Subject: Catholic Schools

Little Zachary was doing quite badly in math. His parents had tried everything; Tutors, mentors, flash cards, Special Learning Centers. In short, everything they could think of to help his math.

Finally, in a last ditch effort, they took Zachary down and enrolled him in the local Catholic school. After the first day, little Zachary came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn't even kiss his mother Hello. Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying.

Books and papers were spread out all over the room and little Zachary was hard at work. His mother was amazed. She called him down to dinner. To her shock, the minute he was done, he marched back to his room without a word, and in no time, he was back hitting the books as hard as before. This went on for some time, day after day, while the mother tried to understand what made all the difference.

Finally, little Zachary brought home his report card. He quietly laid it on the table, went up to his room and hit the books. With great trepidation, his Mom looked at it and to her great surprise Little Zachary got an 'A' in math. She could no longer hold her curiosity. She went to his room and said, 'Son, what was it? Was it the nuns?' Little Zachary looked at her and shook his head, no. 'Well, then,' she replied, 'was it the books, the discipline, the structure, the uniforms?'

Little Zachary looked at her and said, 'On the first day of school when I saw that guy nailed to the plus sign, I knew they weren't fooling around.'

HEY!!!! We're back!!

From the Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad, Kim Writes:

Well, as indicated by our total lack of blog presence in recent weeks, Kenn and I were totally wiped out by the spring season this year. (and hey, to all those who sent loving, caring messages saying that they missed our posts...THANK YOU! --- and to all those who actually sent us hate mail...can I just say, "GEEZE, HATERS! GO OUTSIDE AND LOOK AT BIRDS, FOR GOODNESS SAKES!) There...I just had to get that off my chest.

So, anyway....

We were thrilled beyond belief by the record visitation to our magical area this spring! But, we were both beginning to wonder if we'd ever get out from under the avalanche of work that collapsed on us in mid-June. We held it off as long as we could, but it eventually came crashing down, and by the first of July, we were both ready for a little down time, and trying to decide where we could go for a little R.R&B. (rest, relaxation, and birds!) Enter our friend Jeff Bouton, and Leica Sport Optics.

Jeff sent us an invitation to come along on a special field trip to Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) in Trinidad. Leica is a sponsor of of the Centre, and doing a marvelous job of introducing birders to this far too well kept secret. When he first mentioned it, I must sheepishly admit that I had no idea where Trinidad even was. But, I do now! And I am totally smitten with AWNC too! I’m writing this post from the spectacular veranda at the back of the Centre, with the sweet calls of dozens of adorable Bananaquits bubbling up over the railing from the feeders below. Kenn and I just came back from swimming in a mountain stream with a gushing waterfall in the background, while Bay-headed Tanagers dangled above our heads like jewels. So, yeah, THIS PLACE ROCKS!!

We've been treated to the most delicious food, the best of company, and absolutely gorgeous views of birds like White-necked Jacobins, the bizarre, yet handsome White-bearded Manakins, and the totally far out and mystical Bearded Bellbird! The bird viewage was supremely enhanced by the use of the creme de la creme of Leica optics, and I’ve taken the digiscoping plunge BIG TIME! I wasn’t the only one on this trip who hadn’t gone down the digi-road, and I teased Jeff that we were all Leica-virgins. (Sorry Madonna!)

We’ll be posting lots more details about the birds and the centre in the days to come, but for now, check out just a few of the astounding things we’ve seen in this amazing place. And, I hope that you're all singing "Like A Virgin" right now, like I have been for four days! aghhhhhh......

