Sorry, PETA, I would 100% eat a T-Rex.

Today is apparently ANGRY STABBY BIRB DAY.

I was taking a walk on the boardwalk out near Bolstadt in Long Beach, when I came across this western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) stranded on the path ahead of me. It looked alert and uninjured, so chances were just that it couldn't take flight off of the hard surface, but I called Peninsula Wild Care anyway to see if they wanted to bring it in for a checkup.

They quickly coordinated a couple of volunteers to meet me nearby, and I needed to get the grebe out of the way since a lot of people walk their dogs there and not all of them are on leashes. I figured okay, this is a relatively small bird, not as big as the muscovies I've carted around on the farm, and it seems calm, right?

NOPE. As I tried to gently reach for the grebe it turned from a calm, if confused pile of feathers on the decking to Stabby McStabberson, and I very nearly got jabbed and nipped a few times by a long, pointy beak attached to a surprisingly agile and very much NOT happy bird. I ended up having to take my hoodie off and dropping it over the entire grebe, and only when the lights were out could I bundle it up and carry it over to the meeting place.

Since it was pretty energetic, not obviously sick or injured, and its body condition felt decent (at least through the hoodie) I'm hoping it's going to get released soon enough after a checkup and a nice meal of fish. Many waterbirds have a lot of trouble taking off from hard surfaces because their feet are so far back on their bodies--which is great for swimming and water takeoffs, but not so helpful on land. If the bird had stayed stranded there they could have been injured or killed by another animal, or ended up dehydrated.

So let's hear it for Stabby the Angry Grebe, and wish them a good release back into the wild!

Oviraptor, Khaan, Citipati - by ABelov2014

Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep.                   Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die. -Druid-for-hire

I really liked that line from their comic, it made me think 

Dinofact #24

Rahonavis, a small, bird-like dinosaur approximately the size of a raven, was discovered in the Maevarano formation in Madagascar in 1995. Most formations in the area are covered in dense vegetation, which makes it hard to excavate and identify fossils. However, a portion of a hillside in the formation was cleared by a fire, which exposed the remains of a titanosaur. The following expedition in the area lead to the discovery of Rahonavis.

Source: wikipedia

In your next life.

Two mimir

alduin but with brachiopatagium

Death Stare- Dino Doodles

I think crow-like beady eyes on dinosaurs are criminally underused.

Also hooded crows are underappreciated.

This was supposed to be a "scary feathered dinosaurs" piece but turned out cute.

A gilded Kelenken for you ♥

Results from todays flocking paleostream.

I wasn’t there for all of it and couldn’t finish this one so I finished it later

Balaur bondoc (my idea) upside down try a get the fruip

Shout out to a couple of old dinosaur ocs I revamped while I banned

little raptor!

hey guys I’m back!!

Bonus rough sketch

Canadaga arctica

Commissioned illustration of a prehistoric bird described in 1999 from fossil remains excavated in Nunavut Canada.

Since it's only known from some vertebrae and its femurs, I based much of its anatomy off reconstructions of its better-known relative Hesperornis.

Coloration originally derived from that of a Murre or Guillemot, before I decided to add bars and striping like that of the Black-throated Loon.

Initial sketch