November 30th, 2022

The 2023 Spoonbill Boat 1-1/2 DAY MINI-IPT. The Expanded Winter IPT (Including the 1 1/2 DAY MINI IPT). And Spoonbill & Canon EF 800mm f/5.6 L IS Memories

What’s Up?

The NANPA Town Hall Meeting was much worse than I predicted. Details tomorrow. I did get down to the lake on Tuesday morning in ideal conditions without much to show for my efforts. Kudos to the US Men’s National Soccer Team on advancing to the Knock-Out round of the World Cup by defeating Iran yesterday 1-0. The tension in the second half was unbearable. Young superstar Christian Pulisic was injured as he scored the winning goal in the first half. He managed to finish the half. When he was led to the locker room he looked as if he had survived an horrific car crash. He has already vowed to be on the pitch for Saturday’s clash with the Netherlands.

Today is Wednesday 30 November 2022. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes two hundred forty-eight days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

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All images on this card were created by Arthur Morris on the Hooptie Deux at Alafia Banks

2023 Spoonbill Boat 1-1/2 DAY MINI-IPT: $1199.00.00. Limit: 5 photographers.

A full day on WED 15 FEB and the morning of Thursday 16 FEB 2023: 1 1/2 days.

Two morning and one afternoon photo session (weather permitting) via customized pontoon boat.

For early-arriving folks, artie is throwing in a free afternoon In-the-Field session at a little-known but very active rookery in North Tampa on Sunday 12 February.

We will be leaving the dock in Gibsonton, FL very early for the morning sessions in hopes of photographing a pre-dawn White Ibis blast-off and creating some dramatic silhouettes or pleasing blurs. The morning sessions are planned for the Alafia Banks Roseate Spoonbill Rookery. We have several options for the afternoons including returning to Alafia. We may spend one afternoon on foot at the North Tampa rookery mentioned above. There will be lots of opportunities for flight photography of several species including and especially Roseate Spoonbill. Also likely for flight photography are nesting Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, and Double Crested Cormorant, many carrying nesting material. This IPT includes all boat and guide fees, in-the-field instruction from two great leaders, chest waders (feel free to bring your own of course to assure a perfect fit), and three working lunches (Monday thru Wednesday). For the most part we will be standing in mid-calf to knee-deep water behind our tripods. We help you get in and out of the boat safely with your gear. This is likely not the best trip for folks with mobility or balance problems. Note however that some folks opt to stay on the boat to photograph. They usually have lots of chances for flight photography of spoonbills and other species but are almost always pretty far away from the spoonbills that land.

Mid-February is prime time for photographing spoonbills at the absolute peak of breeding plumage. For unknown reasons, the spoonbills at Alafia are much more colorful than the birds that breed at Stick Marsh later in the season. The Hooptie IPT represents an incredible opportunity and I do hope that you can join us. All of the images on the cards were made on the Hooptie Duex during the last two weeks of February, prime time for the spoonies in mega-breeding plumage.

You may hold your spot with an e-mail request. Then, you may either secure your spot by calling Jim or Jennifer at the office at 863-692-0906 and leaving the $599 deposit on credit card or sending your check for payment in full to us as follows with the check made out to:

BIRDS AS ART

Please send it via US mail here:

BIRDS AS ART
PO BOX 7245
Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855

If you call to leave your deposit, you will be asked to mail your check for the balance ASAP. Be sure to give us your e-mail address.

Everybody Wants Spoonbills!

Roseate Spoonbill is one of if not the most sought after avian photographic subjects in Florida. They are generally hard to find and somewhat difficult to approach. They are relatively easy to find at Alafia Banks—heck, you can’t miss seeing them, but even there they can on some days be somewhat difficult to approach. On some days we may be able to get ridiculously close to them. The huge incentive to get out to Alafia Banks in mid-February is the chance to photograph this species at the height of its spectacular breeding plumage…. with long telephoto lenses. A 500 or 600 with a 1.4X TC is perfect for flight.

