Where Does Inspiration Come From?

Tiny angel decorating a heart-shaped jewellery container

a gift from my grandson.

Inspiration is not something that can be forced.

Sometimes it comes through something we may see.

It grows and unfolds within us in moments we do not choose at all.

We look and look and cannot see..

and yet the treasures lie within

waiting to manifest themselves.

Inspiration can be as elusive  as a shadow on the wall.

Fascinating and yet fleeting.

Being in nature is certainly inspiring

as we observe the beauty all around us in the tiniest detail

like this lovely lichen on a tree trunk.

Flowers inspire me to take photographs and stimulate my creativity

Their fresh bright colours are especially welcome during the winter months.

Pansy rescued from my window-box just as it was starting to snow.

It could be said that inspiration is rather like the growth of a flower,

starting from a tiny seed in the earth

which grows and is nurtured and blossoms

and cannot be contained

It simply has to come into being.

***

The ancient Greeks thought that inspiration came from the Muses.

The Muses are the inspirational goddesses of Literature, Science and the arts 

in Greek Mythology.

They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry,

lyric songs and myths that were related orally for centuries in these ancient times.

Dovekie

Our Smallest Auk

Dovekie [Mark Morse Photo]

The Dovekie (Alle alle) is the world's smallest auk, family Alcidae.  They breed in summer in the high Arctic islands and winter along the Atlantic coast of Labrador, Newfoundland and down the eastern seaboard sometimes to New England.  The photo above shows the Dovekie in non-breeding plumage and was taken recently off Grand Manan. 

The Dovekie is very small, 21 cm (8.8 in) long, about Starling size.  On the vast ocean, that looks pretty small!  It has the clean black and white plumage of Alcids, black on the back and head and white below.  The breeding plumage shows a black hood covering the head, neck and throat.  In winter white appears on the throat and sides of neck, forming an incomplete neck band.  The bill is exceptionally short.  When it sits on the water it appears neckless as it pulls its head in close to its body.  In flight it is very football-shaped.  It often flies close to the water dodging the waves. 

Dovekies (known as Little Auks in Europe) are a holarctic species.  They inhabit the oceans of the north of the Earth.  Although they breed in northern Canada, the largest colonies are in Greenland, Spitsbergen (Norway) and a smaller colony in Iceland.  They come to land to breed in rocky crevices on scree slopes and mountains along the Arctic Ocean.  The rest of the year they spend at sea.  While in the breeding colony they are very vocal with a high-pitched chattering and screeching sound.  They feed on fish, molluscs, and plankton. which they catch underwater by using their wings and strong feet and legs.  They actually 'fly' under water.

Occasionally in heavy winter storms with strong easterly winds Alcids can be blown inland.  Because they are physically designed for life on the ocean they find it nearly impossible to walk on land.  Their feet are placed well back on their bodies making it difficult to balance in an upright position.  So, if they get blown inland they are stranded.  Without the aid of humans they would soon die or get killed by a predator.   The bird in the photo above was blown in during the storm of January 13 and 14.  It was returned quickly to the ocean where it swam away happily!  

Slow and Steady

Some visitors to Animal Friends find a dog, cat or rabbit who is just right for them on their first visit. Others come back several times, waiting to find their perfect match. And then there are those who find exactly who they’re looking for without ever stepping foot inside the building.

Which is how Josh first met Delight …

After losing his 12-year-old Coonhound mix, Maggie, to an unexpected illness, Josh knew he could never replace her. She was one-of-a-kind, but something told him there was a place in his home and heart for another hound. So, Josh began searching online for a dog who needed him just as much as he needed them.

Soon, Josh came across the profile for our very own 6-year-old English Coonhound named Delight. She needed a patient family, one who would be willing to take the time to work with her.

You see, Delight had a very timid nature and, while her closest human friends knew how sweet and friendly she was, her shyness made it hard for new friends to see her true colors. Thankfully, when Josh came to visit her, he was willing to wait until she was comfortable. Before long, he was getting to know a sweet dog who was gently sniffing him and searching for a peaceful place for a nap.

