The headline actually caught my eye first.
Park and DNR Staff ‘Hack’ Young Falcons
Hack??!?!
That word motivated me to click on the link and read the rest of the story.
Turns out that “hacking is the process of placing young falcons in a structure and caring for the birds in a manner that minimizes human exposure until they are mature enough to fly”.
In fact, the birdies are placed in an artificial aerie or hack box which simulates nesting and feeding conditions on steep rock cliffs – prey is dropped into the box through a tube so the birds don’t see or associate people with the food. This cage-like structure also protects the birds from predators during the pre-flight period while allowing them to acclimate to and imprint on the Gorge. When they are ready to ‘fledge’ (fly), they are released from the box, but will return for occasional feedings until their hunting skills allow them to survive on their own.
You can visit the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/neri, where photos and updates will monitor the birds’ progress.
AND adult peregrines are now nesting on cliffs in Shenandoah National Park where live webcam images of the nest can be seen on the Internet at http://www.nps.gov/shen/cams/
Personally, I think that lil baby peregrine looks like it is made out of cotton!! : )
Supposedly there are 100 movies represented in this photo. I'd love to see if we can get them all!
We started here. The Ice Bar. It's in the Nordic Hotel in Stockholm. On Saturdays, they take walk ups after 9 pm (normally it is by reservation). They only allow like 15-30 people in at a time and for 45 minutes at a time. It is like -4 in there... Whew. They give you poncho parka things with gloves attached.
See:
I really wanted the bartender's hat:
We were told they work in three hour shifts. Brrrr...
Notice that even the glasses are made of ice!
No, my tongue didn't get stuck (although that might be because I didn't actually lick the vodka bottle...)
Rodney, me, Aaron, and Ivy... through the ice wall...
(Ivy, Lisa, me, and Whitney)
(Aaron and Rodney)
Alley I stopped to take a photo of on the way. Also talked to a french guy who, too, was taking a photo of the alley... he insisted it was "his alley".
Next bar (I really need Aaron to tell me the names of all the places we went... he's useful like that). This is me dancing and singing with Fredrik and Ulrich. Yes, Swedes!!
The End of Saturday.
If you want to see the touristy stuff... like the buildings and the museums, holler and I'll post that too.
Still in the Jax airport... we had a couple hiccups. First Whitney not bringing her paper ticket with her and then Aaron... umm... not being there. Rodney is on the phone leaving him a message.
On the tram at O'Hare...
Going through security again... Martha was the chosen one. Although really it looks as though she is getting her hiney checked out.
The screen on the back of the seat in front of me. It is currently set on camera view from the front of the plane. Exciting view I know.
IN SWEDEN!
It really is too bad that I can't be purposefully witty, only on accident, because this is one of those times I'd really love to write some animal planet-esque commentary to go with the rapidly humping skink.
(imagine English accent here... something like Miz Doolittle)
Please notice the male skink 'as a colourful 'ead... the 'ead atop 'is shoulders, you wanka. Also see that 'e is 'oldin on to the female skink by biting 'er skin and pulling it waaaay fah from 'er body. 'e's a wanka too. Rapin' a poor girlie like that.
Rape is right... the fellow was thrusting like a mad man and the girlie waited a bit and then attempted to make a mad dash. But he was BITING her. So he ran right along. Thank goodness. I woulda hated to see her skin come right off in his mouth or something.
Poor skink. She's a skink... not a skAnk.
My family would be amazed that I didn't freak out... that I actually went to help get the snake out on my own... I could have just come home. But I didn't. 
