The Beauty of Decaying

Taken Nov. 16
Ivette Tovar

                   Imagine that your hiking through the mountains and stumble upon an animal, smelling its decomposed odor that it leaves behind. The many pieces scattered around like an unsolved puzzle. Of course your first reaction is to poke at its nonliving body hoping theirs no life in it and when the fun is over leave like you never encountered it at all. I came across an animal carcass but out of curiosity, I slightly nudged a soft stick into the remaining animal as slowly as I could, trying not to cause any more damage. I couldn't tell what kind of animal it was but then I viewed it closer and noticed the head was shaped like a snowball with black specks of dirt inscribed into the patched white discolored skeleton. I flipped it on its side, the teeth that looked like a smokers with its yellow stained teeth that were once precious pearls. The jaw stretched out with four enlarged teeth and smaller teeth engulfed in the back that seemed alien like. The once place holder for its beloved eyes know a burrow of emptiness. As I skimmed its carcass I thought where is the rest of the body?  How did the body look before? How does a body decompose?

               I dug around to look for possible answers to my question. According to Darren Naish he's fascinated with animal decomposing that he even does his own techniques on animals he finds on the road or even his front porch. He uses many methods to getting a body out of its flesh. One is soaking the carcass in water for a long period of time which allows the bone to soften and fall off leaving a clean bone as the end result. Another is boiling the bone but its very disguising considering its done in the kitchen (and stink up the house). Last is microwaving the corpse creating heat temperature and causes the skin, flesh and other tissue to completely fall off. Naish has had many experiments done by himself and told some by collaborators. 

Darren Naish
" How to rot down bodies: the Tet zoo body farm"

         It may sound disgusting and disturbing but its the circle of life. Its happens everyday from it being on the road, in the desert, our backyard or even in your own house decaying away. But here's another question who are the doers? Well their are many anthropoids that help with the process of decomposition. Ants are outstanding at decaying away the flesh and cleansing it to the skeleton.Isopods ( woodlice) do an outstanding job at eating away the flesh of a carcass. The ants and isopods have to be in a colony for the job to come out with good results, Also dermestid beetles which some museums have in a large number to specifically decay the carcass. As a body is left these anthropoids come jolting in to eat off its nutritious flesh leaving behind the ridged boney white skeleton. The video shows the life of a bunny being eaten away from various kind of animals( watch closely and you can see them moving the body).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrSHku6-LFo     
   
        I have seen an animal left dead on the road but never stayed after to watch the real beauty begin. Its weird and fascinating to know that right know their are not only animals but people buried underneath the rich soil. Being alarmingly welcomed as the richness of the flesh gets exposed to the minerals of the dirt. Knowing that that's the start and end of the a new of life. Leaving the ends results with fragmented skeleton that beholds beauty. Thank you for decomposing the righteousness and showing its inner beauty.                                                            Word Cited

          Naish, Darren. "How to rot down dead bodies: the Tet zoo body farm". ScienceBlog LLC@ 2006-2014. N.P.n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014

        

The Great Migration

I have been looking at the ground and trees but this time something in my head told me to watch the sky. I found a comfortable spot on the cold, hard cement and laid one arm over the other. Surprisingly a flock of geese appeared out of the blue and actually caught my attention. I have seen flocks before ( which I would glance at for like a second and look away) but this time it was different. I always told myself that I love nature but doing this project had made me actually love nature for real. You don't just say you love something without having a reason too. And I thought why is this flock of birds so fascinating and intriguing to look at? Why am I wasting my time to look at some birds fly away in a group to the same place they always go to? And I told myself what the heck am I saying, these birds are living, breathing creature, breed to keep us company with their wobble orange feet, and long black necks with splattered grey paint on their weird shaped feature. I have always despised bird ( from bad childhood experience) but later found them as descent and warm hearten animals. These flock of geese are headed somewhere far away from here, Nevada, to a place that I have no clue of. Where are they going, how do they reach this place? I had a lot of questions that needed answering pronto before my head explodes from all these thought running through my head. Nature is loved when you question the species throughout this vast land we call Nevada. When you actually take a minute of your time to watch something important instead of sending a text to friends or tweet about a hot guy that smiled at you. Many young adults take advantage of nature by being ignorant and missing the beauty of it. I know because I used to be like that ( well about the texts and stuff of course) and actually enjoy being outside, alone with nature to keep me company. These flock of geese are in a place where no one is seen on their phones , playing video games, or partying, their up in the sky. They're away from the chaos and looking to that place that lies ahead of them, and nothing else. I wish I was one of those lucky geese, flying through the open air that hits my robust wings as I head into that mysterious place.