As above, there will — weather permitting — three boat trips — 2 mornings and 1 afternoon — on this MINI IPT. All to Alafia Banks for spoonbills and Brown Pelicans (with lots of flight photography often with the birds likely carrying nesting material), Double-crested Cormorants, ibises (both Glossy and White) in breeding plumage. Many of the White Ibises will be sporting their spectacular, distended, red, naked (un-feathered) throat pouches—typically larger in the females. In addition, we may get to photograph egrets including Great and Reddish, both in full breeding plumage, shorebirds, and more. There will be lots of flight photography opportunities. Afternoon trips either to Alafia Banks for spoonbills and more or to a more sheltered inland rookery location for a variety of nesting birds. In the event of horrific weather artie will either take the group to Fort DeSoto or will conduct an image review/Photoshop session. This IPT includes lunches on the full day with small group image sharing and review and some over-the-shoulder Photoshop instruction.

The 2023 Expanded Winter/Spoonbill Boat/DeSoto 4-DAY IPT: $2199.00.00. Limit: 5 photographers.

The 2023 Expanded Winter/Spoonbill Boat/DeSoto 4-DAY IPT

Bird photographers, especially those wishing to escape the snow, ice, and freezing winter temperatures to the north of sunny Florida, can add two mornings at Fort DeSoto an afternoon at the little-known but fabulous rookery north of Tampa, a second (free) afternoon at that same rookery, to the 1 1/2 days on the Spoonbill Boat. Shared lodging is a possibility that includes watching the Super Bowl at my home on Sunday 12 February and driving over early to DeSoto. DeSoto is one of the very few bird photography hotspots that has the possibility of being great on any day of the year. It is generally superb in winter with lots of wading birds, terns, both species of pelicans, many species of shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, and lots of flight photography.

You can hold your spot with an e-mail request. Then, you may either secure your spot by calling Jim or Jennifer at the office at 863-692-0906 and leaving the $599 deposit on your credit card or sending your check for payment in full to us as follows with the check made out to:

BIRDS AS ART

Please send it via US mail here:

BIRDS AS ART
PO BOX 7245
Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855

If you call to leave your deposit, you will be asked to mail your check for the balance ASAP. Be sure to give us your e-mail address.

This image was created on 15 January 2011 on a Spoonbill/Hooptie Deux IPT. Seated in at least a behind my lower tripod, I used the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Lens with the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (at 1140mm) and the EOS-1D Mark IV. The exposure was determined via histogram and blinkies review. ISO 400. 1/800 sec. at f/11 (stopped down stop). AWB at 8:28:40am on a sunny morning.

AF Method unknown. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #1 — Roseate Spoonbill — mega-breeding plumage preening

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Memories of My Most Gorgeous Spoonbill Ever

I was sitting on an uphill slope in my waders. As I struggled to frame the shot in what was a very awkward shooting position, I almost fell over backwards into slightly deeper water. I remember thinking, “It would be very embarrassing to drown in 18 inches of water.” Captain James saw my plight, grabbed my waders between my shoulder blades, and, yanking me up, helped me restore my balance. And create today’s featured image. Check out James’ photo of this same bird on his card above.

I have very fond memories of the EF 800mm f/5.6 lens, all ten pounds of it. The minimum focusing distance, just under 20 feet, was superb for the time and was a lot better than the 45 feet of the FD 800mm f/5.6 lens. As you can see by clicking on today’s featured image, sharpness with the 1.4X III TC was just fine. A great number of images on the Top 100 CD were created with this lens. I was amazed to find that the lens is still in production and is in stock at B&H here. I was also amazed to learn that there is an RF version of this lens, the Canon RF 800mm f/5.6 L IS USM. If you’d like to learn the skinny on the RF version, please get in touch via e-mail.

birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100
The companion e-book to the solo exhibit at TheNat, San Diego, California

The new e-book on CD is available here.

birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100

This e-book was created on a wing and a prayer in less than two weeks–see the “Harebrained Scheme” blog post here–includes the 67 spectacular images that hung in the Ordover Gallery at the San Diego Natural History Museum in a career-retrospective solo exhibition in 2017. In addition, there are an additional 33 images in the spectacular e-book that barely missed making the show.

This exhibition companion e-book makes it possible for everyone to “visit” TheNAT gallery retrospectively and retroactively, and, in addition, to enjoy seeing my then-top one hundred bird photographs under one roof. Each image includes a title, the species name, the location, relevant EXIF data, and an anecdotal caption.

birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100: $23 for the professionally produced CD (includes shipping to US addresses only)

Please click here to purchase the CD. As above, your purchase price includes shipping to all US addresses. If you would like your CD signed on the inside cover with a black Sharpie, you will need to place your order by phone and request a signed copy: 863-692-0906. For our Canadian friends we are offering the CD for $28 with shipping to Canada via phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Those who purchase the CD are advised to copy the file to their computers and then archive the CD.

