#gull records

[plus-low-overthrow]

Isotope - Retracing My Steps (Gull)

1974.

[themetalyears]

Judas Priest - Sad Wings Of Destiny - 1976

Superb early album from Judas Priest, at times sounding like Queen, at times like proto-Doom. Great stuff, and the thing my youth was made of - I had all the Judas Priest albums up and including “Screaming For Vengeance” on cassette for my Walkman.

[mymelodic-chapel]

Judas Priest- Rocka Rolla (Hard Rock) Released: September 6, 1974 [Gull Records] Producer(s): Rodger Bain

[liquidstar]

This is such a tangent btw but on the topic of guilt tripping and reblogs... I remember a few years back there were some terrible fires in Greece (and again this year, entire island villages are gone now) and at that time I had family who were caught in them. I can't describe the desperation I felt with these horrible things happening to my family and loved ones in my country. And I remember being frustrated and desperate with how no one around me in America really seemed to give a shit. I remember blogging asking people to PLEASE care please share something please reblog this link for mutual aid please think about the stories and fires etc etc etc. And the thing is I was very much in a state of grief myself, maybe not every word or action was perfectly reasonable, because I don't realistically expect everyone everywhere to care about every tragedy in the world. You can't. Emotionally it's just not possible, especially with all the stuff going on in the states rn too. Yeah it's a lot. It's not like I blog about every tragedy that ever happens either. I understand.

HOWEVER what I also remember was at this time there were a couple mutuals very clearly making vagueposts along the lines of "remember not everyone has the energy to care about everything in the world uwu" while I was posting about family who died and family who were drifting in the ocean for hours as their homes and loved ones burned. Listen. You have to understand sometimes that when a person in grief and frustration with things going on in their countries and communities impacts them very personally beg you to care... It's coming from a place of needing to see that care in the world in general. They're not holding a gun to your head Specifically saying you have to reblog the posts, if you don't have the energy just ignore it.

You don't have to go out of your way saying "um actually I can't care about the horrible stuff you and your family and your country are experiencing rn. I'm too busy focusing on my own stuff so can you be quiet or more reasonable with your grief thanks." Like. Just keep it to yourself then??? Have some fucking sympathy for other people and understand that maybe it's not always logical. The same way you don't have the emotional energy to think about every tragedy in the world, people who've been impacted by them often don't have the emotional energy to handle that alone and may seek somekinda community or solidarity. Idk. It's not about forcing shit on you sometimes it's not about you

[plumes-merry-critters]

Crow keeping an eye on their surroundings

[foundsoundsart]

Blackpool at 07:00

Blackpool

[andthebubbles]

boxing day sales suck compared to black friday sales...

anyway, got me the second pair of maxtrax, this time in pink because for once the non-orange colours are cheaper than the orange ones. i already have a pair of orange ones. i think pink and orange will go together nicely! (i would’ve gotten red if supercheap auto sold red, but they don’t, so yeah.)

also got a tyre repair kit. 

aaaaaaaand then i started considering the maxtrax rear wheel harness, but it’s not massively on sale anywhere so i was like, nah... it can wait... bc idek if i want the maxtrax on the back of the tyre or maybe on the roof rack (for now)

speaking of roof racks, i’m still not sure which one to get, but only rhino rack has a small sale so i’m just, whatever

emailed tracklander asking if their 1650mm ladder can be attached to a rhino rack or a frontrunner rack lololol, i mean the tracklander roof racks are UGLY

am considering the garmin overlander, but i swear the black friday sales were better for that... i didn’t write down anywhere the cheapest price i saw though, so i can’t be sure

no sale on travel buddies

no sale on ERP or sound deadening either, so i will just bite soon for both, because i really need the car to stop deafening me at 100kmh, and to do that i need sound deadening, but i don’t think i can put sound deadening on until after i’ve done the ERP (electronic rust proofing)--unless someone would like to correct me.

anyway, yeah! that’s kinda what i looked at.

[shadowwolfsage]

How rough was it for Nora to adjust not being on the same team as Ren?

Ren: (sitting in the library, enjoying the peace) I wonder how Jaune is handling Nora's, Nora-ness?