" Quiet Day"
Taken by John Briggs

    There has been studies on how birds use natural magnetism for navigation and there are two theories  ( How birds and Other Animals Navigate their environment with the Use of Earth's Magnetic Field) one is that birds are able to sense the magnetic field because of a magnetic receptor in their beaks, and the other theory is that birds have special chemicals in their eyes that allow them to actually see the magnetic field. Researchers believe that on a birds beak there is a magnetite receptor there that is made up of iron- based magnetic crystals which is shown on this diagram that shows the ground as the strongest pole. The beak is similar to a compass according to an experiment done by Max Plank Institute in Germany where they found that when they  re -magnetized iron particles in the beak of migratory birds, the beak acts like a type of compass or navigational device,which allows the bird to choose which direction to go.

"How birds and Other Animals Navigate their Environment with
the Use of Earth's Magnetic Field"

Dominik Heyer and other German researcher did a study on the brains of a garden warbler and their migratory habits. They found a link between the neurons of the eye and regions of the brain involved in migration. In the experiment Heyers and his colleagues injected a dye into the birds brain called, cluster N,  which is the region of the brain associated with migration. This got the birds into " migratory mood" ,they then injected another dye but into the eyes to show the path of neurons. The dye followed the path and it ended up in the thalamus ( pit stop for visual information in the brain). The data showed that birds could sense magnetic field. Researchers believe birds see North as dark spots and gradients of light as the other directions. These theories have been questioned and for quite some time we ( I mean me of course) got my questions answered. Birds get to choose where they want to go and if some others choose to follow. This information lead me to some new questions like what type of birds see the dark pigment that navigates them? I hope to find out more about the navigational devise lodged into the brains of birds but until then hope you found my love for nature worth flying for.

Works Cited

             Sam B. and Helena, " How birds and Other Animals Navigate their Environment with the Use of Earth's Magnetic Field". Creative common Attribution. N.p. n.e. October 3. 2014.

A Childs Play

We have all been to this irresistible place where our childhood memories first started. This is a place full of wonder and joy from all around. The little children learn how to swing back and forth, simply by swaying their legs in and out, repeating it constantly in their head to keep with the rhythmic grove it plays. The children pretend they're a captain on a pirate ship looking beyond the sea with the magical telescope that scoops the vast area. The young girl whisks through the vines of the monkey bars, gently and calmly reaching the ends of the vines, landing on her two feet feeling accomplished and satisfied. This is where the inexplicable happens and where imagination comes into play. What will a world be like without playgrounds and the imagination it lures people from all ages into?  Its like telling a child that Santa Clause doesn't exist, and watching their imagination slowly fade away. This is were a child first played, all the way from kindergarten through the years of elementary. With its crest of believers in all ages where they learned to swing as high as the tallest tree, glide down a bumpy slide and climb up it with the wood chips on the soles of their shoes. A world without a playground, wouldn't be a world at all.

