Dec 26, 2016
Season’s greetings from the birds
Glen Loyd's Christmas video is full of wonderful birds, and the music is Carol of the Bells. Wikipedia says Carol of the Bells is based on Ukrainian folk chants...a swallow files into a home proclaiming the family will have bountiful new year.
Dec 18, 2016
Decorah eagles poisoned and electrocuted
The eggs and eaglets will be monitored closely because only one in 10 eagles survives to adulthood. At least 5 Decorah eagles have been electrocuted on power lines.
And this year, only two of the five hatched survived. One juvenile was hit by a car while going after road kill. And a mother and her eaglet were unintentionally poisoned by the insecticide Methomyl. The Resource Raptor Project (RRP) is doing public information programs about Methomyl and is working with power companies to make their lines safer for birds.
Dec 12, 2016
See the attack of the giant two-headed bird!
You will see a two-headed bird in my video, but it really features movie star Kerwin Mathews from Wisconsin. Turner Classic Movies recently had a Mathews film festival. In addition to acting in plays in Janesville, Beloit and Milton, he performed with Paul Newman at Lake Geneva, WI. Later in the movies, Mathews worked with Spencer Tracey and Frank Sinatra on The Devil at 4 O’Clock and Ernest Borgnine and Colleen Dewhurst on Man on a String. His TV appearances include Space Patrol, Playhouse 90, and The Ford Playhouse Theater.
Dec 11, 2016
Dec 5, 2016
Eagles, coots, goldeneye ducks and the Monterey Dam
The Rock River is an international flyway for birds. Local eagles in Janesville are happy when small diving birds drop by during winter. But I'm among local residents concerned about how the removal of the damaged Monterey dam might effect the bird and fishing habitats and the river's beauty and depth.
Nov 27, 2016
Nov 20, 2016
Full moon encourages frog romance
While the big moon beamed this week, I reprised two moon videos I made several years ago. The refreshed stories are about the moon's relationship to earth and the spell its casts on frogs.
Nov 14, 2016
Red-tailed hawk grooms by gurgling stream
The stream you'll see in Glen Loyd's video springs from the ground near his home in Madison, WI empties into Lake Wingra which empties into the Rock River which passes by his studio in Janesville and finally empties into the Mississippi at Rock Island Illinois.
Nov 6, 2016
Slimed!
Turned off by slimy slugs and snails? Children's book writer Beatrix Potter wasn't. she studied and sketched them. And put them in her books. Glen Loyd has been trailing some of these creature
Oct 31, 2016
Toddler loves autumn leaves
A turkey is a funny bird.
Its head goes wobble, wobble wobble.
And it knows just one word, gobble, gobble gobble.
Glen Loyd has fall colors, turkeys and a happy toddler.
Oct 22, 2016
7 Ways to Save at Trader Joe’s
MONEY
Two Buck Chuck isn't the only way to save at the store that never has sales.
Oct 16, 2016
Decorah eagles leave nest
The Decorah, Iowa eagle parents stay close to home in the winter, but their offspring may travel as far as the arctic circle. Glen Loyd has an update on the Decorah eagles born last winter. The video comes from the live eagle cam of the Raptor Resource Project and was recorded by Eagle Whisperer 18. Glen edited the video.
Oct 9, 2016
The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin - YouTube
"
The old Tale of Squirrel Nutkin has something in common
with professional football and Presidential debates.
Oct 3, 2016
Wisconsin writer Bill Stokes' 85th birthday (within the video you can click (i) which links to videos of Bill's writing)
Bill Stokes, one of Wisconsin's foremost outdoor writers, is celebrating his 85th birthday. But I have a present for you readers. First (below) is one of Bill's vintage newspaper articles (courtesy of the Chicago Tribune.) And above, a video of Bill's birthday party with his family in Mazomanie, WI.
