The red-throated loon or red-throated diver (Gavia stellata) is a
migratory aquatic bird found in the northern hemisphere. It breeds
mainly in Arctic regions, and winters in northern coastal waters. It is
the smallest of the loons. In winter, it is a plain bird, greyish above
and white below; in the breeding season, it has a distinctive reddish
throat patch. Fish form the bulk of its diet, though amphibians,
invertebrates, and plant material are also sometimes eaten. A monogamous
species, the red-throated loon forms long-term pair bonds. Both members
of the pair help to build the nest, incubate typically two eggs and
feed the hatched young. The red-throated loon has a large global
population and a significant global range, though some populations are
declining due to oil spills, habitat degradation, pollution, and
entrapment in fishing nets. Natural predators, including various gull
species and foxes, will take eggs and young. This species is protected
by international treaties.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-throated_loon>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1862:
American Civil War: Confederate spy Belle Boyd was arrested by
Union forces after her lover turned her in.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belle_Boyd>
1914:
The first shots of World War I were fired by the Austro-
Hungarian river monitor SMS Bodrog upon Serbian defences near Belgrade.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugoslav_monitor_Sava>
1950:
Korean War: U.S. Army 7th Cavalry Regiment troops concluded
four days of shootings of civilians, sparked by fears that columns of
refugees might contain North Korean spies.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Gun_Ri_massacre>
2010:
An overloaded passenger ferry capsized on the Kasai River in
Bandundu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting in at least
80 deaths.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasai_River_disaster>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
smocking:
(sewing) An embroidery technique in which the fabric is gathered and
then embroidered with decorative stitches to hold the gathers in place;
the product of the use of this embroidery technique.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/smocking>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
䷙ The superior man acquaints himself with many sayings of
antiquity And many deeds of the past, In order to strengthen his
character thereby.
--I Ching
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/I_Ching>