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Substancewithoutstyle's Slightly Frivolous Flora and Fauna Photo Gallery


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16 November 2014

Sunday

 

Philippine Eagle

 

The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is the world's largest eagle, and one of the most threatened raptors. The male and female Philippine eagle are similar in appearance, possessing a creamy white belly and underwing, whilst the upper parts are a rich chocolate-brown, with a paler edge. The long feathers of the head and nape form a distinctive, shaggy crest and are creamy-buff in colour with black streaks. Philippine eagle chicks have white down, and juveniles are similar in appearance to adults but have white margins to the feathers on the back and upperwing. The Philippine eagle has heavy, yellow legs with large, powerful claws, and the large, deep bill is a bluish-grey.

 

The Philippine eagle can live to between 30 and 60 years of age. It feeds mainly on flying lemurs, palm civets and monkeys, hence the alternative common name of 'monkey-eating eagle'. Other prey items include rats, snakes, flying squirrels, birds and bats. Individuals hunt from perches and slowly move downhill from perch to perch before soaring back up the hill upon reaching the bottom. Philippine eagle pairs have been observed hunting together; one individual acts as a decoy, drawing the attention of a group of monkeys towards it while its partner executes a surprise attack from the rear. Pairs build an enormous nest high in the canopy, usually on an epiphytic fern; one egg is produced between October and December, and the chick is dependent on its parents for around a year.

 

This species is endemic to the Philippines and found on parts of the larger islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. The Philippine eagle was once widespread throughout these islands, and although the current population is unknown it is thought to number fewer than 250 mature individuals.

 

http://i.imgur.com/niG6Agb.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/tGcQmRp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/APXWorj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/QDU5REJ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/b4JxCq1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qUEnhJq.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bWH6lmy.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vV99PFu.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eMfRQMw.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/x0SszCe.jpg

 

 

What a beautiful bird. And it has Geddy's nose :laughing guy:

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17 November 2014

Monday

 

Sea Spiders

 

The sea-spiders, or pycogonids, are an unusual group of marine arthropods which are completely unrelated to terrestrial spiders, despite superficially resembling them. The body is slender, segmented, and divided into two regions, the head and the trunk. The head features a number of pairs of appendages, including two pairs of feeding appendages (chelifores) with pincers at the tips, a proboscis with the mouth at the end, and both sexes have a pair of egg-carrying 'legs'. The trunk bears four pairs of long, spindly legs, and has a small projection at the rear called the abdomen.

 

This sea-spider feeds on a variety of animals, such as small marine worms, sea-anemones and whelk egg-capsules. Individuals migrate to the sublittoral zone during the winter breeding season.

 

There are around a thousand described species of pycnogonids (and probably hundreds more not yet described). They are found worldwide from the intertidal zone to depths of nearly 7,000 m. Most pycnogonids are small, with leg spans of less than a centimeter (in some species, just a few millimeters), but some deep-sea species have leg spans of up to 60 cm. Many species are errant (i.e., they actively move about), but others live on seaweeds or on other invertebrates, such as sea anemones, hydroids, ectoprocts, and tunicates (at least one or two species live on the bells of pelagic medusae and pycnogonids have also been observed on the huge vestimentiferan worms living in the hydothermal vent community of the Galapagos Rift).

 

The sexes are separate, and males and females cling together during fertilisation. The eggs are released from openings at the base of the female's legs, and are fertilised externally. The male carries the eggs around on the special egg-carrying appendages. The larvae are similar in appearance to the adults, and undergo a series of moults before reaching the adult stage after five months. The average life-span is thought to be around one year.

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/Ob7B9PM.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/NunKwWW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2P5zVuR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qT8xwnl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/TkXyiqA.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8lNGlUj.jpg

 

Giant Sea Spider:

 

http://i.imgur.com/riCi7oB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HwCnI6M.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/hd5oXoi.jpg

 

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16 November 2014

Sunday

 

Philippine Eagle

 

The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is the world's largest eagle, and one of the most threatened raptors. The male and female Philippine eagle are similar in appearance, possessing a creamy white belly and underwing, whilst the upper parts are a rich chocolate-brown, with a paler edge. The long feathers of the head and nape form a distinctive, shaggy crest and are creamy-buff in colour with black streaks. Philippine eagle chicks have white down, and juveniles are similar in appearance to adults but have white margins to the feathers on the back and upperwing. The Philippine eagle has heavy, yellow legs with large, powerful claws, and the large, deep bill is a bluish-grey.