Taken By Ivette Tovar Reyes
October 26, 2104

     Along with this joyous play of life, their is also danger that sweeps along with it. The cry of an infant, all scrapped up, leading to permanent tissue scaring, and the wailing of their pain swizz through their face as it lights up like a lit up sunset. A mother striving their way, to cradle them in her soft, warm hug that makes them forget the danger they were put into. It reminded me of a newly mothered grizzly bear as she retreats out of her den, and into the unknown and dangerous environment lurking out in the meadows. Her two young cubs, circling and sniffing to the new world that have captured their hearts with life and adventure. This whole vast area is their playground, as they gallop through the rose bushes, pined trees, and huckleberry bush that makes them humbly stop to intake its lushes sweetness. Grizzly bears are no different from us humans and have a will to be on this earth just as much as we do. They're not a threat to humanity unless provoked to do so. Many think of this creature as viscous and territorial. They are only trying to make a living out of the resources that surround them just like we are as humans. Making a living on what we can earn and doing it that doesn't take way our will to end up owing debts and being broke in the process. Bears are no different from us and we shouldn't threat them poorly and lower than us. We shouldn't  mess with their environment and hunt them down, killing off their species. These beloved creature are an important role in the forests ecosystem were they fertilize the seed for berries to grow and  increase the amount of variable nitrogen through the soil disturbance and salmon carcass dispersal. It heartbreaking to see these animals be endangered in what was once their homes in the 19th and 20th centuries in North America. In all my years of being here in Nevada , I once saw a grizzly with its cubs  and it was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. It was brown with massive broad shoulders as it lifted it long claws off the ground to view the abstract noise. Then they roamed back into the depth of wildlife as I wiped the tear off my face as she looked back at me with those imbedded brownish eyes of trust and acceptance. 

Natural History of Southern California
Taken By Lynn Rogers

 

 And to show you a glimpse of how these grizzlies care and their life's to protect their child. This video shows a mother grizzly near a river with her cubs , I'm guessing to drink water or fishing for salmon. And out of nowhere this male bear cones out of the corner and heads towards her cubs. She doesn't let him get close and she lunges into the water, putting her life at risk to keep him away from mangling her new born cubs. Which shows her quick response to take matters into her own hands when it involves the safety of her children. Just like the mother at the park, coming to her child's safety and taking actions as quick as she can.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc-vWeZhLaU  

Works Citied

Western Wildlife. "Grizzly Biology and Behavior." Western Wildlife Outreach. N.p. N.d. Web. 26. Oct. 2014           

The Scavage Through the Night

I have been to the creek far to many times, during the day or the afternoon so I decided to start observing it at night. If I were allowed to stay out all night I would, not to be with friends and goof around but to stare at the shining lights that shimmer like when you change an old light bulb with a new one. And right when the sun perks its last colors of red, and orange like a flower blossoming but then decays away as winter comes. When  the sun reaches its last petal, it hides way behind the mountain and  that's when the Mystic Creek comes alive and things emerge from the high top of my house ( or my dream house) where I get to see from a good point  of view. I would , at exactly 9 o'clock p.m, come out with a mug full of of hot chocolate, wrapped in a blanket that reminds me of a new born baby wrapped in a burrito when its about to have a last glimpse of the world and closes its eyes. I stare off into the night, as the wind gushes into my face and the chills run from my forearm all the way to my feet, and works its way back up. I have a full view of the Wondrous tree ( that's what I call it), and the wind slashing away the leaves that hang on to dear live as the wind sways harder, and stronger each time. Watch the rattlers slither around, trying to capture and slaughter its next innocent victim. The hoppers chomping down the grass, down to its root and scurry away as it plays with one another. The coyote skewering the neighbors trash can , scavenging and tearing away the last shred of the chicken they had last night. These houses are by far the most gorgeous houses I ever set my eyes on, and its such a shame that eveytime I walk by them no ones seen in sight. If I lived in one of those houses I would be outside, with my hand over the railing watching, waiting for more things to linger out of darkness so I can enjoy the beauty it beholds.

Taken by Ivette Tovar- Reyes
October 13, 2014

Many people miss the extraordinary life of animals, and it was so amazing cause I had an encounter with one of theses amazing animals ( or so called mammals). When I was walking I heard a screeching sound that didn't sound like a bird I have ever heard. And it was pitch black so I didn't have a clue to what it was. It was a bat, I have seen one before but not this close. Many are scared and run like oh my god its a bat, its going to suck my blood. That's not entirely true,some bats aren't blood-thirty animals, some eat fruits and insects. But what I found amazing is this bat was gorgeous. Its black wings extending into the dark air, the pitched black eyes and its fangs sticking out of its mouth. This bat was close to me, it flied right pass me and I ( dumbly) didn't hear its warning call and it crashed into me( and of course I screamed). It was scary but then the bat kept on its way. But where was this lonely bat going? Are there anymore near or was he the only one?

