Today's walk report. Another post summer walk with a serious lack of photo opportunities. So I came up with this. If you can correctly identify the feathers shown below and note your answers in the comments section you may win a fabulous no-prize to be awarded at no time in no place.
Two feathers coincidentally landing pointed end down. This is the calamus, or quill--the hollow, basal part of a bird's feather shaft that anchors the feather in the bird's skin. The quill is unseen in the first picture since it's obviously buried inside the cracked asphalt road in front of me. What you can see is the rachis, the stiff, central shaft of a feather, from which the barbs (the vane) extend.
I am 100% positive I have accurately identified the first feather. Google image searches are NOT permitted. Besides. I checked to see what Google AI might have to say on this first feather and I got... "The feather's distinct pattern of chocolate-brown on one side and white on the other is characteristic of a Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster)." Google AI needs to be checked out for color blindness.
This second feather, I'm 92% confident that I have correctly identified the bird species belonging to this image. It's the first bird I thought of when I saw it but then an another bird came to mind that I've since eliminated. The softer feathers toward the quill are called afterfeathers. Afterfeathers and down feathers are both types of downy feathers that provide insulation, but they differ in their structure and location. An afterfeather is a second, smaller feather attached to the base of a larger, outer contour or flight feather, while down feathers are soft, fluffy, and grow independently from the skin.
There you have it. There is no time limit on this not a contest, participants may respond at any time and still win a wonderful no-prize. However, I will be providing the answers in my next post, or two or three. Maybe I'll even spill the beans in the comment section. Good luck! And remember, nobody cares!
Special thanks to Docken for joining me over the phone on my walk again today.
One more thing: Brown Boobies can be found in Channel Islands National Park and Sutil Island, specifically off the coast of Santa Barbara Island, where they have established a breeding colony. The birds have been expanding their range northward from Mexico, and are now seen in increasing numbers in Southern California. However, you will not find any Brown Boobies in my neck of SoCal suburbia. I am struggling to avoid jokes about boobies.
The fate of all mankind, I see
Is in the hands of fools
