Quicky Birdie Post

Boy bird at top, Girlie bird below

After a long sulk, the American Goldfinches are hitting the feeding tube. Apparently the seed I gave them before had grown too old. The fresh seed is far more to their liking. These photos were digiscoped at the patio door.

This guy below is in his 1/2 and 1/2, winter/Spring plumage. He is a singer! He's usually sitting in the nearby oak tree, singing his tiny heart out before he lands on the feeder and wolfs down his seed.

My favorite Goldfinch, Mr. Pavaroti

They don't call, they don't write...

Ooooo... Every once in a bit I get updated information from the National Geographic mitochondria DNA testing I took part in a year or so ago. On the chart below are people who are matches to my mitochonria, meaning we're very near, almost sort of, in some ways, related. In other words, if every other human on earth is my 52nd cousin - and they are, even , these people are my, what... 32nd cousins? Yes, something like that.

Here is how the National Geographic explains it all: An exact match on Hyper Variable Region 1 means you share a common female ancestor, but in only 50% of cases did this common ancestor live within the last 52 generations.

So, half the people on the chart below (I'm, inappropriately, the white inverted drop) share the common female great-great-etc.-granny with me. We are genetic cousins. Cool. Just think on it - a whole new set of relatives to not call or visit!

For the record, the white drop points to where my maternal Grandfather originated - Trinidad.

HAPPY 4TH!