The Last Post Game!!!!

[Griffin]

For Ravens, a Londoner has merely to pop across to the Tower of London, the scene of many deaths, but none left out for the Ravens as far as I know.

Talking of death, my just about dearest friend was found sitting dead on a staircase, apparently had a heart attack. He was mid-sixties, he is gone too soon. I saw him a few hours before it happened which feels odd as he was his usual self not showing any signs of tragedy to come. One of his friends organised the funeral (I couldn't go to it) which cost him £10,000. I am very sad and missing him. He is the person I want to talk to about it.

Last _{dance today for tomorrow we die} Post

[Swatopluk]

Aren't the tower ravens the ones that get their wings clipped, so they can't fly (risking the end of the Empire)?

Last _{how many corpses are within bird walking distance from the Tower?} Post

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Talking of death, my just about dearest friend was found sitting dead on a staircase, apparently had a heart attack. He was mid-sixties, he is gone too soon. I saw him a few hours before it happened which feels odd as he was his usual self not showing any signs of tragedy to come. One of his friends organised the funeral (I couldn't go to it) which cost him £10,000. I am very sad and missing him. He is the person I want to talk to about it.

I'm sorry about your friend Griff, not easy when it happens so suddenly.

Last _{ravenly salute} Post

[Swatopluk]

At least not easy for those left behind.
That's what kept me around a few times: It would hurt people I care for.
The way you described it ("sitting on a staircase") it sounds like it was quick, unexpected and not an agony. There are far worse ways to go.

Last _{If I had a guarantee that there lies nothing beyond and a choice in the matter, I'd opt for sudden quick unexpected final exit too} Post

[Aggie]

Sky burial has some appeal, but I'd rather not be devoured by dinosaurs. I could tolerate ravens I suppose (my corvid is improving), not keen on vultures.

Erm.. all of them are dinosaurs...
---
What's wrong with vultures? Besides, they are the ones that will probably be better suited for the task.

Aye, they're all dinosaurs, but if it must be a dinosaur, let it be one with a brain in its head (and your point is relevant, I'd like to think I will leave an appealing corpse that is acceptable to a discerning palate). We have turkey vultures around here, and I'd rather be incorporated into a raven. Ravens take delight in aerial acrobatics and vocal variations, and eat all sorts of things; vultures just soar in circles trying to catch a whiff of stink, and like their meals a little on the ripe side. Ravens seem better dressed for dinner; vultures look like Skeksis, vomit in self-defence and shit on their legs to cool down. I haven't conversed with a vulture, so can't comment on their wit, but doubt they have a raven's sense of humour. Lastly, I've not heard of a band called Cathartes Aura, but I have seen Corvus Corax play live and quite enjoyed the show. 

Last _{better to be consumed by the creator and trickster than a bareheaded floating fart-sniffer} Post

[Swatopluk]

These guys too foppish for you?

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Bartgeier_Gypaetus_barbatus_front2_Richard_Bartz.jpg

They even deliberately dye their feathers and will only settle where there is the right kind of natural dying vat available.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotbadestelle

They are picky eaters (diet: 80% bones) and don't dive into carrion getting into fights like other vultures but wait until the bones are cleaned by others.
They seemingly invented daylight precision and dive bombing (to crack bigger bones), so they can't be complete twits.
At least during courtship they do aerial acrobatics (including pas de deux) too.
They like their nests comfortable and take great efforts to achieve that.
In at least one case a prayer rug got 'organized' for that purpose.

Last _{no idea, whether that behaviour counts as praydatory} Post

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

I gained a bit of respect for [turkey] vultures in the Everglades National Park a few years back. It turns out that they -like parrots- like vandalism! They were going after the moldings in cars at a particular trail. They knew cars weren't food yet they kept playing with them.

Last _{even chickens are not as stupid as people think} Post

[Swatopluk]

I know from Chicken Run that they just want us to believe them being stupid for their own purposes.

Are there any prominent positive depictions of vultures in our culture?

Last _{Even Gary Larson is a bit ambiguous there} Post

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Are there any prominent positive depictions of vultures in our culture?

Not that I'm aware of.

Last _{the Egyptians and some cultures of the Americas had a better concept of them} Post

[Swatopluk]

Iirc the condor is classified as a new world vulture.

Last _{but I think in popular culture it had to be upgraded to an honorary eagle first to better its image} Post

[Aggie]

Chickens are the stupidest creatures in the world when you're trying to convince them to do something.

However, when you don't want them to do something, they become the smartest creatures in the world, at least as it applies to doing that particular thing.

I'm currently looking after some budgerigars for friends, which seem verbally adept but not particularly bright for a parrot species. These ones haven't learned any human words and mostly chatter amongst themselves, but do seem to appreciate it when I whistle the song Rockin' Robin.

Last _{chicken eggs are decidedly better; budgie albumen is rubbery and weird when fried and like a jelly bean when boiled} Post

[Swatopluk]

Given the difference in size, how many budgerigar eggs are the equivalent of a single chicken egg?
Reminds me of the old joke about a bumpkin (or noveau riche) in a fancy restaurant asking what caviar is and - receiving the answer that it is fish eggs - asks for two put into the frying pan for him.

Last _{On the other hand an ostrich egg can feed a whole family. How large were the eggs of the biggest dinosaurs?} Post

[Aggie]

I'm guessing it would be at least a dozen budgie eggs to one chicken egg. I have not attempted omurice with them.  There are no eggs this time.

I'm taking care of 6 birds, which started as a single pair (some have been given away). Not sure what happened to the original female but the current one is second generation, with all the males either brothers or father, so further offspring are not desired. I was a little distressed to see eggs being laid during my last bird-sitting session and not sure what to do with them. Throw them out? Allow her to hatch them? The female was trying to nest them on the cage bottom (not having a nesting cavity available), and the owners definitely didn't want more birds.   Well, I've had chickens in the past and I'm more of an omnivore than most people.... and how often do you get the chance to try a budgie egg?

Further eggs took care of themselves, or rather were taken care of. Turns out some of the males were egg predators and ate the rest. I suspect it was the grandfather/father most of the time.  Very Jerry Springer.

Last _{probably nouveau riche.... a bumpkin would be familiar with roe (but prefer to wade)} Post

[Swatopluk]

German bumpkins are less accustomed to it, I think (and I know the joke primarily in a German context).
They would likely confuse Rogen (roe) with Roggen (rye)

Last _{still waiting for the Eierlegende Wollmilchsau*} Post

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eierlegende_Wollmilchsau (egglaying wool milk pig)

[Aggie]

Ah, but there's an issue with that animal... How can you get the pork without destroying your egg, milk and wool supply? Perhaps we can engineer one that forms benign growths of belly tissue similar to acrochorda that could be removed without any major harm to the animal. Bacon buds, anyone?? 

Here, your average redneck would more likely be using roe to catch something worth eating than consuming it directly, but most rural folk have at least gutted a few fish. I take the same perspective on eating insects... why bother eating cricket meal when I could just put one on a hook and get a whitefish? (I use grasshoppers for bait, close enough)

I wouldn't raid bird nests for eggs, but have been enjoying land foods again now that winter is over. Have been eating quite a few dandelion crowns & leaves, plus have harvested hop shoots, morels and feral asparagus in the past week. Need to get my fishing rod out again as I'm down to the last piece of bull trout.

I have some cured whitefish and trout roe in the fridge that I've been pondering making into gummies for bait, as an experiment. I don't like the idea of using plastic roe bags in the waterways, as is typical.

Last _{not a bad harvest considering there was snow around the house less than 2 weeks ago} Post