Cats and Birds information on net.

THOSE OF us privileged to serve on the Government's newest quango, NOSEY, the National Organisation for Schools, Education and Youth, have naturally been disappointed by a recent Country Life survey which suggests that our streetwise, modern children believe that sausages grow on trees, that herds of cats graze in fields and that bullocks are what teachers talk.

Should Country Studies be part of the National Curriculum? Probably not. Instead, NOSEY will soon be launching a pounds 60m publicity campaign to help kids understand the marvellous leisure facilities available in the new countryside.

Fields. Essential units for producing things, fields can come in all sizes. The big ones are like giant, rather flat factories which exist to produce the food you find on your supermarket shelves. The smaller ones are usually being kept for building development. These can be "greenfield sites" - basically grass and stuff, or "brownfield sites" after the farmer has ploughed them up to make them look different.

Seasons. As in the town, there are four basic seasons. Spring is when the young shoots of plants are growing, and country folk can enjoy the primroses, the baby birdies and frisky lambs. Summer is when ordinary people visit the countryside to enjoy rural pursuits like picnicking and rambling. Autumn's a busy time, with all sorts of cutting and picking going on, while in winter, when the robin redbreast sits atop the snow- laden mistletoe tree, it gets rather cold and nothing much happens.

Abattoirs. These are like big vet's surgeries, but with one-way traffic for the animals. They are a bit depressing, so the Government is looking for ways of closing down smaller ones, leaving just a few giant abattoirs in faraway places where no one has to think too much about them.

Country pastimes. Some of these are good and some are bad. There is nothing wrong, of course, with dancing around the Maypole, bobbing for apples or listening to a dodgy Sixties band in the village hall. But other country pastimes, which involve galloping about, shouting "Yoicks tally-ho!" and killing things, are no longer acceptable. The Government hopes to divert all that energy into more positive rural activities like morris-dancing.

Farmers. Once there were two kinds of farmers - leather-faced old codgers like something out of One Man and his Dog and pea-brained oafs who looked like Jeremy Clarkson and drove Range Rovers. All that has changed. In the new, rationalised countryside, smaller farmers are being offered new career options: either to sell out to bigger, more efficient businesses or to play a part in the new rural Britain, as wardens or leisure-pursuit guides.

Countryside Alliance. This is an organisation which arranges communal town visits during which country folk can shout and wave banners, often causing city-dwellers to crash their cars. We are currently looking for out-of-centre venues where this colourful ritual can take place without disrupting the lives of ordinary, hardworking people.

GM crops. These are plants which will arrive in supermarkets, bigger, rosier and, above all, cleaner than the mucky stuff produced in the unhygienic old countryside. A few extremists have argued that by removing nasty nature - weeds, bugs, slimy toads - we will also be removing the birds we all love so much. The Government has a simple answer to this problem: look at the riot of bird-life to be found in the average suburban garden. Surely to goodness, country folk have heard of bird-tables and nut bags.

Swine fever, BSE, foot-and-mouth, etc. Do not be alarmed by the scare stories you read in the press about these so-called "diseases". If you take sensible precautions, ramblers and visitors run no risk of infection.

# posted by Medical Information : 1:57 AM  0 Comments

Europe's bird flu crisis took on a new and potentially alarming dimension yesterday after a domestic cat discovered dead on the German Baltic Island of Ruegen was confirmed to have caught the H5N1 virus.

German scientists said the body of the cat was found on the island at the weekend near a site where more than 100 dead birds infected with the virus have been recovered since last week. It was the first recorded case in the European Union of the virus spreading to mammals.

The cat was undergoing tests yesterday at Germany's Friederich Lffler Institute to establish whether the animal was infected with the highly contagious strain of the virus found in Asia and Turkey, which has led to humans contracting the disease.

Thomas Mettenleiter, the Institute's President said: "We know from the Asian experience that cats can infect themselves with the virus if they eat contaminated birds. However, we do not know what that means for humans," he added.

News of the infected cat prompted officials in northern Germany to warn pet owners on Ruegen to keep cats inside and walk dogs on leads in public. They said that, in all previously reported cases, the only mammals to have contracted the disease were domestic cats, big cats and ferrets.