 

The Philippine eagle can live to between 30 and 60 years of age. It feeds mainly on flying lemurs, palm civets and monkeys, hence the alternative common name of 'monkey-eating eagle'. Other prey items include rats, snakes, flying squirrels, birds and bats. Individuals hunt from perches and slowly move downhill from perch to perch before soaring back up the hill upon reaching the bottom. Philippine eagle pairs have been observed hunting together; one individual acts as a decoy, drawing the attention of a group of monkeys towards it while its partner executes a surprise attack from the rear. Pairs build an enormous nest high in the canopy, usually on an epiphytic fern; one egg is produced between October and December, and the chick is dependent on its parents for around a year.

 

This species is endemic to the Philippines and found on parts of the larger islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao. The Philippine eagle was once widespread throughout these islands, and although the current population is unknown it is thought to number fewer than 250 mature individuals.

 

http://i.imgur.com/niG6Agb.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/tGcQmRp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/APXWorj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/QDU5REJ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/b4JxCq1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qUEnhJq.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/bWH6lmy.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vV99PFu.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eMfRQMw.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/x0SszCe.jpg

 

 

He's gorgeous! :)

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17 November 2014

Monday

 

Sea Spiders

 

The sea-spiders, or pycogonids, are an unusual group of marine arthropods which are completely unrelated to terrestrial spiders, despite superficially resembling them. The body is slender, segmented, and divided into two regions, the head and the trunk. The head features a number of pairs of appendages, including two pairs of feeding appendages (chelifores) with pincers at the tips, a proboscis with the mouth at the end, and both sexes have a pair of egg-carrying 'legs'. The trunk bears four pairs of long, spindly legs, and has a small projection at the rear called the abdomen.

 

This sea-spider feeds on a variety of animals, such as small marine worms, sea-anemones and whelk egg-capsules. Individuals migrate to the sublittoral zone during the winter breeding season.

 

There are around a thousand described species of pycnogonids (and probably hundreds more not yet described). They are found worldwide from the intertidal zone to depths of nearly 7,000 m. Most pycnogonids are small, with leg spans of less than a centimeter (in some species, just a few millimeters), but some deep-sea species have leg spans of up to 60 cm. Many species are errant (i.e., they actively move about), but others live on seaweeds or on other invertebrates, such as sea anemones, hydroids, ectoprocts, and tunicates (at least one or two species live on the bells of pelagic medusae and pycnogonids have also been observed on the huge vestimentiferan worms living in the hydothermal vent community of the Galapagos Rift).

 

The sexes are separate, and males and females cling together during fertilisation. The eggs are released from openings at the base of the female's legs, and are fertilised externally. The male carries the eggs around on the special egg-carrying appendages. The larvae are similar in appearance to the adults, and undergo a series of moults before reaching the adult stage after five months. The average life-span is thought to be around one year.

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/Ob7B9PM.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/NunKwWW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2P5zVuR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qT8xwnl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/TkXyiqA.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8lNGlUj.jpg

 

Giant Sea Spider:

 

http://i.imgur.com/riCi7oB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HwCnI6M.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/hd5oXoi.jpg

 

 

Some are very colorful! :)

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Can anyone help me putting a precise identification on the bird in this video?

I caught this life and death struggle on my cell phone cam on Sunday morning down by the Mystic. Don't worry; the squirrel won the battle (this time...)

 

So here's what I know about the boyd.

 

Clearly it's an accipiter. Look at that long gorgeous tail both from above and below. And no buteo is even gonna try to snatch a squirrel with fancy wing work around the base of a tree. (Accipiters are the so-called "chicken hawks" much-maligned of farmers and old Foghorn Leghorn himself for their ability to dart in and out of the henhouse. "I say, I say, I say, now hold on there, son")

 

My problem is, it's certainly too big to be a Sharp-shinned (Robin sized). But also quite a bit bigger than the Cooper's (Crow sized). Those are just rules-of-thumb for sizing one of these birds, I realize.