Saying Goodbye
A Dying Doctor`s Reflections On His Profession And On His Life
January 09, 1987|By Bill Stokes, Chicago Tribune
MARSHFIELD, WIS. — "Delicate snow crystals clung to the tree branches like the spectacular blossoming of winter. They gave a sense of suspended time to the still, gray afternoon in central Wisconsin. A vague sense of waiting prevailed. Something would happen soon, it seemed. Somebody would stomp his foot, a child would shout, a bell would ring suddenly. Then the millions of crystals would fall softly to the earth and the animation of life would resume with a rush.
In a small, single-story home on the southeastern edge of this farm community, where the frosted trees lined the streets in a graceful, motionless dance, the quiet drama of one man`s final goodbye was being played out."(Rest of story: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-01-09/features/8701030251_1_marshfield-clinic-predictions-and-plans-quiet
Sep 25, 2016
One-legged blue heron fishes Rock River
Living on the Rock River in Janesville, WI, I've had fun making Great Blue heron videos--except when these birds are maimed and tortured when becoming entangled in abandoned fishing lines and hooks. Filming a Great Blue this past week from a great distance, I didnt notice anything unusual at first. The heron flew up the river and landed on a shore log near Bellrichard bridge which connects Crosby and Willard Streets The wind blew hard and the heron flapped wings for balance.
But back in my studio looking carefully at the video I was shocked to see the heron had lost most of one leg. The article accompanying my video says some birds "adapt amazingly well to being one-legged. Birds do not suffer the psychological trauma of a lost limb as humans would, but instead adapt their behavior to compensate for the missing leg."
http://birding.about.com/od/birdbehavior/fl/One-Legged-Birds.htm
Sep 18, 2016
Fall's fashion fungus
Glen Loyd says be on the lookout for fall's fashion fungus on trees and forest floors.
Sep 11, 2016
"A psychic convinced clients to give her money, gift cards, appliances, and cards to prevent bad things.
consumerist
This happened in Ohio, but it happens in Wisconsin, too. My advice...stay away from fortunetellers psychics even for fun.
Sep 5, 2016
Rock River birds getting ready for migration
Glen Loyd goes birding on the Rock River. And here's The DNR's Statewide Birding Report compiled in late August
"The calendar says August but fall bird migration is well underway. Shorebird migration, which began way back in early July, is likely at peak, though only Horicon Marsh has featured high numbers. A flock of 53 Hudsonian godwits there on the August 14 was a great find. Several federally-endangered piping plovers were found along the Lake Michigan shore this week, including one in Racine that hatched just months earlier from the first nest on lower Green Bay in 75 years! Birders statewide also noted the first common nighthawks. Look for these zig-zagging aerial insectivores at dawn and dusk over the next three weeks.
Evenings are also a great time to look for gathering concentrations of chimney swifts, another aerial insectivore whose populations have declined in recent decades. You can help by counting the birds at a site near you. Backyard birders reported building numbers of ruby-throated hummingbirds this week. Adult males, with their flashy red throats, will head south first and be gone soon, while females and this year's young will continue well into September. Among the most beloved groups of birds, warblers have begun their southbound migration statewide. Northern birders saw a good influx on the August 14, while the same day brought smaller numbers into southern counties from Madison to Milwaukee, including Tennessee and bay-breasted warblers.
Other land birds on the move include olive-sided and yellow-bellied flycatchers, rose-breasted grosbeaks, scarlet tanagers, indigo buntings, bobolinks, and more! Woodlots, shrubby wetlands, and fruit-laden forest edges are great places to seek out a diversity of migrants this time of year. Despite all this migration, some birds are still nesting! Cedar waxwings, American goldfinches, and northern cardinals are notable late nesters. Even some ruby-throated hummingbirds continue to tend chicks in nests this week. Rarities have been few and far between, by far the best being two swallow-tailed kites found in Door County in July and continuing through at least the August 14. As always, help us track the migration by submitting your sightings to ebird.org/wi. Good birding! - Ryan Brady, Bureau of Wildlife Management research scientist, Ashland"
Aug 28, 2016
"To recreate the faces of our early ancestors, some of whom have been extinct for millions of years, sculptor John Gurche dissected the heads of modern humans and apes, mapping patterns of soft tissue and bone. He used this information to fill out the features of the fossils. Each sculpture starts with the cast of a fossilized skull; Gurche then adds layers of clay muscle, fat and skin. Seven of his finished hominid busts [are] featured at the National Museum of Natural History’s David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins...which are perhaps the best-researched renderings of their kind".---National Museum of Natural History
Watch artist John Gurche create his sculptures of early man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjuNZ...