Nora: (rushing up to him) RENNY! Guess what?

Ren: (releases a small sigh before giving Nora his gull attention) what's happened?

Nora: So Jaune-Jaune was doing a project for Mr. Ooobleck.

In the distance: DOCTOR!

Nora: And it turns out I'm part bear faunus! Isn't that amazing?!

Ren: oh that. I already figured.

Nora: wait what? How?

Ren: (counting on his fingers) you have an almost instinctive hunger for honey, and salmon. You have the typical biting habits of faunus descendants. You sleep insanely deeply during the winter to the point its almost worrying. Aaand, its part of your medical records which I, as your pseudo-brother, and the responsible one between us, always handled.

Nora: D'awww. Party pooper

Ren: So how has your team been treating you?

Nora: OMG they're the best! Jaune likes to listen to my stories, Yang is an amazing workout buddy, and Ruby is always down to go on little adventures. Plus we all get to cuddle at night like one big sleepover. Why?

Ren: (resisting the urge to test howmany bullets it'd take to break Jaune's aura after remembering all the bite marks he saw on him earlier) No reason, just worried since this is our first time being apart like this.

Nora: (blissfully unaware) thanks for always looking out for me, Renny

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

The State Birds Initiative: Delaware (#1)

Welcome to the first official poll of the State Birds Initiative! Now, before the poll, one thing real quick. My suggestion is that you read the post below before voting in the poll below. That's especially important if you're lacking any context about the birds being presented as the new (or old) State Bird of the First State, Delaware. This is to be fully informed as to why these are being presented, and to make your choices appropriately. Lastly, some of these birds, you will notice, go against some of the rules listed in the introduction post. All is explained after the jump where the explanations are, I promise you that. But with that...OK! Here's the poll!

More details after the jump!

Welcome to Delaware, the First State!

Admitted into the Union in 1787 as the first state of this country, Delaware is the nation's second smallest, giving it the additional nickname "the Small Wonder"! Its capital is Dover, its most populous city if Wilmington (pictured above), and it's best known for its proximity to the Delaware River and the Delaware Bay, which it's actually named after. This does mean that Delaware Bay, for various reasons, will be one of the most important features of this post, since the wildlife that gathers around it is pretty ubiquitous in the state.

But OK, enough grade-school reporting of basic state statistics. What's Joe Biden's home state actually like, from the view of the citizens? On reddit, a user named hajisaurus said that Delaware is like a small town, but as an entire state. Compact, but eventful and familiar. Another user, raycooke, referred to it as the US condensed into miniature, with business in the north, beaches in the south and east, and farms in the middle. But the general vibe, it seems, is "familiar". Not overly friendly, but definitely close enough to be familiar. Also...the Bobbie.

God, that's a good looking sandwich. Invented in Delaware? Hell yeah. Anyway, off of turkey and onto birds. Personally, what all this says to me is that the chosen State Bird should be an easy-to-find sight, found throughout most of the state, and familiar to Delawareans in general. Something common but uniquely Delawarean would be great. In terms of habitat, water-bound seems appropriate, especially looking at beaches and estuaries. Again, the entire eastern border of the state touches the Delaware River or Bay, meaning water is somewhat important to the state (as is seafood).

Now, those Delawareans amongst us may have different opinions of what makes Delaware Delaware, and what represents its people most accurately. Which...yeah, I'm not from there, and I've only been there twice, and that's because I drove through it. Maybe went to one rest stop near Dover. And for the record, SOLID-ass rest stops in Delaware along the highway, just saying. Great job there, Delaware. But, yeah, PLEASE tell me if there's something else to take into account. And that goes for ALL of the states in this series, by the way. I can't claim to be an expert in any way here, so please call me on my bullshit if you feel that you have to. But, with that said, let's talk about what I do know: birds.

Red Knot (Calidris canutus)

For many of you, especially the bird-inclined amongst us, this was always going to be the obvious answer to this question. The Red Knot is an iconic Delaware bird for birdwatchers, as they're attracted to the state in MASSIVE numbers during migratory seasons. It's one of the most important and famous migrations in the country, and the flocks of Red Knots and other shorebirds are the main attraction. Why? Easy answer: the Atlantic Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus).

