Melop.net launched

I decided to purchase my own web space. My new weblog is located here: http://melop.net. I'll move some posts there.

LYRIC - I don't want to say good bye

From the original soundtrack of Brokeback Moutain.

(Just inferred from song, not free of errors)

I don't want to say goodbye

I don't want to say goodbye
Let the stars shine through
I don't want to say goodbye
All I wanna do is being with you

Just like the light of the morning
After the darkness has come
Shadow of my love is falling
Oh , place where the sun our way shone

Don't you know that's where our hearts both belong?

'Cause I don't want to say goodbye
Let the stars shine through
no I don't want to say goodbye
All I wanna do is being with you

Together our two hearts thus strong(?)
Don't you know that's where our hearts both belong?

'cause I don't want to say goodbye
Let the stars shine through
I don't want to say goodbye
All I wanna do is being with you

All I wanna do is being with you

Bad day for birding...

Wow, my last exam was over this morning!! Don't ask me what was that, dun wanna talk about it anymore.

So, since I've got plenty of time to kill now, I decided to go around the campus with my friend to do some birding and try to take some photos.

We've got tons of Silvereyes(Zosterops japonicus) here, but those little guyz are so hard to capture 'cause they keep moving in trees all the time. So one of my goal today is to take a pic of this sp. Another target today is the White-breasted Kingfisher, I saw it many times resting on the "island" in the pool, so if I'm lucky, I may get into it.

I can't wait till afternoon, and got out at noon. But I just had no luck. First I saw an Embriza, I think it was probably a E. chrysophrys, and I took many pics of it. Unluckily, I didn't realize my camera's shutter was set to 1/8000 sec. before it flew away. I was totally mad!!

After that, I didn't see any special spp. for today. However, after some try, I finnaly took a clear pic of a Silvereye.

And about manual focus. Since I figured out how to use it, I've been trying to practise this skill. But it doesn't turn out very successful. I missed some great chance of a pic that could've been wonderful. And, there was nothing on the small island.

Anyway, here's the list for today:

Place

Campus of ZSU. Zhuhai, Guangdong, China

Time

2006-01-12 13:00 - 17:10

Total Species

11

Personal new record

1

Scientific Name	Chinese Name	Count	Habitat
Emberiza (chrysophrys?)	黄眉鹀	1	Bush (Accacia sinuata)
Sturnus nigricollis	黑领椋鸟	1	Basketball court
Motacilla alba	白鹡鸰	Everywhere	Everywhere
Prinia inornata	纯色鹪莺	2	Low bush
Hirundo daurica	金腰燕	Many, 10-20 in one flock	Sky, near water
Hirundo sp.	燕	Smaller and than H. daurica, unidentified	Sky, near water
Pycnonotus aurigaster)	白喉红臀鹎	Many	Many places
P. sinensis	白头鹎	2	Many places
Zosterops japonicus	暗绿绣眼鸟	Many, 4-5 a small flock	In trees by road side(Ficus microcarpa, Ormosia pinata)
Tringa ochropus	白腰草鹬	1 pair
Copsychus saularis	鹊鸲	1	"Suiyue lake"

Photos from today

Motacilla alba leucopsis

Zosterops japonicus

Pycnonotus sinensis

P. aurigaster

Latin note: Lesson XXI

Text: Niobe et leberi sui (NIOBE AND HER CHILDREN)

Apollō et Diāna erant liberī Lātōnæ. Iīs Thēbānī sacra crēbra parābant. Oppidānī amābant Lātōnam et līberōs eius. Id superbæ rēginæ erat molestum. “Cūr,” inquit, “Lātōnæ et liberis sacra parātis? Duōs liberōs habet Lātōna; quattuordecim habeō ego. Ubi sunt mea sacra?”

Lātona iīs verbīs irāta liberōs suōs vocat. Ad eam volant Apollō Diānaque et sagittīs suīs miserōs līberōs rēginæ superbæ dēlent.

Niobē, nūper læta, nunc misera, sedet apud līberōs interfectōs et cum perpetuis lacrimīs eōs dēsīdērat.

My translation (full with errors)

Apollo and Diana are children of Latona. They often prepared rite to that Theban. (The Thabans often prepare sacrifices for them) The townsmen loved Latona and her children. It is the proud of the queen that is troublesome. (It is the troublesome to the proud queen.)

“Why”, she asks, “do you prepare sacrifice for Latona and (his) children?” Latona has 2 children; I have 14! Where’re my rites?”

Latona, angry with those words, calls her children.

Apollo and Diana fly to them and kill the proud queen’s poor children with their arrows. Niobe, used to be happy, now sad, sits among the slain children and long for them with perpetual tears.

Correct translation!

Apollo and Diana were children of Latona. The Thebans prepared frequent sacrifices to/for them. The townspeople loved Latona and her children. This was troublesome to the proud queen. “Why?” said the queen, “are you preparing sacrifices for Latona and her children?” Latona has two children; I have fourteen. Where are my sacrifices?” Latona, angry because of these words, calls her children. Apollo and Diana fly to her, and destroy the wretched children of the proud queen with their arrows. Niobe, recently happy, now wretched, sits among her slain children and longs for them with perpetual tears.

Errata Mea

• Latona is a goddess, I should say "she" not "he". What a shame. :(
• Thēbānī is the nominative plural form of Thēbānus (the Thebans), I mistook the whole sentence and the subject-object.
• A similar error occurs later in the sentence "Id superbae rēginae erat molestum. "

And there're still some other minor mistakes, I must work harder now...