What is the Build & Buy Car Buying Service? How subscribers can save money on a new car
Consumer Reports
This great service is provided by subscribers to Consumer Reports and can be accessed at most libraries on line with your library card. I used this service last time I purchased a car and it worked out well. The only problem I encountered was when I went to pay, the car dealer charged me an additional $100 because the "salesman made a mistake in addition." The salesman could have made many more "mistakes" in the car dealer's favor if I had not used Consumer Reports. Don't ever buy a car without checking what Consumer Reports says about its price and reliability. That goes for used as well as new cars.
Aug 21, 2016
Newly discovered Astronaut Graffiti from first moon landing
Glen Loyd says that previously unknown astronaut graffiti from the first moon landing has just been discovered at the National Air and Space Museum.
Aug 14, 2016
High Tech Helps Aging Drivers
Kiplinger
Because I am old, I purchased a new Subaru Forester with the new safety devices mentioned in this article. The Forester is also easy for an older person to get in and out of. And your view out of the vehicle is unobstructed. In fact, Consumer Reports recommends the car for elderly people.
Dogs in the National Gallery of Art Glen Loyd Glen Loyd
The loyal dog has appeared in paintings as far back as 4500 BC when canines were portrayed on cave walls... As the dog's relationship with the human evolved, so did the way he is represented in art. In the early Middle Ages, dogs were valued for their aggressiveness and appeared in paintings in packs on hunting expeditions. In the Renaissance, as dogs begin to be viewed more as domestic companions, they appear in paintings on the laps of ladies as objects of affection. In the 18th century, dog portraits became popular among the wealthy British.--Petcentric
Aug 7, 2016
Birding in Washington D. C .
One of the best views from the U.S.Capitol in Washington D.C. is from is from the Balcony of House Speaker Paul Ryan, just off the Speaker's Lounge. Ryan, of course, is from Janesville. WI. Last year Pope Francis waved to America from the historic Balcony while visiting the Capitol. As a guest at the Capitol Last week, I took a photograph from the Balcony which you will see at the end of this video.
But my video is really about some of the birds I saw in Washington.
Aug 1, 2016
Jul 17, 2016
Mermaid Yoga
The only thing as good as living on the Rock River in Janesville, WI is living a block from Lake Wingra when I'm in in Madison. By the way, Lake Wingra drains into the Rock River which drains into the Mississippi.
8 Awkward Money Moments Everyone Has at Work
MONEY
This is an interesting article on awkward money moments at work. Trouble is the writer has no advice. After experiencing some of these moments,
- I try to stay away from drinking with coworkers after work. My family is waiting for me.
- I have my own charities and won't be forced by social pressure to donate to charities suggested by coworkers and bosses. (When I was in the U.S Army, a payroll officer with a gun at his side forced me and my fellow troopers to donate to the Red Cross.)
- If a coworker asks me to loan them more than a dollar, I can't do it because because I buy everything with a credit card and don't carry cash.
Jul 16, 2016
Jul 10, 2016
6 ways greed keeps you poor
Money on Twitter
Many rip-offs are set up to make us greedy. Greed is an emotion the overrules common sense.