To purchase via convenient download for $20, click here.

November 29th, 2022

Apples and Oranges. Night and Day. And NANPA Tidbits

10 comments

San Diego IPT #1 Late Registration Discount

Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to the San Diego IPT #1 Late Registration Discount. Note that due to a cancellation, there is now a single opening on San Diego #2.

This all-new card includes images created on my JAN 2022 visit to San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The 2022/23 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) IPTs

San Diego IPT #1. 3 1/2 DAYS: WED 21 DEC thru the morning session on Saturday 24 DEC 2022. $2099.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Openings: 5.

San Diego IPT #2. 4 1/2 DAYS: SAT 7 JAN thru the morning session on WED 11 JAN 2023: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers/1 Opening.

San Diego IPT #3: 4 1/2 DAYS: THURS 19 JAN thru the morning session on MON 23 JAN 2023: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers.

Please e-mail for information on personalized pre- and post-IPT and In-the-Field Sessions.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Ducks; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions (both depending on the current regulations and restrictions). And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

The San Diego Details

These IPTs will include four or five 3-hour morning photo sessions, three or four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and three or four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.

Deposit Info

A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2022/23 San Diego IPTs. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due three months before the trip.

Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

What’s Up?

I did not make it down to the lake yesterday morning because I had many hours of work to do on the NANPA/ASMP non-merger. I hope to get down this morning as it is slated to be the first clear sunrise in weeks.

Today is Tuesday 29 November 2022. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes two hundred forty-seven days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

Apples and Oranges. Night and Day

Today’s two featured images are as different as night and day. Selecting your favorite image is like comparing apples and oranges, not to mention Canon versus Nikon.

Brown-Pelican-3200-pre-breeding-Pacific-race-resting-_J1I2322-La-Jolla-CA

This image was created on 16 January 2018 on a San Diego IPT. I used the handheld Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 338mm) and the EOS-1DX Mark II. The exposure was determined via histogram and blinkies review. ISO 800. 1/500 sec. at f/10 (stopped down 1 2/3 stops). AWB at 8:40:29am on a partly sunny morning.

AF Method unknown. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.

Image #1 — Brown Pelican — non-breeding Pacific-race resting

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The Image Clean-up

As this image was created after an over-night rain, very little clean-up was needed. There were two tiny bits of bird poop that were eliminated.

A Color Mixer Video

I absolutely need to begin assembling images so that I can prepare a Color Mixer Video, not only for the BLUEs, but for all colors. This powerful tool allows you to fine-tune the color in your images. In Image #1, using the BLUE Saturation and Luminance sliders brought the ocean background to life.

Color Question

Do the dark tones of the belly feathers have a red color cast?

Depth of Field Question

Considering that I was stopped down almost two full stops, why is there no detail at all in the ocean background???

cormorant-3200-pre-dawn-flight-blur-_DSC2521-La-Jolla-CA

This image was created on January 28 at La Jolla, CA on a San Diego IPT. I used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 500mm) and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. Shutter Priority Mode +1.7 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 30 sec. at f/6.3. AWB at 7:15:34am just before the sun came over the hill to the east/northeast.

Center Group/Shutter Button AF. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Photo Illustration: Brandt’s Cormorant pre-dawn blur.

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Your Call

Which of today’s completely different featured images do you like best? Why?

Today’s NANPA/ASMP Tidbit

538 NANPA members have voted Yes on the Referendum. NANPA leadership is, of course, stalling.

NANPA is conducting a Town Meeting for members only today. I am on record as believing that it will be a complete sham and that none of the questions below, the questions on everyone’s mind, will not be answered honestly.

Questions for the NANPA Town Meetings

1- When will NANPA be sharing a signed copy of the agreement with the membership? This simple step would enable everyone involved to know the truth, to know exactly what is going on and what they might expect in the future.

2- By what authority did the board enter this agreement without the approval of this agreement (or whatever it is)?

3- What provisions are there in NANPA’s Articles and Bylaws permitting the board to take such action.

4- Why has NANPA hidden and refused to share the Board Meeting minutes for the last six months, the minutes that supposedly approve the NANPA/ASMP deal and the alleged Non-disclosure agreement?

5- Why did the President, the Executive Director, and the board attempt to do this deal in complete secrecy? Why did they choose darkness over light?