In Vietnam, three civet cats died of bird flu last August and - in October 2004 - dozens of tigers kept at a private Zoo in Thailand died after a bird flu outbreak. German scientists said yesterday that there were no recorded cases of cat-to human infection.

However, the discovery on Ruegen raised concerns about further cross-species transmission and the possibility of human infection. Hans-Dieter Klenk, a Biologist from Marburg University said yesterday that the danger to humans was greater simply because cats were mainly domestic.

"Theoretically, humans can only contract the disease if they are in very close contact with infected animals. If people see a cat with cold symptoms in the area, they should contact a vet immediately," Mr Mettenleiter said.

In Germany, the bird flu epidemic spread to southern state of Bavaria yesterday, where the corpses of two wild birds were found to contain the virus. Five of Germany's 16 federal states have recorded cases of H5N1. A total of 121 infected birds have been recovered in northern Germany.

Officials in the east German states of Saxony and Thuringia said yesterday they were increasing stocks of anti-viral drugs with the aim of inoculating 20 percent of the population in a worst-case scenario.

In Sweden, the agriculture ministry said the virus recently detected in ducks in the Oskarshahmn region, 250km south of Stockholm was a "highly pathogenic" strain of the virus that kills only birds. However the ministry said it suspected it would turn out to be H5N1, which can kill humans.

"This means we have bird flu in Sweden. It's serious but not unexpected," said Ann-Christin Nukvist, the Agriculture Minister.

In Romania, officials said samples of domestic fowl found to have the virus, were being tested for the deadly H5NI strain.

At the Paris headquarters of the World Organisation for Animal Health vets from 50 countries met for a second day to discuss ways to combat the virus.

# posted by Medical Information : 1:55 AM  0 Comments

FIGURING that what's good for the canine is good for the feline, Divinity Libby took a pampered dog model and translated it for cats. After owning and operating Pasadena Pet, a dog daycare and boarding facility, she decided to create the Best Little Cat House of Pasadena, a "cat resort" to give the same services to fancy felines. CATS can be cared for when their owners are away for just $18 a night.

"After graduating from USC, I started working for a friend who was my dog groomer. I was planning on going on to graduate school, but was having too much fun. I became a veterinary technician at Pasadena Pet, a cage-free boarding and grooming facility, and eventually bought it. In November 2000, I decided I needed a separate place for the kitties to play.

"We provide a cage-free alternative for people who want somewhere that their cat can feel comfortable and at home. The boarding facility is a 2,000-square-foot. 1903 Victorian house.

"Cats stay anywhere from three days to nine months. We average 30 cats on weekdays and can go up to 70 cats on holidays. We have people that bring their cats in even if they are home. They want them to have a vacation and to play with their friends.

"We have places to hang out or to have a nap, fish tanks, birdcages and televisions. The cats love to sit in front of the tanks or watch the birds. It's a form of entertainment for them.

"We also have an enclosed cat porch. The cats feel they are outside and don't get stir crazy. They love the porch.

"We have solo playrooms if a cat cannot be around other cats because they are sick, injured or don't like other cats. I can also take care of injections if the cats have diabetes and administer other medication.

"We also groom the cats with a hand held shower and a gentle water spray. Depending on the breed and the length of the coat, cats come from once a month to every two months. Most are really good. They are better for us then they will be at home.

"Cat people are different than dog people because they are really in-tuned to their cat's feelings. They will drive far to make their cats comfortable. Clients can see the cats are going to have a good time here. It's like a second home."

# posted by Medical Information : 1:53 AM  0 Comments

An international team of researchers, led by University of Wisconsin-Madison flu expert Yoshihiro Kawaoka, has identified the biological roadblock that prevents the avian influenza virus, H5N1, from transmitting easily between people.

Researchers familiar with the study, published today in the journal Nature, say the findings are "comforting" because they indicate that it may be difficult for the disease to become the deadly human pandemic many have feared.

"This paper gets better every time I read it," said William Schaffner, a flu expert and head of the preventive medicine department at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., who was not involved in the study. "They combined modern immunochemistry with old-fashioned anatomical reasons for explaining why certain diseases spread and why some don't."

Since 2003, more than 100 people worldwide have died from H5N1. Most of these people have had close contact with infected poultry. However, the disease has not been able to jump easily between people. And although there are a handful of purported human-to- human cases, these have been among family members and caregivers who were in close contact with the sick.