Delaware Bay is the site of the horseshoe crab's largest migration in the USA. This isn't the only place in the country they're found, but it's DEFINITELY the largest population of the species by a SIGHT. And speaking of iconic species, the horseshoe crab certainly fits the bill as a charismatic species of conservation concern. Which is why it may be curious that I'm highlighting the Red Knot, since they, y'know...EAT horseshoe crab eggs, alongside other birds in the great Atlantic seaboard migration. But that's actually why horseshoe crabs are so important.

Red Knots, amongst other shorebirds, depend on the horsehoe crabs for food, as these stopovers in Delaware Bay allow them to continue with their journey. Without the horseshoe crabs of Delaware, their life wouldn't be possible, and certainly not in the massive numbers found during migration. Understand, this is a threatened species, especially in the United States, that gathers in Delaware Bay in the thousands, with 2022 numbers being about 39,800 in a population. That's HUGE. The Red Knot is a symbol of this ecological boom, and both species should be celebrated. That's the reason the Red Knot is often given as the answer to this question of State Bird of Delaware, including by the Lab of Ornithology's article posted last year. Plus, it's got an iconic appearance, it's easy to find, and it tells a great story (which also includes a migratory distance of ~9,000 miles, which is crazy). Perfect, right?

...It doesn't breed in Delaware. It actually doesn't even breed in the United States. No, the Red Knot breeds in Nunavut and Greenland, above the limits of the Arctic Circle. I meant it when I said the Red Knot used Delaware as a stopover site. As such, it's an event when they arrive in Delaware twice a year...but they do leave. Pretty quickly, even. So, sure, the Red Knot is a great candidate for a number of reasons, but...is it OK if it doesn't actually breed in the state? I'd argue for it, since Delaware is is highest abundance of the species during migration in the country, and it's iconic in that way in particular. But I'll leave that as a question for you all to decide.

Let's go on to the next one, shall we?

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)

OK, this one might be cheating a bit, since the bird in question is found basically...well, everywhere. It's definitely not native to Delaware alone, and doesn't even breed there. So why even include this bird in the running? Easy answer: it's in the name. It's the only bird species in the world with the state of Delaware in its scientific name. However, this is also cheating, since the name actually refers to the Delaware River, not the state itself. That's because the bird was first described and discovered along the river, which flows from New York, through New Jersey and Pennsylvania, until ending in Delaware and the Delaware Bay. And yeah...technically that was in New Jersey. BUT STILL! Only bird with Delaware in the name, just sayin'. And after all, if the Red Knot can be considered despite not breeding in the state, then...what about the Ring-billed Gull? Or...maybe I'll save this one for New Jersey.

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

OK, this one I'm actually a bit enthusiastic about, partially because I love raptors, and I especially love this raptor. The American Kestrel is a small falcon, and is in fact the smallest falcon (and raptor) in North America. About the size of a mourning dove, they're pint-sized predators, specializing on insects, rodents, lizards, and the occasional sparrow or songbird. They're also versatile, living all over the USA in various habitats. And that, of course, includes Delaware. This is a breeding species in the state, so it already has that above the other two previously discussed! And to top it all off...it's literally a small wonder. Come on, man! This is perfect! A scrappy falcon that's literally red, white, and grayish-blue!

But, OK, if it's common all over, why specifically Delaware? Because it's actually threatened in Delaware, fun fact. This is prominent enough to have inspired the Brandywine Zoo to work with the American Kestrel Partnership (part of The Peregrine Fund, who we'll discuss again on another day or five), and start the Delaware Kestrel Partnership, which monitors kestrel populations in the state. The species' population has decreased by 88% in Delaware and surrounding states in the last 50 years, which is...dramatic. It's a species that desperately needs saving and attention, and work in Delaware can be applied in the kestrel's entire range. Look, I beg you to check this out, because it's a fascinating set of projects. And honestly, this alone would have me include the American Kestrel on this list. Plus...that would also make this the first raptor to become a state bird.