National Geographic: Phenomena

Bats are nocturnal animals which they spend most of their time sleeping during the day but at night are highly active predators. Their are over eighty species of bats around the world and I met one of them that night. And hopefully I get to met more along the way ( not the blood sucking ones though). This video is about recordings of bats and there is a lot of videos about them at night. There the most beautiful at night as they scoop and nibble at the insects they catch. I have never thought of bats as precious animals but know I learned to love them and learn new fascinating things of there daily life as the night ventures my way.http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Bat

           

The Life of a Grasshopper

I spend most of my life enjoying what the world has to offer me. From the delicious grass that is  glister, draped in splashes of water during the summer to the flowers that blossom and have such a variety to choose from. Playing hide- n- seek during the day with my pal the bird. I become real rowdy at night when I am lost or just finding my perfect mate. Some people see me as ugly and worthless just because of my color and what I do to the environment. I can not help the way I look from my long stretched antennas, my hind legs that help me escape from death or amusingly playing around, my googly eyes that are en-depth into your eyes as it reflects off my eyes just like a mirror. I was brought into this world like this, and had no say in how or what I will look like as the years go by. I might have been born into this world with one leg or no legs at all. I would have lived for at least two days, if I am lucky more. And if my life ended, it is better to have stepped onto this earth and died with knowing that I took a chance with no regrets to hold back on, even if it was two days, one or even 10 minutes. Life is precious and everyone bares  an expiration date. 

Taken by Ivette Tovar Reyes
10/03/14

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     I never knew much about the life of a grasshopper and how its life span it short lived. These magnificent herbivores are some fascinating creature. I see these all the time around my house, even in my moms car ( which I have no idea how it got there). But I never asked what is a grasshopper? And what is so interesting about them? I did some research cause I had no flipping clue and I found out so much information that I did not know. Like they give their predators the impression that their distasteful from their color and that they digest toxic plants to poison theirs eaters. When I found this grasshopper ( that scared me) I observed it, from the length to if it was a male or female. And I concluded that this was a female by the size and also the color. Males are more colorful with yellow or red while the females are a slant color. Theirs a place not near the creek but in a bush if you keep walking along the path where at night is full of music that seems as if your at a orchestra concert in your backyard . And I just sit their at the corner and listen to the music that soothes me and makes me not want to head back home just from the way it makes me drowsy ( that makes me fall asleep). Grasshoppers sound are like drugs to me they have some affect that cause me to drift into my own world and make me go crazy if I don't get  to hear it. At night when I feel stressed or just thinking about problems that acquire in my daily life, I open my blinds that let in a glimpse of the outside life as it echos in through the small crack and eventually surround my whole room as I solemnly venture into a dark sleep. The sound not only an addiction but relieves me from my ruptured heart full of sorrow and open tears, but when they continuously make music my heart is stitched up and I am reborn. My mind has long forgotten the things that had caused me pain, with a fresh new start and a great awakening to the day ahead when I awake from my deepened sleep. The morning. 
 

From Animals by Demand Media:
The Sex Determination of a Male and Female Grasshopper
A Male Grasshopper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUThMazrbHE  

You Can't Change Me

I barely just moved into my house a few months ago. Theirs so much life and nature in this area. But the one place that caught my attention the most was a creek just around the corner, near a playground, hidden by sagebrush's' and tall trees. It was calling for someone to watch its beauty instead of just walk by. But I didn't, I listened to the swaying of the trees on a cold, windy afternoon. The whistling of the wind as if it was trying to speak to me. It lured me in like how a snake waits for its prey and springs to attack. That is what this creek has done to me. It had struck me with curiosity, injected me with knowledge which is far worse then venom. As it slowly takes me away from this earth and into an unknown world. A world where its just me and this creek, me sitting by its side watching they very life of it slowly change, as everyone else around me   noticeably change and causes pain deep in my chest.