To understand why it's been so difficult for H5N1 to spread between people, Kawaoka and his colleagues asked the question: What are the molecular barriers that limit this transmission?

To answer that, they examined cells on tissue samples taken from the respiratory tracts of eight people. They were looking for specific receptors or surface molecules that are known to bind to H5N1 influenza viruses.

They discovered that only cells located in the deep, dark recesses of the human lower respiratory tract could bind to avian flu. Those in the upper respiratory tract, where human flus are carried, could not.

Human flus, which can be contracted through the air, generally move between people by catching a ride on the currents of sneezes and coughs. But because the avian flu is lodged so deeply in the lungs, once it's in, the virus has a difficult time climbing back out.

The finding may also explain why the disease manifests itself as a deadly pneumonia, Schaffner said.

He said that while the vast majority of human flus begin as bronchitis, with pneumonia occurring only as a result of "the bacterial wreckage" caused by those upper infections, the avian flu goes directly to the lungs, causing a pneumonia that is viral in origin.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:16 AM  0 Comments

The AP-Ipsos survey, out Friday, found widespread belief that birds will become infected in this country in the next year, as the government has predicted. One-third worry someone in their family will get the bird flu.

Fear is certain to spread if the virus is found in the United States: Half of the people questioned said they thought the bird flu would kill them if they contracted it. Among the most concerned: women, older people, minorities, poorer people and the less educated.

The actual chances of death from the virulent strain of the bird flu spreading through Asia, Europe and Africa are not known, mainly because there is no way to tell how many contract the virus. It's possible some who get it recover without the virus even being detected.

Among the 204 known cases so far overseas since 2003, 113 people have died, according to new World Health Organization figures Friday.

The poll found only one in 10 people has prepared for an outbreak in any way despite federal recommendations that Americans make contingency plans to work from home, to deal with school closings and put away at least modest amounts of food and water for any emergency.

Overall, more than 200 million birds have died from the disease or been slaughtered in efforts to contain it.

Right now, the danger comes from handling sick chickens, not from eating properly cooked poultry. The health concern is that the strain will mutate so it can be easily spread among people. This is considered most likely to happen in Asia and be carried from there by travelers.

The U.S. government is stepping up inspection of migratory wild birds, and poultry companies are testing nearly every flock for the first signs of the virus.

Americans are far from reassured that if an outbreak among humans happens, the government can control it.

In the poll, 52 percent said they were not confident the government would handle an outbreak among humans properly; 48 percent were confident. About six in 10 expect U.S. birds to become infected.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:14 AM  0 Comments

Decorative feeders are for the birds -- and bird watchers

By MARTHA STEWART

New York Times Syndication Sales Corp.

Sunday, December 31, 2000

Bird feeders provide a wonderful way to attract avian wildlife to your yard, and -- particularly during the winter months -- are a boon for hungry birds whose natural food supplies are scarce.

If you've never fed birds before, now is a good time to start. As a bonus, if you hate taking down the wreaths and lights of the holiday season, you'll be happy to find that many natural feeders are decorative as well as functional.

When birds discover your backyard as a source of food, they'll reward you with frequent visits. Be sure to keep up your end of the bargain by offering plenty of food and fresh water.

The style and location of the feeder, as well as the kinds of seed you use, determine the species of birds you'll attract. Check a field guide for a listing of birds that migrate to your area so you'll know what to offer.

A mix of millet, safflower and sunflower seeds in a pole feeder will entice both large and small birds. Smaller birds and songbirds are drawn to hanging feeders with sunflower seeds, whereas finches prefer thistles. Scattering food at ground level lures doves, quail, sparrows and juncos; consider using a feeding platform positioned just above the ground to discourage the growth of mold and bacteria hazardous to birds.

Most birdseed mixes contain safflower seeds and cracked corn. To this base you can add any combination of the following materials, which can be found in bulk at hardware stores, pet stores or nurseries.

-- Sunflower seeds are economical and provide a good source of protein. They attract chickadees, juncos, native sparrows and cardinals.

-- Millet, a grain culled from forage grasses, is found in almost all prepackaged seed mixes. It attracts mourning doves, song sparrows, house sparrows and white-crowned sparrows.

-- Thistle is a small seed enjoyed by goldfinches, sparrows, juncos and doves.