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

November 28th, 2022

My Sunday Morning No Vulture Trees Pledge

6 comments

Today’s NANPA/ASMP Tidbit

An e-mail from NANPA Member Jerry Bauer

27 November 2022
RE: NANPA-ASMP Merger

Arthur:

I thank you for letting members know about the merger situation between NANPA and ASMP. I do not want to take sides until I have more detailed information. But it bothers me a great deal that:

1) as a long time NANPA member the association did not consult with or notify membership about discussions with ASMP and merging into one organization. I did not know anything about this situation until I received an Email from you (Arthur Morris) on 18 November 2022.

2) in a recent email I read an attachment titled, “Some Important Facts from the NANPA President”. This fact sheet slammed you and clearly stated that this agreement is “not a merger”. I believe that if NANPA was operating in a clear, transparent manner they would not badmouth members who state their opinion and write an open letter to other members.

These two actions by NANPA leadership make me very suspicious about this agreement between NANPA and ASMP and what exactly is going on. Thus, I ask:

1. Why is NANPA so defensive when a member states their opinion?

2. Why was the general membership not involved or notified of discussions with ASMP. This is very suspicious to me.

3. Why is NANPA saying this is not a merger? If it is not a merger then what is it?

4. What authority did leadership have to make this decision without member knowledge or involvement?

5. This letter from NANPA President is more of a defensive justification to members than a notification. This also makes me very suspicious.

6. Also this letter from NANPA President states that the agreement is all ready approved, she is not asking for member approval, it sounds like a done deal. So now they will hold a town hall meeting, but for what? To justify the already made decision?

7. The paragraph “Why not negotiate this openly with the membership?” Is particularly bothersome to me. Basically it is telling membership to take a hike, we know what is best for you so we make decisions.

8. The paragraph “Why not negotiate this openly with the membership?” States that “What potential partner organization would ever want to subject themselves to being attacked and torn apart in uncivil ways?” I do not feel that your (Arthur Morris’s) letter to members was uncivil or attacking. So I am confused as to what NANPA President is trying to convey here. Is there an hidden agenda that members are not aware of? As a NANPA member I am concerned that our President says such thing about another member, I am sure many may members to do feel this way.

9. My personnel opinion is that NANPA is controlled by a small ”clique” of friends and associates. And has been for quite some time. I am not well-known in NANPA, although I am very well-known for my photography in the region where I work (mostly Central America and Caribbean where I have raised millions of dollars to support conservation and sustainable development through photography). For a long time, I have wanted to become more involved in NANPA. In 2010 I was awarded the NANPA Mission Award (for which I am very grateful). I thought this might create an opening for me to become more involved. But I was very disappointed at how I was treated at the Summit, basically ignored. It was evident that I was not part of the click. I volunteered to help with the student committee and I was asked to do a few reviews and work with some High School students. I did, just one time. Then I was just dropped. Again, I felt that I not part of the clique. At one time I saw an announcement of a discussion to hold a Summit in Puerto Rico. I live in PR and I think at that time I was the only NANPA member living in PR. I reached out to NANPA to volunteer to work on this Summit, but never received a reply. I guess this idea was never advanced as no Summit was held in PR.

So these are some of the reasons why I am not involved more in NANPA and not all that surprised at NANPAs actions today in this “merger” that is not a merger. I do not think NANPA leadership is being honest with members or working in best interest in all members.

So as I stated, I am trying not to take sides, but I do want to know more about what is going and why, and I think all members have this right to know. I think it is very unprofessional for a NANPA President to write a “fact sheet” (Some Important Facts from the NANPA President) such as she did. This fact sheet will divide and not bring together members. This is not leadership.

So again, thank you for making members aware, and so very sorry for the way the President and Board is reacting to your opinion. Feel free to share this note to any NANPA member.

Regards,

Jerry Bauer
NANPA Member No.: 11212124
NANPA Mission Award 2010

My Reply, In Part

Thanks Jerry, you are a hard man to convince. But you sure ask a lot of questions that need to be answered. Way to go on your conservation work. FYI, I too was cast aside by NANPA after attending Summits (and taking a table) for 14 of 15 years, working with the Scholarship Students at nearly all of those, and receiving two major awards from NANPA.

with love, artie

What’s Up?

I did make it down to the lake yesterday morning. As it was a somewhat foggy, the sun was peeking out every so often. It was not a very productive morning until the last minute.

Today is Monday 28 November 2022. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes two hundred forty-six days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.