Comments on: Anatomy: Cere and Nares http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/2009/12/26/anatomy-cere-and-nares/ A Bird Blog with Kate St. John Sat, 25 May 2013 03:00:29 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anne Curtis http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/2009/12/26/anatomy-cere-and-nares/comment-page-1/#comment-8485 Anne Curtis Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:52:56 +0000 http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/?p=13329#comment-8485 Thank you Patsy! for an opportune moment to interject something I’ve been itching to do for a month! My librarian-sister loaned me a wonderful book originally published in 1959, and Winner of a Newbery Honor that year. It’s titled “My Side of the Mountain” and is the story of a boy who runs away from NYC and sets up an independent, camping life in the Catskills. The reason it fits is that he scales a cliffside to steal a “duck hawk” aka peregrine nestling, which he names Frightful, because he had such a frightful time capturing her. Do you think Nat’l Geographic read the book?

He trains her, with the help of his and the town librarian’s research. (Get the connection to my sister?) She becomes his major source of small game, such as rabbits, and his ears to intrusions he can’t hear yet. There are 2 sequels, Jeanne says, and I’ll look for them later! I don’t know if they’re still in print. Her copy is a republication from 1988. The jacket says it was made into a “major motion picture”. The author is Jean Craighead George, and the ISBN#–for those wannabe librarians out there–is 0-525-44392-4.

Anne

]]> By: Patsy http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/2009/12/26/anatomy-cere-and-nares/comment-page-1/#comment-8458 Patsy Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:15:01 +0000 http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/?p=13329#comment-8458 I am just always so blown away when I read about peregrines going 200 mph. It is so hard to realize any bird could dive that fast. Watched a video from National Geographic where a peregrine named Frightful was clocked going 242mph. Just unbelievable. Last year was my first year watching and learning about the falcons. Am looking forward to it again this year.

]]> By: Kate St. John http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/2009/12/26/anatomy-cere-and-nares/comment-page-1/#comment-8455 Kate St. John Sun, 27 Dec 2009 11:25:18 +0000 http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/?p=13329#comment-8455 Here’s how I learned about jet engine inlet cones. This is the message Dick Rhoton sent me on Dec 24:

“Since ‘peregine discussions’ are sleeping this winter, I am passing this on to you to post when appropriate. I am a pilot and plane owner and just found the following question (and answer) posed in the latest issue of the AOPA magazine.

Question: “Clocked at over 200 mph, the peregrine falcon probably is the worlds fastest bird. How does it breathe at such speed and the ram air pressure without damaging its lungs?

Answer: There is a small protruding cone in the openings of the peregrine’s nostrils that is similar in design and function to the inlet cone of a jet engine. These cones, called tubercles reduce air pressure entering the nostrils.

dick rhoton”

]]> By: Patsy http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/2009/12/26/anatomy-cere-and-nares/comment-page-1/#comment-8452 Patsy Sat, 26 Dec 2009 13:43:17 +0000 http://www.wqed.org/birdblog/?p=13329#comment-8452 What a great picture of Dorothy, and a very interesting lesson too. Thanks for the information you provide.

]]>