-- Peanut hearts are very high in protein and are eaten by sparrows, house finches, doves and grackles.

In colder climates, consider putting out suet -- beef fat sold in the meat department of grocery stores -- for birds, such as woodpeckers, that include insects in their diet. Suet can be put into a mesh bag, or you can purchase a basket suet feeder. In either case, it should be kept out of reach of cats and dogs and used only in colder weather;

# posted by Medical Information : 3:12 AM  0 Comments

WHEN IT was recently revealed that every year about 30,000 cats are killed - shot, mostly - in the state of New South Wales, concern was expressed in the letters column of a local newspaper. "Why so few?" readers asked. Surely it was time to get tough with these loathsome pests who, year after year, did inestimable harm to native species of wildlife?

Many Australians, for whom cat-shooting is not just a sport but also a social duty, would be entirely unsurprised by the finding of the UK's Mammal Society, published this week. We are a cat-dependent society. The animals that in Australia have the status of rats or foxes have, with the sleek, purring insincerity for which they are famous, inveigled their way into British homes and our hearts. As a result, we have, at the centre of our emotional, domestic lives, an animal that does more harm to the environment than any other creature with the exception of humans.

The Mammal Society may be slightly prejudiced in the matter, but the figures they produce are startling. Having studied the behaviour of 964 cats from around 600 households, its investigators found that the pets killed 14,000 animals, including 4,196 mice, 3,383 birds, 1,949 voles and 946 shrews. Because they are essentially cowards, cats were completely useless in the one area where they could actually do some good - taking a mere 162 rats.

Put on a national scale, the survey suggests that the average household cat kills between 30 and 40 animals a year, totalling 275 million. They seem particularly partial to species whose numbers are in decline, notably water voles, thrushes, house sparrows and, most shockingly of all, bats. By waiting at the places from which bats emerge at dusk - a typically lazy and unsporting feline trick - cats kill around 230,000 every year.

What is to be done about this terrible massacre? Hardline supporters of The Independent's Save the Sparrow campaign might well advocate an Australian shoot-on-sight policy.

Others, looking at the current political agenda, will suggest that the greyhounds, whippets and beagles that currently earn their keep by tearing limb from limb the harmless and beautiful brown hare might usefully be retrained. A Waterloo Cup with cats as the prey would undoubtedly be something of a bloodbath, but at least it would significantly diminish the threat to bats, voles and frogs in the area.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:02 AM  0 Comments

Dear Uncle Matty: According to one of my friends, recent articles in newspapers have said that cats can give the bird flu virus to other cats. How serious is this? I have three cats, and they are outside in the morning, and so are a lot of birds here in Arizona. Should I keep them inside the house?

Dear Betty: It is true that in March of this year, a cat in Germany died, a victim of the bird flu. The cat was tested, and it was confirmed that this feline died of a strain of the virus known as H5N1, a form that is deadly to humans. You should also know that the cat lived in an area where a high number of infected birds had been found.

According to ABC News, Dr. James Richards, director of the Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, the virus has shown up in tigers and leopards in a Thailand zoo, and the World Health Organization says that household cats in Thailand have died of the disease. Research confirms that cats can transmit the virus to other cats through respiratory secretions, feces or urine. Richards emphasizes there is no evidence that cats are a risk to humans regarding the avian flu.

There is more evidence that cats are at risk than dogs at this time. Many animals, including cats and dogs, can transmit viral or bacterial diseases through contact with bodily secretions or parasites, including fleas. But what are the real risks in Canada and the United States? Based on the fact that in recent months, the bird flu virus has spread rapidly through Central Asia, then Europe and into Africa, the U.S. government says the appearance of H5N1 in the United States is inevitable. Migratory birds from Asia are expected to move through Alaska, into Canada and then onto the West Coast of the United States. It is about now that these birds are arriving in Alaska and are expected to arrive on the West Coast this summer. The U.S. government is carefully monitoring this situation and expects to collect between 75,000 and 100,000 samples for testing in Alaska and the West Coast.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:00 AM  0 Comments

BY now you've noticed that 6/6/06 passed without incident. My own irrational fear of certain numbers (but not fear of irrational numbers -- ha! I kill me!) doesn't include 666 or 13. The number 714 creeps me out.