Yeah. Take a look. NO raptors amongst the State Birds. Insane.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Now, this one seems out of nowhere, but hear me out. For whatever reason, the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) seems to be completely ignored as a state bird across the entire country, despite it being one of the MOST iconic birds in the United States. I mean, come on, almost all of us have seen a GBH at some point in our lives, especially if we live near water. But why suggest it for Delaware specifically, then? Well, the herons breed in Delaware, so that's checked off. They're found in the state year-round, making them easy to access and identify with. They're definitely iconic in appearance. They highlight the marshlands and wetlands of Delaware as an important ecosystem of concern. And...uh...

Look, I'll be straight with you. "Blue Heron" is the closest I could get to...another set of words associated with Delaware and birds. Because honestly, it's genuinely somewhat difficult to separate Delaware from those two words, and this would be a fairly minor change that would allow the use of that term with little fuss! And honestly, the Great Blue Heron isn't the worst choice in the world for Delaware, even if it admittedly barely breeds in the state compared to others. And...like...oh, goddammit, fine, let's get this over with.

Delaware Blue Hen (Gallus domesticus)

Delaware. Look at me. Why...in the blue HELL...did you choose a goddamn chicken as your state bird? I mean, for God's sake, it's not a wild bird, and even if it is a breed developed in the state, IT IS A CHICKEN! What possible reason could there be to choose this bird over all the other possible birds? And look, I like chickens as much as the next guy. Used to raise and keep them as a kid, so I do love them, but this just feels wrong. But OK, let's make the argument for them by looking at Delaware's original argument.

So, from basic cursory research, the Delaware Blue Hen dates back to the Revolutionary War. Apparently, one of the regiments of the American army raised fighting game chickens that were so well-known, the regiment itself became known as the "Blue Hens". It's also possible that the leader of this regiment, Jonathan Caldwell, had a special blue hen that had blue offspring, and the men in the regiment also took to calling themselves "Sons of the Blue Hen." Which means...shit. That means the Blue Hen actually has cultural relevancy specific to the state of Delaware. Damn, that's actually a good argument for their assignment. But with that said...there actually is a problem here.

The Delaware Blue Hen doesn't technically exist.

Yeah, this isn't actually a recognized breed of chicken, despite the INSANE amount of devotion Delawareans have for it. I mean, military regiments, sports teams, even the unofficial nickname for the state is named after the Blue Hen, and it's technically not a real chicken breed. Instead, they're actually American Game hens that are crossed with Andalusian Blue hens to get that iconic coloration, but they're not actually an isolated breed.

So...what does this mean? Because this is genuinely a problem, right? Delaware's state bird doesn't actually exist, AND it's a chicken. Well...I have a proposition for you, Delaware. Because I do recognize the fact that the Blue Hen seems to mean a lot to you, both now and historically. So, if that's the case, we need to recontextualize this guy in a couple of ways. So, here's my proposition...

Make the Delaware Blue Hen the State Game Bird.

Haven't brought this up yet, but some states have what's called a "state game bird" alongside the actual state bird. Game birds, by the classical and nonscientific definition, are members of the Galliformes and Anseriformes that are associated with hunting and food. And technically...the chicken counts. Yeah, Delaware easily could ratify the Delaware Blue Hen into service as the State Game Bird, which makes even more sense when you consider its role AS A SPORTS MASCOT! See what I mean? But that's not the end of it.

You'll also have to find some way to get the hen recognized as an independent breed. I have NO idea what the process is for that (I guess this is the pathway to do it?), but it's probably gonna take a bunch of breeders and number of years to turn this into a defined breed. Hell, as it stands, not every chicken hatched to a Blue Hen is even blue. So, hey, get on it, Delawarean chicken breeders! Make you state proud!

And that's the information on the candidates for the Delaware State Bird! Will the Delaware maintain its place? Will the Red Knot take it, despite the controversy surrounding the choice? Will my bullshit proposal for the Great Blue Heron actually resonate with some people? Up to Tumblr!

As for the next state, it's time to hop next door to Pennsylvania, and to a State Bird that also technically doesn't exist...for a somewhat different reason. And yes, for the record, I know the below GIF is technically the wrong species, BUT MY CHOICES IN GIFS ARE FEW

See you soon, and happy birding!