For example, an excited telephone caller says we have just won the $500,000 lottery. The caller congratulates us over and over again and asks what we might do with the money, planting the seeds of greed. Once greed is fully ignited, we are told about the $5,000 lottery tax we need to wire before getting our winnings. Over the years as a consumer reporter, I have talked with many deceived, but still-greedy victims who continued to feel there was a chance of getting the $500,000. A number of them were irritated with me when I told them they were out $5,000.
Jul 4, 2016
Green Bay Packers Sportscaster Larry McCarren voted into Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame
If you are a Green Bay Packers fan, you know him well. Sportscaster Larry McCarren. After almost 30 years covering Wisconsin sports, he has been voted into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
I knew Larry 28 years ago and was there with him in Green Bay on his first day as a professional broadcaster. This video captures a side of Larry you have never seen...The Rock cries expressing his love and gratitude to his wife, Becky.
Jun 27, 2016
Swan babies stay close to mom and dad
Jun 20, 2016
Jun 11, 2016
Summer along the Rock River
Summer along the Rock River in Wisconsin is even better with the stirring sound track of composer Jason Shaw.
Jun 5, 2016
May 31, 2016
Rock River Coalition Paddles to Janesville
Paddling from Horicon Marsh to Beloit in 11 days, the Rock River Coalition is testing the water's purity and stopping at communities along the way to share what they are learning and provide a forum for discussion about water quality solutions.
May 30, 2016
May 23, 2016
Car Title Loans Can Be Trouble for Millennials
Consumer Reports
This high-cost form of credit, secured by the borrower's vehicle, can be financially risky for younger consumers and catastrophic for others
Testing Rock River's Purity Watch Live
Paddling from Horicon Marsh to Beloit, the Rock River Coalition is testing the river's purity. And you can watch it live.
Many lakes and and streams in the Rock River basin are impaired and polluted from excessive phosphorus coming from water treatment plants, municipalities, industry and agriculture, says the WI Dept of Natural Resources.
Phosphorus keeps urban lawns green but also turn lakes green with algae. Algae clouds water, blocks sunlight to aquatic plants, lowers oxygen levels, and kills fish!
Reduction of phosphorus and sediment will improve water quality, reduce dangerous algae blooms and increase the value and usefulness of the river.
May 22, 2016
May 15, 2016
Thank you, Consumer Reports
Thanks to Consumer Reports for all the advice appearing in this blog. A CR subscription will save you from ripoffs and physical harm. Don't ever buy a new or used car before checking out what CR says. When I was a TV reporter I would pass along car-buying advice from CR. As a result, major local car dealerships banded together and withdrew a million dollars of advertising from my TV station.
Hello Hawk!
A very big Red-tailed hawk flew very close to me, landed in a nearby tree, and let me take all the photos I wanted.
Puny Powerehouses: Best Jump Starter Buying Guide - Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports
It used to be that a set of jumper cables (and an obliging fellow motorist) or a call for roadside assistance was needed to jump-start a car, but a convenient alternative has recently hit the market: The mini jump starter. These micro-sized battery packs are small enough to fit in your glovebox and powerful enough to jolt your car back to life.
May 9, 2016
Listen to the red wing black bird
May 1, 2016
Do vendors really charge more for a wedding than for a 50th-anniversary party?
Behind the Scenes: How Consumer Reports Put on a Wedding
Thanks to Consumer Reports for its advice on putting on a wedding and paying for it. And thanks to CR for all of the stories I link to every week. A subscription to Consumer Reports is a good investment in keeping families safe and their finances sound!
Crabby and the cool crow
In this video you will see that crabs eat pretty much the way humans do...claw to mouth. In addition to their role in delicate feeding, these claws can savagely pinch predators. I've seen a crab hold off several menacing crows with quick moves and threatening gestures. But the laid back crow in this video isn't bothering anyone and has the softest call I've ever heard.
