 22-Nov-09
  27. Black-crowned Night-Heron - Pea Island NWR NC - 24-Nov-09
  28. White Ibis - Ocracoke Island–Silver Lake NC - 22-Nov-09
  29. Turkey Vulture - Pungo Lake – Pocosin Lakes NWR NC - 21-Nov-09
  30. Bald Eagle - Mattamuskeet NWR NC - 21-Nov-09
  31. Northern Harrier - Pea Island NWR NC - 24-Nov-09
  32. American Coot - Mattamuskeet NWR NC - 21-Nov-09
  33. American Avocet - Pea Island NWR–North Pond NC - 25-Nov-09
  34. Greater Yellowlegs - Pea Island NWR NC - 24-Nov-09
  35. Willet - Avon, North Carolina NC - 21-Nov-09
  36. * Marbled Godwit - Pea Island NWR–North Pond NC - 25-Nov-09
  37. Ruddy Turnstone - Avon, North Carolina NC - 22-Nov-09
  38. Sanderling - Avon, North Carolina NC - 21-Nov-09
  39. Laughing Gull - Avon, North Carolina NC - 22-Nov-09
  40. Ring-billed Gull - Avon, North Carolina NC - 23-Nov-09
  41. Herring Gull - Ocracoke Island NC - 22-Nov-09
  42. Lesser Black-backed Gull - Avon, North Carolina NC - 23-Nov-09
  43. Great Black-backed Gull - Avon, North Carolina NC - 22-Nov-09
  44. Forster’s Tern - Avon, North Carolina NC - 23-Nov-09
  45. Royal Tern - Avon, North Carolina NC - 23-Nov-09
  46. Mourning Dove - Avon, North Carolina NC - 23-Nov-09
  47. Belted Kingfisher - Mattamuskeet NWR NC - 21-Nov-09
  48. Northern Flicker - Bodie Island Lighthouse & Pond NC - 25-Nov-09
  49. Blue Jay - Nags Head Outer Banks NC - 23-Nov-09
  50. American Crow - Bodie Island Lighthouse & Pond NC - 25-Nov-09
  51. Northern Mockingbird - Ocracoke Island NC - 22-Nov-09
  52. European Starling - Avon, North Carolina NC - 23-Nov-09
  53. Yellow-rumped Warbler - Ocracoke Island–Silver Lake NC - 22-Nov-09
  54. Song Sparrow - Pea Island NWR–North Pond NC - 25-Nov-09
  55. Red-winged Blackbird - Bodie Island Lighthouse & Pond NC - 25-Nov-09
  56. Eastern Meadowlark - Bodie Island Lighthouse & Pond NC - 25-Nov-09
  57. Boat-tailed Grackle - Pea Island NWR–North Pond NC - 25-Nov-09
 

Sat 7 Nov 2009

Noir November (updated Nov 19)

Posted by sienel under movies
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bold = first-time viewing
italic = repeat viewing

Film noir

  1. Where Danger Lies (1950, John Farrow) – 7/10
  2. The Unsuspected (1947, Michael Curtiz) – 6/10
  3. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938, Michael Curtiz) – 8/10
  4. Act of Violence (1948, Fred Zinnemann) – 7.5/10
  5. The Big Heat (1953, Fritz Lang) – 8/10
  6. D.O.A. (1950, Rudolph Maté) – 6/10
  7. Suddenly (1954, Lewis Allen) – 7/10
  8. Born to Kill (1947, Robert Wise) – 8/10
  9. Border Incident (1949, Anthony Mann) – 7.5/10
  10. Thieves’ Highway (1949, Jules Dassin) – 7/10
  11. I Wake Up Screaming (1941, H. Bruce Humberstone) – 7/10
  12. Dead Reckoning (1947, John Cromwell) – 7/10
  13. Clash by Night (1952, Fritz Lang) – 7/10
  14. Berlin Express (1948, Jacques Tourneur) – 6.5/10
  15. Vicki (1953, Harry Horner) – 6/10
  16. Scarface (1932, Howard Hawks) – 7/10
  17. The Racket (1951, John Cromwell) – 7/10
  18. Underworld U.S.A. (1961, Samuel Fuller) – 7.5/10
  19. Undercurrent (1946, Vincente Minnelli) – 6.5/10

Non-noir

  1. I’m All Right Jack (1959, John Boulting) – 7/10
  2. A Night to Remember (1958, Roy Ward Baker) – 7/10
  3. Tillie’s Punctured Romance (1914, Mack Sennett) – 6/10
  4. They Won’t Forget (1937, Mervyn LeRoy) – 6/10
  5. Mon oncle (1958, Jacques Tati) – 7/10
  6. Gigi (1958, Vincente Minnelli) – 6.5/10
  7. Batman & Robin (1997, Joel Schumacher) – 4/10
  8. Thunder Road (1958, Arthur Ripley) – 7/10
  9. Bad Day at Black Rock (1955, John Sturges) – 7/10
  10. Black Christmas (1974, Bob Clark) – 7.5/10
  11. A Serious Man (2009, Joel Coen / Ethan Coen) – 8/10
  12. A Matter of Life and Death (1946, Michael Powell / Emeric Pressburger) – 8/10
  13. Now, Voyager (1942, Irving Rapper) – 8.5/10

Shorts

  1. Jammin’ the Blues (1944, Gjon Mili) – 7.5/10
  2. Thriller (1983, John Landis) – 7.5/10
  3. The Snowman (1982, Dianne Jackson) – 6.5/10
  4. The Sex Life of the Polyp (1928, Thomas Chalmers) – 6/10
  5. President McKinley Taking the Oath (1901) – 6/10
  6. New York the Magnificent (1921, Charles Sheeler / Paul Strand) – 7/10
  7. Let’s All Go to the Lobby (1957) – 8/10
  8. Hindenburg Disaster Newsreel Footage (1937) – 8/10
  9. Gus Visser and His Singing Duck (1925, Theodore Case / Earl I. Sponable) – 6/10
  10. Duck and Cover (1952, Anthony Rizzo) – 6.5/10
  11. Dickson Experimental Sound Film (1894, William K.L. Dickson) – 7/10
  12. Muppet*vision 3-D (1991, Jim Henson) – 7/10
  13. Validation (2007, Kurt Kuenne) – 8/10
  14. Lonesome Lenny (1946, Tex Avery) – 7/10
 

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