[mjrtaurus]

My idea for some Crocodile's backstory until Oda spills the tea

A bastard child of Rocks D. Xebec, one of many, but the only to survive.

Afab, but knew he was a boy since he was in his single digits. His father was indifferent to this and everything else about him.

"Discovered" his name when he bit the ever-loving shit out of somebody who was fucking around and found out.

Inherited Xebec's horror of a temper and weaponized it as a self-defense mechanism. This got him into a lot of trouble later in life.

Was adopted by Whitebeard when Xebec was executed. He later took the mark on the back of his left hand, once the "family" was more well established.

Immediately had beef with Marco due to being under the assumption that the Phoenix was dad's new favorite.

Teach egged this rivalry on from the shadows, knowing damn well that if the two worked together, they would sniff his treacherous ass out in record time.

When their devil fruits were found and eaten, Crocodile was deeply jealous of Marco's newfound power.

What began as a brotherly quarrel spilled over into an actual, serious, life or death fight that Whitebeard had to intervene in.

This intervention ended with a nasty cut across Crocodile's face, and Marco dumbfounded by the attempt on his life.

Crocodile was marooned at the next port, his destructive temper deemed a danger to his brothers and sisters.

The whitebeard pirates mourned the loss, hitting Marco and Whitebeard the deepest.

Crocodile- betrayed and alone for the first time in his life- renounced his family by getting good and drunk, cutting of his marked left hand, and vowing to kill Whitebeard.

Set about learning to master his abilities, and- bitterly- how to keep a tighter grip on his anger.

By his late teens, he was leading a small but deadly efficient crew that only grew and grew with time until he gained the title of Warlord.

With this ego boost, he took his flagship- the Sobekneferu- to launch a swift and silent surprise attack on the Moby Dick under a dense fog, intent on catching Whitebeard unawares.

This attack went about as well as one could imagine. The fog covered them well, but not well enough to evade the eyes of one particular phoenix..

What the fog did do was delay Whitebeard's realization of who was attacking him until the Sobekneferu and the crew that manned her were all but destroyed.

Crocodile was the only survivor, presumed dead and adrift at sea, watching the gulls and the sea kings pick at the corpses of his found family, new and old.

He was saved days later by a passing Revolutionary ship that was scouring the wreck for anything that could be used or repurposed.

He was thought dead at first, until he lashed out at the Revolutionary who attempted to move his body.

They took him in, sick and starving and with his spirit all but broken, and he ran with them for about a year before he was ready to move on.

In that span of time, he met a man named Dragon, and bullied him ruthlessly for his impossible goals. Unfortunately for Crocodile, Dragon found this sour attitude to be quite charming.

It wasn't quite a relationship, though not for lack of wanting it to be. Times were too dangerous. The two couldn't even give each other their full names out of the need for caution, let alone be seen together outside of work related things...

It was Dragon who eventually introduced Crocodile to Ivankov, and the two were soon discussing the ins and outs of a full transition. This was put on hold when, one evening, it was discovered that a particularly nasty bout of cramps were actually the beginnings of labor pains.

No one knew who the father of this unexpected child was, save for him and Dragon, and that was for the best. If anyone asked, it had been a nameless bedfellow when they had been spending time ashore.

Neither named the child, knowing that giving the baby up would be the safest route to go for all of them. Crocodile didn't even want to know if he had a son or a daughter. He didn't want that pain.

He only spent long enough with the revolutionaries to recover from the birth and then from the transition. After that, he was off to reclaim his title of Warlord, to find new leads and new purposes, and maybe send some funds and information Dragon's way. Just to make sure he and his little outfit was still kicking.

[lendmyboyfriendahand]

AU where the Third Kinslaying takes place a decade later

It doesn't truly change anything, not as far as the history books record things. Some of the Feanorian soldiers turncoat and defend the city, but not enough to save Sirion. The youngest sons of Feanor die in battle. Elwing is cornered in her tower, and jumps with a Silmaril. The remaining sons of Feanor take custody of her sons. Ulmo rescues Elwing and guides her bird-self to Earendil; Earendil and Elwing got to Valinor; Earendil pleads with the Valar. The arc of Fate continues unabated.