I don't know why. My best guess: When I was in high school, the warning bell for first period rang at 7:15, and I habitually checked my watch just before it rang. Perhaps this led me to associate 7:14 a.m. with hurry and dread.

How did other superstitions start? Were black cats actually more ill-behaved? Was opening an umbrella indoors, or in good weather, apt to knock over lamps and scare the cats, who turned black and ran away, breaking mirrors and scurrying under ladders?

The only origins I can know for certain are those I witnessed. I made up two superstitions when I lived in Stockton. First: straw fortune-telling, or bendymancy. For breakfast every school morning, I had a bagel with melted Velveeta and a cup of Carnation Instant Breakfast -- not the complete and nutritious meal that my mother would have preferred.

I drank the shake through a straw (Bendy, not Krazy -- after all, I wasn't a baby). Mom bought these straws in

500-packs from the Pak 'n' Save, which printed grocery packing directions on its brown paper bags, headlined with the educational but dismissive "Pack Your Own Savings!"

These white straws came with assorted stripe colors, one quarter of the box was red, one yellow, one blue and one green. I decided that the stripe color of the straw I randomly chose would foretell the quality of my day. Red was horrible, yellow was unpleasant, blue was good and green was great.

And if that makes sense to you, you should read Mark Haddon's "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," in which an autistic boy decides to make up his own fortune-telling superstition.

Even if I knew it was all fake, even if I drew a red-and-white straw, at least it gave me a worldview, some resignation or confidence so I could frame the events of the day.

The second superstition baffles even me. A hundred years ago, the fad of phrenology washed over the United States. By feeling the bulges on top of one's head and determining the shape of the skull and brain, the doctrine went, a phrenologist could predict someone's personality, aptitudes and tendencies.

# posted by Medical Information : 2:57 AM  0 Comments

HALF MOON BAY

FROM a young age, animals taught Steve Karlin about his relationship with nature. Now he lets them teach others the same lesson.

Karlin is founder of Wildlife Associates, a 26-year-old nonprofit that brings exotic animals into classrooms around the Bay Area. His 50 animals, which include a two-toed sloth, an African porcupine, a python and Arctic fox, coexist in separate pens on a three-acre ranch in the hills of Half Moon Bay.

The nonprofit, which also hosts sessions on the ranch for at- risk teens, corporate groups and families, reaches more students than any other program of its kind in North America, according to Karlin.

A staff of eight cares for the non-releasable animals, who come to Karlin after having been injured, abused or raised in captivity. Many times, the animals have been smuggled into the U.S. and discarded when they proved to be too much trouble to keep.

Karlin's presentations are about more than show-and-tell. By teaching children to care for animals, he believes he's creating better human beings.

"There's something about animals. They disarm us. They go to the core of who we are. They refresh us, they renew us, and all they ask for in return is love," said Karlin, sitting in his back yard on a sunny Sunday afternoon with birds singing in the trees, while his six cats stalked gophers in the wildflowers.

Karlin's lectures are designed to complement a school's science and biology curriculum, teaching children about the life cycle and humans' place in it. He also appeals to children's imaginations, opening their minds to the possibility that animals can feel emotions similar to human beings.

"I ask them if they think animals can feel happiness," said Karlin. "In younger groups, only 50 percent of the kids answer yes."

As a boy growing up in Cleveland, Karlin, 51, spent many hours "talking" to the baby birds living in the trees on a vacant lot behind his house.

"I got to know the movement of the seasons, when the animals would disappear for the winter," he said.

One day, a bulldozer came and flattened the lot, cutting down most of the animals' habitat. Karlin was helpless to do anything about it.

"I saw the nests smashing to the ground and saw the birds' eggs break. It affected me deeply," he said.

# posted by Medical Information : 6:10 AM  0 Comments

Look what's hiding in the tall grass--one of the biggest and scariest birds that ever lived. What's it doing? Turn the page to find out.

SNEAK AND STREAK

Imagine you're on a grassy plain in South America five million years ago. A giant terror bird is sneaking around the tall grass. It's looking for its favorite meal--a small, horselike animal called a brachytherium (BRACK-uh-THUR-ee-um).

There it goes now--dashing after a herd of "brackies"! With its long, strong legs, the terror bird can run more than 40 miles (64 km) per hour.

GOTCHA!