Check out these birds:

White-necked Jacobin

White-bearded Manakin

Bearded Bellbird

Hey, it's good to be back. We'll be posting lots more from Trinidad, so stay tuned. We might even finish telling you about our trip to the Antarctic. But, only if you're good! : )

UMS for Aliens

Sabahan has to beg The Penisularan for Sabah Own University, so that our children can have better education without heavy financial burden. This dream came true on 24 November 1994 when Parliament approve the setup of University Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

It started with three schools; Sekolah Sains dan Teknologi, Sekolah Perniagaan dan Teknologi dan Sekolah Sains Sosial. The 999 hectors UMS complex located in Teluk Sepanggar officially open on 19 September 2000 by Dr. Mahathir. There are now 570 academic staffs and more than 12,350 students from all over Malaysia as well as foreigners.

A reliable source told me that there are more than 250 Aliens students in UMS. Aliens now can penetrate not only our town but also the higher education systems. If we don’t eliminate them, they will take over Sabah like virus.

A ‘quiet’ moment

Time stands still for My lovely wife Gracey as she meditates.

I believe I can fly

Man has invented the plane, conquered the sky, reached the moon but has still not given up on his desire to fly like a bird – with the birds.

Corn-crazy

Of all the displays at Kundasan, I found this the most eye-catching.

Endless Spring

Summer? Says who? For this White-rumped Sandpiper, this is still the season of spring migration.

From the middle of a flooded field in northern Ohio, Kenn writes: After a totally crazy month, the calendar has just clicked over from May -- we call it May-hem around here -- to June. So what season is it now? If you’re a White-rumped Sandpiper, it’s still spring, still the height of northward migration season.

Of course, if you’re a White-rumped Sandpiper, you’re probably not reading this blog.

If you’re a sandpiper, you’re too busy to read things like this. Especially if you’re a White-rumped. More than three dozen different species of sandpipers are found regularly in North America; all of them are at least somewhat migratory. None of them migrates north later in spring, on average, than the White-rump.

This bird has a lot of distance to cover. Its wintering sites are all in southern South America, including some as far south as the tip of the continent -- or even farther: this amazing migrant has even been recorded in Antarctica. Its nesting sites are all in high Arctic regions of Canada and Alaska, most of them north of the Arctic Circle. So when northbound birds get to the latitude of the lower 48 states, they still have some traveling ahead of them. It’s amazing how late in the spring they show up. When I was down in Texas at the beginning of May this year, I saw a few White-rumped Sandpipers, but they were among the earlier arrivals at that location, and most would be passing through in mid-May. Here in northern Ohio, White-rumps have just shown up within the last few days. Their peak passage through here will be during the first ten days of June. Their time on the Arctic tundra may be very brief: some adults, perhaps those that have failed at their nesting attempt, will be southbound before the middle of July.

See the obvious white rump on this bird? No, we can't see it either.

Birders often overlook the White-rumped Sandpiper. That may be partly because of its migration timing, slipping through after many birders have given up on spring. It’s also partly because it’s a subtle bird with few obvious field marks. Looking at the photos here, do you see any white rump patch? The bird’s namesake field mark is visible only in flight, or rarely while the bird is actively preening its feathers. Various field guides, from the second edition of Peterson’s western to some editions of the National Geographic, have illustrated this species with its wings drooped, showing off the white patch on the rump and uppertail coverts. In real life, the birds just don’t stand that way. When I see this species in spring, I usually pick it out first by its squeaky callnote, by the fine sharp streaks on the chest, and especially by the long-winged profile. Those long wings, incidentally, are a reflection of the bird’s long-distance migration.

I doubt that we can have the bird’s name changed to "Invisibly-white-rumped-and-uppertail-coverted Sandpiper," but if we called it "Long-winged Sandpiper," birders might overlook it less and appreciate it more.

Regardless, if you’re anywhere east of the Rockies, especially in the interior of the continent, early June is not too late to see the White-rumped Sandpiper in spring migration. Singles and small flocks are stopping over in all kinds of shallow wetlands, from the edges of grassy marshes to flooded farm fields. If you can find one of these subtle sandpipers, give it a salute of respect for the 8000-mile journey it has undertaken, and wish it success in getting to the tundra on time.