A few days later, Josh returned to Animal Friends with his two dogs so they could meet Delight. Everything went well, so Delight officially became “Ginger” and was on her way home!

Once she arrived, Ginger was a little unsure. She took her time sniffing around her new home, exploring her big, fenced-in yard and getting to know her new canine brother and sister. After a few short days, it was clear that Ginger was home.

It’s been about a month since Ginger found her new family and things have been great! Josh and Ginger enjoy each other’s company every day and, if you ask him, it seems like Ginger has been part of the family for her entire life.

Orrie: Animal Friends' Home to Home Adoption Program

Meet Orrie (short for Orrville)! She’s a 9-year-old cuddly domestic shorthair with a gorgeous brown tabby coat. Orrie’s ideal home would be one that is quiet and stress free where she can continue living the life that she’s used to as an indoor cat.

She is very gentle and so affectionate, but young children and other pets tend to make her nervous, so she’d rather join a family with older members where she’ll be the only pet. When things are nice and calm, Orrie’s favorite thing to do is curl up on a warm lap and purr the day away.

If you have a cozy and welcoming home with room for a sweet feline member, get to know Orrie! You can contact her current family at wnatali116@gmail.com.

No the killer whale did not say "set me free"

Being a public broadcaster it would be hoped that the BBC would use a little bit more rigour when reporting issues particularly those that involve science. A case in point is an article in the Newsbeat strand written by reporter Talia Shadwell regarding research done on the mimicking behaviour of killer whales at an aquarium in France entitled: "Killer whale could be saying 'set me free'. 

The article is very disappointing due to the obvious lack of research and which appear to be based on views from the animal rights groups The Born Free Foundation and Whale and Dolphin Conversation - both known for their objection to animals maintained in captive care.  Further, there appears to be absolutely no effort to contact Marineland in France whose animals and facilities were used in the research cited or indeed any other zoos or aquarium that display whales or dolphins.

First, the breeding ban on whales and dolphins in France mentioned in the report has been lifted by the French courts after being successfully challenged as it was not based on science or in the best interest of animal welfare. This would have been made clear to the reporter if they had bothered to contact Marineland.

The picture of a killer whale in captivity in the Netherlands was also deceptive because it did not explain that this was Morgan a young killer whale that was rescued in a distressed state suffering from malnutrition on the Dutch coast in 2010. The picture is her in temporary accommodation while she underwent rehabilitation.  

Picture of a killer whale in the BBC article was, in fact, Morgan a rescued animals in temporary accommodation in the Netherlands while she was being rehabilitated.

She successfully returned to full health but unfortunately due to her young age and the inability to find her original social group, which was believed to be located possibly in Norwegian waters, she was relocated to a large facility for killer whales in the Canary Islands in November 2011. This was undertaken under the direction of the Dutch government. 

Morgan remains there today in the company of other captive bred killer whales. Since that time it has been discovered that she was either deaf or has a severe hearing impairment which is possibly one of the reasons she stranded and had to be rescued. This again would make any attempts to release her back the wild inappropriate. 

Second, the issue of the bent dorsal fin in some male killer whales in captivity is often cited by animal rights groups as a sign of compromised welfare. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this contention and in fact, bent dorsal fins can be seen in wild killer whales and this has been cited in published research.

"....The collapsing, collapsed and bent  dorsal fins found on the New Zealand killer whales do not appear to be uncommon in this population,  with 23%, of the adult males having some form of abnormal fin..." (Visser, 1993).

Further, as this seems to be a gender specific issue regarding some male killer whales (either in captive care or the wild) as a measurement of fitness and health it cannot be used as an accurate determination of such criteria as compared with more standardised physiological parameters such as blood analysis.

Third, the comments regarding releasing animals back to the wild cited the release of a former captive killer whale called Keiko. This project was claimed to be a success and this is incorrect. 

Keiko was released back to the wild but failed to integrate into wild groups of other whales.  He eventually found his way to Norway and ended his days being cared for by humans in a fjord before dying of suspected pneumonia some months later.