In other ways, it changes everything. Elrond and Elros are not children when the attack comes, to hide in a closet or cave in hopes their mother will return. Instead they are youths, not yet as wise or strong as some but nearly grown.

The princes take part in the battle to defend their city.

It's both of their first fight outside the practice yards. Elrond has gone hunting before and shot a deer, but Elros has never spilled the blood of another living being, not orc or elf or man.

He does so today, his sword travelling smoothly in the motion he's drilled a hundred times.

Elrond fights on horseback at first, riding down the street and firing arrows at anyone wearing Feanor's star, trampling down the invaders and moving on before he can see what's left behind and vomit in horror. But when the battle progresses into the palace he abandons his stallion at the gates, rushing to try and save his family.

Elros watches his mother jump from across a room crowded with combatants. Elrond is still four floors down, but he sees the gull emerge from the spray with a loud cry, far larger and brighter than any natural bird.

They do find each other in the battle, and fight side by side. But slowly the twins are driven back, before an army both more experienced and more numerous.

Elrond and Elros manage to retreat to the buttery and block the door, the thick stone walls that keep the beer cool also preventing anyone from reaching them. It's a very defensible room, with only one entrance to guard.

They are trapped. They know it.

Neither says it aloud.

They simply sit and wait, and hope the invaders will leave once they realize the prize they came to the city for is no longer achievable.

(Maedhros is not about to leave two young princes behind whose city was destroyed, will want revenge, would be a wonderful rallying point for the people of Sirion, and are two young to know the wisdom of not starting fights without a tactical benefit. Better to deal with it now, while the city is in chaos, than to wait and have an army come after the Feanorians in a year or a decade.)

(The only question is if the door can be breached, or if the Feanorians will need to starve the twins out. By which time reinforcements will likely have arrived to Sirion, so it becomes a matter of either defending the ransacked city or burning the palace with the boys inside it.)

After an hour or two, someone does think of negotiating, offering to spare the princes lives and leave the city not any further destroyed, and taking the boys captive.

(Tell me, what prince of the Noldor is infamous for going to a parlay under false pretenses? How much history and diplomacy do you think twins raised to rule a kingdom know?)

[plus-low-overthrow]

Ron Walton - Always Be the One (Gull)

1975

[reasonsforhope]

"There’s something deeply comical about suggesting that seagulls are smart enough to wait for you to look away before stealing your french fries, but dumb enough to fly into wind turbine blades.

A two-year study on the interactions of several seabird species at an offshore wind farm found that not a single case of birdstrike was recorded over the study period or in the 10,000 videos taken.

Looking at herring gulls, gannets, kittiwakes, and great black-backed gulls, Swedish state wind company Vattenfall found that most of the birds maintained a 50 to 230-yard distance between themselves and the radius of the spinning turbines.

“This is the first time that any kind of bird species has been studied this closely and in detail at an offshore wind farm,” said study author Henrik Skov. “And these birds are really good at avoiding the turbines. Now we need studies on more varieties.”

The study was conducted on a wind farm consisting of 11 offshore turbines near Aberdeen, Scotland. It used radar surveys and mounted video cameras to gather data.

Why these seabirds avoided the turbines could be down to the individual species observed since other studies have shown seabirds tend to rank high in offshore wind turbine mortality, and of medium risk for land-based wind turbine mortality.

Skov also offered that it could be the turbines are, for one reason or another, outside of prominent flight corridors, and therefore aren’t where birds have historically flown either for migration and nesting purposes, or feeding.

The study is a big milestone in scientists’ attempts to learn how and where to build wind turbines so that they don’t interfere with birds’ flight patterns. If there is something in the data of this study or future observations that could reveal the secret as to why there was no mortality at the Aberdeen wind farm, it could mean that hundreds of thousands of birds could be saved in the future."