The herd scatters in all directions. So the terror bird picks out one bracky and goes after it. In no time the bird catches up and is running at the bracky's side. Then, wham, the terror bird shoots out its foot and knocks the bracky off balance.

GULPED YA!

Next the terror bird grabs the bracky in its big beak and whacks it against the ground to knock it out.

Finally the bird tosses its head back, and with one big gulp, it finishes off the horsey morsel.

MMMM, DELICIOUS--HOOFS AND ALL!

MORE ABOUT TERROR BIRDS

* Terror birds lived in South America from 62 million years ago until 2.5 million years ago. Dinosaurs were no longer around, so the terror birds were the biggest, baddest beasts in the grassy plains. Some species (kinds) grew almost 10 feet (3 m) tall.

* These huge birds couldn't fly, so they made their nests on the ground. Their eggs were the size of basketballs!

* Terror birds ate lots of animals besides the horselike brachytherium. They ate just about anything meaty, from small rodents to large, grass-eating mammals.

* When predators such as wild cats and dogs moved from North America to South America, the terror birds started to disappear. Scientists believe these mammals fed on the terror birds' eggs, young, and prey. Finally the terror birds became extinct.

# posted by Medical Information : 6:08 AM  0 Comments

Feral felines threaten wildlife

BETWEEN 60 and 100 million feral cats (wild cats that shun human contact) currently roam the U.S. Conservative estimates suggest that these cats annually kill some 1.4 billion small animals and birds, but the real number may be much higher. A recent University of Wisconsin study states that perhaps as many as 217 million birds are killed by rural free-roaming cats in Wisconsin alone.

The hardest-hit birds are ground nesters. "We don't have any data, but there is no doubt quail are affected by feral cats; quail are at the bottom of the food chain," explains Dr. George Wallace of Florida Fish and Wildlife, who heads up the state's Cats Indoors program, which seeks to curb the recent trend toward creating so-called "cat colonies."

Cat colonies are tended by volunteers who feed and attempt to trap, neuter and release cats into the open space of a colony, which in theory would shrink in size as non-reproducing cats die off. In reality, the rural cat colonies become convenient dumping grounds for unwanted pets and attract other species of wildlife, which are then exposed to cat-- born disease. Feral cats are suspected of spreading feline leukemia to California mountain lions and infecting Florida panthers with feline distemper.

Cats have been primarily responsible for the extinction of eight species of birds and currently threaten two endangered mammals on Key Largo. Wallace states that to maintain nature's balance, feral cats have to be taken out of the ecosystem, and domestic cats need to be kept indoors. "The urge to hunt is independent of the urge to eat; cats are hard-wired to catch prey. They can't help it. They're just being cats! -Ted Hatfield.

# posted by Medical Information : 6:07 AM  0 Comments

Apparently, a small bird took refuge from the early morning cold in the rolled-up newspaper on the McBride porch. When Gary McBride unrolled his copy of The Spokesman-Review at the kitchen table, the bird exploded into the room.

Thinking quickly, Gary called to Susan McBride to confine the resident dog and cats upstairs. Then the chase was on.

"The bird hung out on the curtain rod in the kitchen, then among some plants above the cabinets," says Susan. After 15 minutes, Gary threw his bathrobe over the bird and released it on the front porch.

Susan reports seeing the bird later at the bird feeder, no worse for the adventure.

* Be careful out there: Some folks just can't wait for the warmish days of April. So they head for the Columbia Basin in late winter to hike or canoe or just poke around places free of snow.

We have one word to remember during such desert excursions: rattlesnakes. When the sun warms the rocks, out come snakes and they just might be cranky after the dark, cold winter in their dens.

Rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths are all pit vipers, but in this region, rattlesnakes are our only worry. The rattling sound is the best identifier. In general, pit vipers have broad, flat, arrow-shaped heads, distinctly narrow necks with heavy bodies and vertical pupils. As to the last item, we recommend not getting close enough to check out the pupils. (From February Backpacker)

* For the birds: A lot of gardeners order their flower seeds this time of year. Those wanting to attract birds should grow plants especially attractive to birds in their area.

Among the flowers that attract goldfinches, juncos and other finches are sunflowers, cosmos, marigold, zinnia, purple coneflower and coreopsis.