In the review of the release, published in the peer review journal Marine Mammal Science, the authors concluded.

The release of Keiko demonstrated that release of long-term captive animals is especially challenging and while we as humans might find it appealing to free along-term captive animal, the survival and well being of the animal may be severely impacted in doing so.  (Simon, Hanson, Murrey,Tougaard, and Ugarte. 2009)

As to the actual research which - demonstrated that mammals were capable of mimicking human speech - this is not actually that new.

Research of this nature was conducted back in the 1960s by the controversial dolphin researcher Dr John Lilly. Ironically, the BBC showed a documentary in 2014 entitled "The Girl Who Talked to Dolphins" which highlighted his research and had recorded footage of one of the dolphins mimic English words and phrases. 

Further, it's not just dolphins that have been known to imitate human speech as it has also been seen in belugas such as an animal called Noc that was studied by Dr Sam Ridgeway under the US Navy marine mammal program (Ridgway, Carder, Jeffries and Todd, 2012). There was even in one instance of a seal called Hoover who lived at the Boston Aquarium in Massachusetts imitating human speech. 

Nevertheless, various scientific projects in the past (predominately the 1960s) where efforts were made to teach animals (such as dolphins or chimpanzees) human language, were abandoned as researchers could not produce any tangible evidence that the animals could be effectively taught to communicate with human beings in anything approaching a discernible human language structure. The net result was that funding from such organisations as NASA, who funded some of John Lilly's work, was withdrawn.  

Further, chimpanzee research also faulted when the psychologist Herb Terence maintained that much of his research was the result of the Clever Hans effect and not the animals actually having the ability to communicate with humans. 

Perhaps one of the fundamental problems is that animals are generally incapable of speaking a language in the same terms as human beings. As Dr Justin Gregg points out in his 2013 book "Are Dolphins Really Smart - The Myth Behind the Mammal" human beings (Homo sapiens) are the only animal species that have a native language; the reality is that humans have language and animals communication. The depth and sophistication of human language exceed anything that we know regarding animals in the wild and their ability to communicate with each other. 

In conclusion, the premise that the killer whales (if they could speak and communicate with humans) would be that they wanted to be set free could turn out to be the fact that they are quite happy where they are in the protective environment of a zoo and aquarium.

A section from the 1983 Nova documentary "Signs of Apes and Songs of the Whales" featuring cognition research featuring dolphins and sea lions. At the University of Hawaii, two dolphins are being taught to comprehend the rudiments of grammar. And in California, the controversial John Lilly is teaching dolphins to mimic--and perhaps one day reply to--the computerized human voice.

 

Dak's Road to Puppy Bowl XIV

It all started in August when Wonder Woman, a young Treeing Walker Coonhound and her litter of newborn puppies were transferred to Animal Friends from another shelter. The playful puppies were all given superhero names like their mother … Batman, Supergirl, Ironman, Huntress, Superman and, of course, Aquaman.

When they were just a few days old, a call went out to shelters across the country – Animal Planet was in search of the stars of Puppy Bowl XIV. So, these adorable pups put on their best face and struck a pose for the camera. We sent Aquaman's photo off to Animal Planet and crossed our fingers!

A few weeks later, the great news arrived – Aquaman had been selected to compete in the big game! With just a short amount of time to prepare, Aquaman set his sights on the Lombarky Trophy and the coveted title of MVP (Most Valuable Pup). The filming of the Puppy Bowl was to take place in  New York City in October, so when the time came, Aquaman hit the road and was on his way to the Big Apple.

About 7 hours and a few bathroom breaks later, he had arrived! Aquaman had celebrity-style accommodations for the trip, complete with a breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline – but the big city wasn’t the least bit overwhelming for this little pup!

Aquaman took in the sights and sounds of the city that never sleeps and made plenty of new friends along the way. After all, just shy of 3 months old, socialization is very important for a young puppy.

And, he was sure to stay out of trouble – you know reputations are very important for a professional athlete.