Field note
9/16
drawing by Ivette Reyes

  As I was walking along the side of the the bushes I spotted a bunny. I got down on my knees as quietly as I could. I pulled out my journal (which I forgot was in my hand) and I just stared at it, trying to get a visual picture, capture every last detail of it. It had these sharp eyes that drained into your soul as it was cold and in danger.  It just stared at me, frightened wondering who is this person or thing. Why is it staring at me. Cant you see I am trying to eat so I can get back to my babies. And in that moment of silence it came close to me and just got a whiff of me.And wandered back  home, to her babies. While I just stood their on my knees astounded( did I smell or what.) I have had a bunny that I loved  so much. He was a house bunny, trained, tamed. But this bunny was different, it was wild and free to wonder to a never ending road. That started with just one hop. I wish its that easy to change your course of directions, to start your own path. Not one that is chosen for you. This bunny could have left the other direction and abandoned  its babies. But no it decided to stay and go home. Everyone has that choice to stomp their foot and say no I am going to do it my way whether you like it or not. We can look the other way and strive the way we want to and take that first step in that direction. Just like how the bunny did. It just takes one step to change your path.

At first the creek gave me the goosebumps every time I would approach its presence. One day I was like you know what my teacher said to explore beyond your surroundings. So I decided to go down the creek that stretched far out. And as I when down the narrow steep wall that down lured god knows what. It was hard to decide, theirs either left or right. The left was dark, the shadow of the tree casting over the hollow ground, and the sounds of the birds. While the right was soundless and lighted up like a winter day on Christmas Eve while people are astound asleep, waiting for Santa to bring them their presents. I was like hmm the dark side or the sweet side. It was easy of course, I am going the scary way. When I as trolling my way down the creek, all I would see where the spiders crawling out of their deans as my feet creaked into their homes and an alarm going off,  that sent them descending in every direction. And I was like yeah I cant handle this so I headed the other way which was like a car doing a U turn ( or what my dad says hes flipping a you know what). I went up the hill, to the path just scanning the ground and lurking into the bushes and shrubs trying to find something descent to stare at. And my path lead me to what looked like a snake. Wish kind of freaked me out but also made me curious to see ( I checked if it was dead of course). As I poking around with a stick like a nine year old I noticed these feathers and then I found a baby bird that suffered a painful and unexpected death. It was learning to fly, Man I almost got this. Wait until my brothers and sister see me there going to be jealous. Oh and my dad hes going to be so proud of me and mom smothering me in kisses.It is just like a child learning how to ride a bike, nothing on their mind but learning how to ride that bike, no matter how much times it takes, the scratches that get marked into me. I am going to ride this bike even if it kills me. Next thing you know your doing it! Your riding the bike but then you start rolling down a hill and loose control and crash into the bush. Your parents yelling and asking are you okay. But this bird had no help, it was injected with venom that  had no idea would cause them to their death. This bird had no chance of surviving in the wilderness. The snake was the cause of its death but its like they say what goes around, comes around. It happens to some people while for others its lurking , slithering around ,waiting to strike out its prey.

Taken by
Ivette Reyes
9/18/14

The one thing I look forward to are the birds. Their was this bird that was beautiful, it had blue on the bottom near its stomach, and it was right where the light was shining which made it look even more beautiful then before. It was holding what looked like sticks or maybe food. Just looking around, trying to find its group and flew away. But theirs one bird that I am always stocked to see. I call them the antenna bird from the way they have a stick on top of their head like a television. And they make some interesting bird sounds that just takes your breath away and gasp for air And their is always these three birds that always know I am their. They huddle together and run to a bush to another. I always try to take a picture but right when they see my phone they instantly fly away ( talk about not like having their picture taken). They sense my presence and lurk their heads seeing, watching me, making sure I don't do anything to destroy their home. I try not to, I am just curious to where they life and why they watch me? I mean I am honestly being stalked by a bird like not one but three( like the three musketeers). Their unique from others, creepy but who isn't, but the thing that fascinates me the most is the way they call to another. Each group has their own personal call that each understand while other birds have no idea whats being said. When one is in trouble or just want to have a conversation one starts and then others start to join in. Its just like how gossip and rumors start with one just talking and then more and more like a wild fire spreading. But these birds would never change they way they are, they don't care that they are strange or normal. That is what attracts people like me closer to them. Not someone whose fake and tries to fit in, they are the real deal and will always be the real deal no matter how much years pass.


The Cornell
of Ornithology:
All About Birds

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/california_guail/lifehistory