Flowers that attract hummingbirds include columbine, hollyhock, impatiens, larkspur, morning glory, petunia, salvia and lobelia. (From February Birder's World)

* Backyard journal: Night and day, there's continual action as wildlife of all sorts emerges from winter dens and nests. Birds, squirrels and chipmunks chitter and chatter throughout the day. When the sun drops below the horizon, the coyotes take up, howling and yipping back and forth between packs. They're looking for mates or setting up housekeeping, but it sounds just like a celebration of spring.

# posted by Medical Information : 2:00 AM  0 Comments

The Bodega Bay Lodge & Spa looks to make 2003 the year of "The Birds" - Hitchcock's birds to be specific. Celebrating a cinematic milestone, the Lodge will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the movie with a yearlong fundraiser to benefit the Roar Foundation/Shambala Preserve - the organization formed in 1972 by Tippi Hedren, the movie's star.

"Bodega Bay has had a 40-year affiliation with "The Birds" movie and the Lodge sits in close proximity to many landmarks that were featured in the movie," said General Manager Jana Wacholz. "This year-long fundraiser will allow the Lodge to pay homage to the area's cinematic history, recognize Ms. Hedren's celebrity while also making a donation to a one-of-a-kind and notable organization."

Launched on January 1 of this year, the fundraiser will focus on the Lodge's Ocean Club Suites - each named after a member of the local bird community. Aptly dubbed "Trumpeter Swan," "Long-Billed Curlew" and "Brown Pelican," just to name a few, each suite offers wide-sweeping views of Doran Beach and Bodega Bay Harbour. During the course of the year, the Lodge will make a $5 donation to the Roar Foundation/Shambala Preserve for every night the suites are occupied by a guest at the published room rate.

The Lodge will also welcome Ms. Hedren to the Lodge in early May for a reception to further celebrate the movie's anniversary.

"The Bodega Bay Lodge has really developed a creative way to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the debut of 'The Birds,'" said Ms. Hedren. "All of us at The Roar Foundation and the wild ones of the Shambala Preserve thank them so much for their support. As guests stay in luxury, this donation will help our Shambala guests, the wild ones, live the remainder of their lives with the respect and dignity they deserve."

Other activities throughout the course of the year will extend to seasonal "bird" specials in the hotel's award-winning Duck Club Restaurant and periodic showing of the movie for hotel guests in the Den, located off the main lobby. Copies of the movie will also be for sale at the front desk.

# posted by Medical Information : 1:59 AM  0 Comments

Port Washington -- Wild cats are invading Port Washington's southwest side, and officials said Thursday that people are to blame for feeding them.

"It starts when one cat comes around, and someone sees it, thinks it's cute and leaves food out for it," Police Chief Edward Rudolph said. "That cat finds a friend, and they have kittens. They reproduce quickly. The next thing you know, you have a whole bunch."

For several weeks, police have been getting reports of wild cats hanging around the Hickory Court and Highway LL area, Rudolph said.

Rudolph said the cats are flea-bitten, dangerous, most likely diseased animals that need to be controlled.

"These cats are totally wild," he said. "They were born in the wild. They haven't had their shots, and they could have diseases like distemper and rabies. They kill birds, dig up gardens and can be a danger to children."

Many of the residents in the area have been complaining about the cats for several weeks, Rudolph said.

No one is sure where the cats are coming from, but they are reproducing quickly, Rudolph said.

No one is sure how many cats are in the area, said veterinarian Annamarie Dittmar, who handles stray animals for the city. They are impossible to count because they hide very well.

"We have one of the wild cats hiding in my office right now," Dittmar said. "Two got loose. We captured one right away, but the other is still hiding.

"It is clawing up my shelves and spraying everywhere. It wants to get out anyway it can. This guy has made me think some unprofessional thoughts."

Dittmar is the only human casualty so far in the feline fray. She was bitten on the hand when she was trying to remove one of the wild ones from a cage. The cat was tested for rabies, which turned out to be negative.

Make no mistake, Dittmar said, what happened to her was an example of what could happen to anyone who approaches these cats. There is no way they can be socialized.

"You pretty much have to get them before they are weaned at six weeks, or it is too late," Dittmar said.

Any of the cats that are trapped are immediately euthanized, Dittmar said. Normally stray animals are kept for five days and then put down if no one claims them, but there is no point in waiting with these cats, she said.

# posted by Medical Information : 1:58 AM  0 Comments