This handsome little guy needed his rest though. The next day was going to be a big one as he would head to the filming and be one step closer to making his television debut in the biggest sporting event in the canine world!

The next day, Aquaman was up bright and early and made his way downtown for the Puppy Bowl. Once he arrived, he got to meet the other athletes – more than 90 puppies from across the country. The puppy competitors had traveled from as far as Tennessee, Arkansas, Colorado and California. It was a whirlwind of a day as Aquaman posed for photos, filmed Puppy Bowl promotions, got a DNA test (now there’s no doubt, he’s 100 percent Treeing Walker Coonhound!) and enjoyed some valuable socializing with the other puppies and their handlers.

And then it was off to the television set for the game to begin! We don't have any spoilers about who won the big game, but keep an eye out for Aquaman – who has since been adopted and will be called by his new name “Dak” during the telecast – as he struts his stuff up and down the field. Whether he scores the game-winning touchdown or is flagged for unnecessary cuteness, there are plenty of loyal fans back at Animal Friends who are proud that Dak is representing Pittsburgh in Puppy Bowl XIV!

The Puppy Bowl will air on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. on Animal Planet. Tune in to watch as Dak competes to bring the Lombarky trophy and the Most Valuable Pup title to Pittsburgh and Animal Friends!

To celebrate the Puppy Bowl and Dak's world premiere, we're hosting The Ultimate Tail-Gate! This adoption event will run all weekend long with our very own mini Puppy Bowl taking place on Sunday from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Harris's Sparrow

A Rare Sparrow Spends the Winter

Harris's Sparrow

The Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) is an unusual sparrow to see in New Brunswick, normally spending its winters in the mid-southern-states and its summers in our far north (northern Manitoba, northern Saskatchewan, Nunavut and Yukon).  There has been one wintering happily in the St. George area this year.  

The Harris's Sparrow is our largest sparrow (19 cm/ 7.5 in long).  It is a Zonotrichia sparrow (the genus) so it resembles closely our other Zonotrichia sparrows, White-throated, Yellow-crowned and White-crowned Sparrows.  That means its colouring, its shape and its behaviour are much like its close relatives.  

The Harris's Sparrow has a distinctive pink bill and an extensive white belly.  It shows pale gray or brown cheeks and in breeding plumage has a black crown, face and bib.  In the non-breeding plumage, as shown above, it loses most of the black from its crown, bib and chest.  All plumages show a postocular black spot.  Notice the black streak behind the eye which often shows just as a spot.  Both genders are similar.

Harris's Sparrow

This species breeds in the far north in mixed forest-tundra areas.  It likes low bushes, willows, and open spruce areas.  It lays 3 to 5 white to pale green eggs with brown markings in a nest built on the ground.  It eats seeds, berries, insects, spiders and snails which it catches mainly on the ground.  It readily adapts to bird feeders in winter.  

Harris's Sparrow [Janice Harmon Photo]

The photo above readily shows the pink bill and the remnant of the black face and crown.  Note the brownish cheek and the postocular spot.

Although the Harris's Sparrow is a mid-continent species vagrants (wanderers) do occasionally occur both to the east and to the west.  There have been a handful of sightings of this species in New Brunswick.  There were 5 sightings noted up to 2003 and there have been a few since.  Certainly this is one we could only see every few years at best.  

Harris's Sparrow

The Harris's Sparrow is Canada's only endemic breeding sparrow.  That means it is the only sparrow that breeds solely in Canada.  It was named by Audubon after an American amateur ornithologist, Edward Harris, who accompanied him on his 1843 trip up the Missouri River.  It was first collected and described by Thomas Nuttall in 1834.  

Although we don't get to see the social interactions of this species, they are quite interesting.  In breeding plumage the males have large black bibs and the male with the largest bib is usually the most dominant.  'Jump fights' are common among males to establish dominance of both females and breeding territory.  The males face off and jump up in the air and claw at one another while beating each other with their wings.  We would have to go to northern Canada in spring to see this!