Friday, May 28, 2010

Relative of Extinct Auk appears in Wells, Maine

I happened to be working at the Center for Wildlife as a Razor Bill was admitted. Technically, it really should have been swimming off the coast of Newfoundland. So a lot must have gone wrong for this beauty to appear
at a construction site in Wells, Maine.
We all stopped work to marvel. The
Razor Bill's the bird that most resembles the extinct giant Auk.

Razor Bill somewhat off course

Black and white, interrupted

The bird appeared to be such a black and white affair that the intake of breath ( from all of us gathered to watch the exam) was audible.
"Mango!" said Amy. And that's exactly the color of the inside of the Razor Bill's mouth. Mango bright and true!
Slim stem's the thing connecting what we can see with what we can't. Those little hearts? Obvious everyday valentines from each side to the other.