Apr 25, 2016
Stuffed Decorah eagle babies
Update from from the Raptor Resource Project in Decorah, Iowa: "The dynamic duo are growing like weeds this week as they sleep, eat, and gain the skills and features they need for the next phase of their lives! Their clown clompers are a nice shade of yellow, their talons are black, their natal down mohawks are clearly visible, and the outer edges of the nest are taking on a splotchy appearance as the eaglets get better at sitting up, bending over, and shooting poop!"
Apr 24, 2016
Apr 18, 2016
Apr 10, 2016
Hope running out for 3rd Decorah hatch
Waiting for the third Decorah eagle egg to hatch. Two days ago, the Raptor Research Project said, "We are still in the hatch window, even though it is toward the latter days of this nest history.
Apr 5, 2016
Decorah eagle eggs begin hatching
The Decorah, Iowa eagle eggs have begun hatching. See if you can spot them on this live EagleCamhttp://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles Meanwhile watch the parents deal with visiting owls, mice and snow in Glen Loyd's video.
Apr 2, 2016
Mar 29, 2016
Decorah eagle eggs begin hatching today
The Decorah, Iowa eagle eggs have begun hatching. See if you can spot them on this live EagleCam http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles Meanwhile watch the parents deal with visiting owls, mice and snow in Glen Loyd's video.
Mar 28, 2016
Our German ancestors in WI
Willkommen...Sprechen Sie Deutsch
More immigrants came from Germany to Wisconsin than any other country. Glen Loyd has excerpts from a British documentary telling the story of German immigrants in Wisconsin.
Mar 27, 2016
Mar 20, 2016
My weekly video for the Janesville, WI Gazette
Cornwall, a county at the southwest tip of Great Britain, played an important role in the settlement of southern Wisconsin. Starting in 1830 more than half of the population of Cornwall left for America and other places. Now there are 2 million people of Cornish descent in the US which is four times the present population of Cornwall, England.
Mar 13, 2016
Decorah eagles and humans rebuild downed nest
See Decorah, Iowa eagles rebuild their downed nest on a platform built by people. I noticed the eagles shredding branches to make soft bedding. This video was recorded by Eagle Whisperer 18 from the Rapture Resource Project EagleCam.
Mar 6, 2016
Decorah eagles parents again
Decorah, Iowa eagles click and call each other as they incubate 3 eggs. You can see the eagles nest live at
http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles
Feb 28, 2016
Walleye, airborne skateboarders and pigeons
Recent 50 degree weather had Glen Loyd out filming fishermen and walleye, skateboarders and sleepy pigeons.
At the end of this music video, you will see close ups of the pigeons perched high above on powerlines at Monterey Dam.
Feb 21, 2016
My weekly music video for the Janesville, WI Gazette
May the countryside and the gliding valley
streams content me. Lost to fame, let me love
river and woodland. Virgil
Fake Online Locksmiths May Be Out to Pick Your Pocket, Too
The New York Times NYTimes and Wall Street Journal articles may be blocked. Google their headlines to get there
When a Dream House Becomes a Money Pit
The New York Times NYTimes and Wall Street Journal articles may be blocked. Google their headlines to get there.
Feb 13, 2016
Hubble's beautiful images
Wisconsin has played an important and continuing role in the development of the Hubble space telescope. Edwin Hubble began his study of the stars at Yerkes Observatory near Lake Geneva. And UW Astronomers helped to develop the space telescope's cameras and other instruments. For example, the Hubble space telescope was launched 25 years ago with a UW photometer to sample the changing brightness of stars.
In his second video about the Hubble, Glen Loyd focuses on the beauty of the Universe revealed by the Hubble telescope.
Feb 7, 2016
Jan 31, 2016
Winter river sun patches
As a Mississippi tributary, the Rock River overflowed in recent weeks adding to the St Louis flooding. In this week's video from Glen Loyd you can see the Rock's frozen high-water mark.
Jan 24, 2016
Horses wearing a coat of snow
Animals thriving in the cold and an old house fighting a losing battle with the weather