-Good News Network, 3/31/23

[mindblowingscience]

Seagull species that have bigger brains are more likely to nest on coastal cliffs and may also be better adapted to breed in urban environments such as on the roofs of buildings. New research has found that more than half of cliff-nesting gull species have been recorded as nesting in towns and cities, compared to just 11% of those that do not, and these species have bigger brains than their non-cliff-nesting counterparts. The findings come in a broad-ranging study by ecologists at the University of Exeter looking at potential relationships between brain size, wing shape, nesting habits and the use of urban areas. It suggests that species such as the herring gull, the lesser black-backed gull and the black-legged kittiwake possess a behavioral flexibility that enables them to nest in more challenging locations.

Continue Reading.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Fossil Novembirb 10: Bayou in the Badlands

Fluvioviridavis by @quetzalpali-art

Back to Eocene Ecosystems! One of the most famous Eocene fossil sites in the world is the Fossil Lake site of the Green River Formation, an ecosystem from Colorado in the United States. This ecosystem records the transition from the moist forested world of the early Eocene to the drier warm world of the mid-Eocene. The forests would begin to shrink back, the foliage would change, and so would the animals.

Fossil Lake records the start of that process! Sediment would regularly settle into this lake at periodic intervals, which then recorded the evolution of the lifeforms there over thousands of years. The forests were filled with sycamore trees and other broadleaf plants, as well as ferns.

Limnofregata by @iguanodont

Because the lake was so frequently filled with sediment, oxygen levels were low to nonexistent, preventing decomposers from living at the bottom of the lake. This lead to many different organisms being preserved nearly perfectly, including many gorgeous birds!

In fact, the Field Museum of Chicago - my home - has many of these wonderful fossils on display, and have fascinated me since childhood. So I'm going to break format a little here to showcase some of these fossils.

Cyrilavis, a Halcyornithid (Parrot-Passerine of Prey)

Fluvioviridavis, a Strisorian (like oilbirds or frogmouths)

Eofringillirostrum, a Passerine

Limnofregata, a Frigatebird in a Gull Niche

Nahmavis, a relative of shorebirds (Charadriiformes) or rails and cranes (Gruiformes)

An unnamed Anseriform, probably similar to Anachronornis

Celericolius, a mousebird

Zygodactylus, a stem-passerine

We see once again in this ecosystem - as we have in the others we've covered - the common theme of Avian evolution: the niches may stay the same, but the birds filling them will always change. We have Mousebirds perching in trees in North America, we have Frigatebirds filling the Gull niche, ducks wading around the lake like flamingos, and cousins of parrots/passerines hunting prey.

Presbyornis by @drawingwithdinosaurs

Other notable dinosaurs from this formation include Presbyornis, another one of those Flamingo-Ducks we've talked about like Teviornis and Conflicto; Gastornis because it was literally everywhere from the latest Paleocene through the early Eocene; Lithornithids like Pseudocrypturus because they were also everywhere; early landfowl like Gallinuloides; the cuckoo-roller Plesiocathartes; the ibis Vadaravis; and the turaco relative Foro. Once again, we see many tropical birds in places where they aren't today, due to the extensive warm climate of the Early Eocene.

Foro by @drawingwithdinosaurs

This swampy ecosystem was filled with large crocodile relatives, small mammals, the earliest known bats, giant lizards, and an alarming number of fish - making it one of the better known ecosystems of the early Paleogene. But the best known Paleogene fossil location is still to come...

Sources:

Grande, L. 2013. The Lost World of Fossil Lake: Snapshots from Deep Time. University of Chicago Press.

Mayr, 2022. Paleogene Fossil Birds, 2nd Edition. Springer Cham.

Mayr, 2017. Avian Evolution: The Fossil Record of Birds and its Paleobiological Significance (TOPA Topics in Paleobiology). Wiley Blackwell.

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

An (incredibly long) "I want"-style song dedicated to the most unruly of trios: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison.

The setting is the late 50's – it's deliberately a bit of a mish-mash :-)

Lyrics below the cut!

