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A short animated video about a war dog. A true story.

This clip is shorts from the movie and I just watched it. It has a happy ending and yes he was a real dog who saved lives in ww1.

The animated film is not entirely true but it’s pretty close Stubby’s real actions:

Sergeant Stubby was a stray dog whose heroic service during World War I (1914–18) saved lives and even led to the capture of a German spy. He was the unofficial mascot for the 102nd Infantry, 26th “Yankee” Division, and is the first dog to be promoted to the rank of sergeant in the U.S. Army.
When the 102nd Infantry was training for battle on the grounds of Yale Universityin 1917, a stray dog made friends with members of the company. Pvt. J. Robert Conroy developed a bond with the dog, and he and other soldiers named the dog “Stubby.” Stubby’s breed was unknown, but he had a distinctive tiger-striped coat.


The dog became the unofficial mascot of the 102nd Infantry at Yale, though dogs were not allowed in the camp, a rule that was overlooked because Stubby was good for morale. He even learned to salute by raising his right paw toward his face. When the soldiers shipped out for Franceto fight in World War I, Conroy smuggled the dog aboard the ship, and Stubby soon befriended the other troops.


Serving on the front lines​

Stubby’s saluting trick came in handy when he arrived in France along with Conroy and the other infantry members. Stubby saluted Conroy’s commanding officer, winning a place in his heart and, as it would turn out, a trip to the front lines as the 102nd’s mascot.


Stubby soon moved beyond his role as mascot to become an important asset to the troops in battle. He survived being wounded from exposure to mustard gas, recovering in a field hospital. After that exposure, Stubby was able to detect even small amounts of poisonous gas. When his division was under a gas attack, Stubby immediately recognized the smell and ran through the trenches, barking to alert everyone, and saving many soldiers from serious harm.


Stubby’s battlefield skills extended beyond gas detection. During the 17 battles he was involved in during his 18 months of service, he also located wounded men lying in fields between the trenches. His barks alerted searchers who then brought the wounded to safety.

Stubby, the spy detector​

His most heroic feat occurred when he caught a German spy who was mapping out Allied trench locations. Stubby was on his usual guard duty and recognized that the German did not belong in the camp; he ran after the spy, biting his legs as he tried to escape, thereby allowing Stubby’s human comrades to capture him. For his heroic efforts, Stubby was promoted to the rank of sergeant, the first dog to be promoted to the position.


In April 1918 Stubby’s unit was under attack during a battle near the German-occupied town of Seicheprey, France. Stubby was wounded in his chest and leg by shrapnel. During his treatment at a Red Cross hospital, he doubled as a therapy dog, visiting recovering soldiers to lift their spirits. He later returned to the battlefield and was involved in the Allies’ liberation of the French town Chateau-Thierry. The women of the town made Stubby a blanket and medals to thank him for his bravery.

Postwar life​

After the war Stubby became a celebrity, leading U.S. troops in a parade and meeting with U.S. Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding, and Calvin Coolidge. He was awarded many medals for his heroism, including a medal from the Humane Society that was presented to him by Gen. John Pershing.
Retrieved from Encyclopaedia Brittanica
 
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On my local river in west Wales at this time of year a summer visitor called the common sandpiper calls vociferously along its breeding territory. Here's a photo of a pair I located 2 years ago taken by friend.

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In the same year I accidentally flushed a sitting bird under a dock plant at another location upstream. I carefully pushed some leaves apart and took the following shot of the nest and eggs.

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The video below shows the species' typical bobbing behavior alongside some running water (which is also characteristic of other riverside birds like dippers and wagtails).


Common sandpiper inhabit rocky riversides and lakes across most of Eurasia.
 
Chatting with Chital
I go deer hunting weekly, last week I spotted a medium sized herd on a grassy slope some 200 meters distant. So I thought I'd try mimic their alarm call, difficult as I've got a deep voice and their calls are high pitched yelps. To my great surprise it worked I fooled them!
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The main body of the herd moved to the tree line on the right but three broke off, moved to the left tree line and came down for a chat! It was the stag, his favorite girlfriend and her fawn. His girlfriend did most of the talking and you can see her stomping her graceful little cloven hooves as she calls. I call back but by then my vocal chords were shot.
At 40meters they presented a perfect target, I didn't shoot, meat recovery would've been difficult over rough terrain and I've got a freezer full of meat. Slaughtering three lambs in the next few weeks, running out of room, wish I could share some with you.
I was too mesmerized in the end and spent the time recording their yelps for future deceptions, which I did a few days later. No photos or video to show unfortunately, the speaker failed and they saw my head as I reached out from behind a tree to troubleshoot the device. There were half a dozen of them about 30 meters away on a low ridge! Didn't see their approach as I was focusing on another group and they headed for the hills! Amazing animals but as an introduced species, very destructive. The stags tear tree bark with their antlers to impress their girlfriends, ringbarking and eventually killing the tree. This fellow below tears up over a dozen in this small patch alone. Mind you, the local birds benefit, the fibrous strands make for great nests.
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The white-browed tit-warbler can be found in boreal forests and high-altitude regions in Asia, including centra China, Russia and the Himalayas. They are known to be foragers who eat a diet of insects found under roots and rocks.

Stunning.
 

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I saw a lady filming them. They a little far, so camera may not catch well.
We have some proverbs here about pigeons and kissing corresponding couples. I wasn't aware that pigeons literally kissing each other.
 

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