John: Green

Paul: Blue

George: Purple

P&G: Pink

J&P: Red

JP&G: Neutral

Liverpool gave up on me the first day of preschool

Teachers called me unruly cause I don't suffer fools

And my aunt who says she can't believe I’d throw it all away

Quarrybank, that school for cranks suspended me the other day

All those lads who quit this band to learn a proper trade

Think that I don't understand the facts of getting paid

But you both see,

It's them not me, it's us and this here prophecy

Do you see us five years on – well

Maybe three, that's sort of long

As they're writhing for our songs

And “Your group's on now, John "

Earning some preposterous wage

Free of this less-town-more-cage

As we enter center-stage

In our gold disk age

And the birds will have to queue

For a single peck at you

Then, emboldened by the view

Watch them molt on cue

And all we need is not to quit,

They'll call us Great Britain's

Newest stars, brand new guitars, guaranteed not to split

Picture us: the favourite band

With a record deal in hand

Going deaf from screaming fans

As per my new masterplan

Where we going, fellas? Where we going?

Where we going, fellas? Where we going?

(To the topper-most of popper-most of popper, to the topper)

To the toppermost of the poppermost!

I hear music in my head

Wherever I go

It's like it's bursting out my soul

It's something I cannot control

Meanwhile I can't drop this tune

Every night When I get home

I watch dad roll his eyes

"Heard of this thing called a comb? "

I sigh as he implies

That mum would be

So unhappy and so disappointed in me

However inopportune

There's a decade dawning soon

Shooting for the moon

And John may seem unreasonable

But his dream is feasible

Sometimes yes, guess he's a gull

I'll appease him though

And then I see how for we're come

Joined, we're greater than our sum

See, the rhythm's in the strum

Of the guitars and then some

Playing my part in your vision, I'll

Grab a pen, so much to discover

Let's produce another

Lennon-McCartney original

See the day John and me met

And Yes George, I didn't forget!

We become a matching set

Writing tete-a-tete

Where we going, Johnny? Where we going?

Where we going, Johnny? Where we going?

(To the topper-most of popper-most of popper, to the toppermost)

And where do I fit in?

And when do I come in?

Is there a spot for me at the

To the toppermost of the poppermost!

I'm the youngest, there's no day when they let me forget

But the part Paul will not say: I'm their safest bet

See the fact is they don’t practice systematically like me

I know my chord charts, strings, fretboard, parts of my soul, sorted by key.

Still the world is their playground

And I am watching from the fence

I can't yet jump with confidence

But mum taught me about patience

I still feel Julia's arms around me every time I play

What would my mum say? (She tells me)

Anything I set my mind to  (She taught me everything)

The heights I'll climb to (She wanted everything)

My time soon

Anything to prove I'm worth it (Wouldn’t approve)

Move the earth, they'll learn…

I had to learn to be the only one believing in me

And ever since she's gone, I can hardly stand it (Mum says I can stand it)

No one understanding (Don’t quite understand it)

The thing she saw in me

And dad, he just wants me to be practical

She’d call me her rebel without applause and tell me

Just keep making noise, always play in your own key

I will wait patiently

He may believe in me but not my choice

They will have no choice but to love me

Where we going fellas? Where we going?

To the toppermost of the poppermost!

Insert band name here.

Liverpool has no idea what’s coming

Liverpool will never be the same

They’ll put up posters of us

Like on this truck

John, that’s a bus!

Put your glasses on, Jesus!

And dad will be non-plussed when

Walking down the street he’ll see John (John), Paul, George (George) of the…

Johnny and the Moondogs… What! Definitely not. The Shoes!

The Quarrymen… Nononononono, JaPaGe3!

Liverpool has no idea what’s coming

Liverpool will never be the same

When they all see us one as three the blasphemous song trinity.

Everybody’s bitching

Where’s that old ambition

That got you essay prizes and into the institute?

I’m not a delinquent

I’ve just been rethinking

No one realizes I’m still just as resolute

Just keep making noise

Always play in your own key

They will have no choice

But to love me

Anything I set my mind to

The heights I’ll climb to

My time soon

Anything to prove I’m worth it

Move the earth

They’ll learn from me.

Where we going, fellas? Where we going?

Where we going, Johnny?

Where we going, fellas? Where we going?

(To the topper-most of popper-most of popper, to the topper)

And where do I fit in and when do I come in?

Toppermost of the poppermost.