 

My best guess is that this is an immature female Cooper's Hawk. Here's why I think that:

 

Immature because it clearly doesn't have the uniform slate gray uppers or the black cap of an adult. The breast is also streaked instead of the sort of brick-like pattern of an adult Cooper's. (also possibly immature because she thinks she can catch a squirrel in this way)

Female because it's quite a bit bigger than a typical description of a Cooper's...maybe? (Generally female birds of prey are a tad bigger than the males. Not sure that's true of accipiters, frankly)

 

I'm ruling out a Goshawk (that tail is just too perfectly Cooper's/Sharp-shinned colored -- the broad uniform black and gray bands on the upper side)

 

I'll try to elicit Cornell's help with this one. But I know there's got to be some serious birders out there that might be watching.

 

Thanks as always!

Tony.

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This is quit possibly the most interesting thread on the board.

 

Well done slacker!

 

It's almost too highbrow for Grand Designs. :unsure:

 

A slacker? Are you implying that I've been shirking my duties at the Grinder? Well, I'm still reeling from the fallout of Goober's roast thread.

 

. . . and was I ever reimbursed for that Salvatore Ferragamo shirt?

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This is quit possibly the most interesting thread on the board.

 

Well done slacker!

 

It's almost too highbrow for Grand Designs. :unsure:

 

A slacker? Are you implying that I've been shirking my duties at the Grinder? Well, I'm still reeling from the fallout of Goober's roast thread.

 

. . . and was I ever reimbursed for that Salvatore Ferragamo shirt?

I check out this thread everyday. Excellent work

checks in the mail...

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This is quit possibly the most interesting thread on the board.

 

Well done slacker!

 

It's almost too highbrow for Grand Designs. :unsure:

 

A slacker? Are you implying that I've been shirking my duties at the Grinder? Well, I'm still reeling from the fallout of Goober's roast thread.

 

. . . and was I ever reimbursed for that Salvatore Ferragamo shirt?

I check out this thread everyday. Excellent work

checks in the mail...

 

:cheers:

 

You should comment more often. I need all the readers I can get. :LOL:

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17 November 2014

Monday

 

Sea Spiders

 

The sea-spiders, or pycogonids, are an unusual group of marine arthropods which are completely unrelated to terrestrial spiders, despite superficially resembling them. The body is slender, segmented, and divided into two regions, the head and the trunk. The head features a number of pairs of appendages, including two pairs of feeding appendages (chelifores) with pincers at the tips, a proboscis with the mouth at the end, and both sexes have a pair of egg-carrying 'legs'. The trunk bears four pairs of long, spindly legs, and has a small projection at the rear called the abdomen.

 

This sea-spider feeds on a variety of animals, such as small marine worms, sea-anemones and whelk egg-capsules. Individuals migrate to the sublittoral zone during the winter breeding season.

 

There are around a thousand described species of pycnogonids (and probably hundreds more not yet described). They are found worldwide from the intertidal zone to depths of nearly 7,000 m. Most pycnogonids are small, with leg spans of less than a centimeter (in some species, just a few millimeters), but some deep-sea species have leg spans of up to 60 cm. Many species are errant (i.e., they actively move about), but others live on seaweeds or on other invertebrates, such as sea anemones, hydroids, ectoprocts, and tunicates (at least one or two species live on the bells of pelagic medusae and pycnogonids have also been observed on the huge vestimentiferan worms living in the hydothermal vent community of the Galapagos Rift).

 

The sexes are separate, and males and females cling together during fertilisation. The eggs are released from openings at the base of the female's legs, and are fertilised externally. The male carries the eggs around on the special egg-carrying appendages. The larvae are similar in appearance to the adults, and undergo a series of moults before reaching the adult stage after five months. The average life-span is thought to be around one year.

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/Ob7B9PM.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/NunKwWW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2P5zVuR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qT8xwnl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/TkXyiqA.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8lNGlUj.jpg

 

Giant Sea Spider:

 

http://i.imgur.com/riCi7oB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HwCnI6M.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/hd5oXoi.jpg

 

Awesome looking Spiders! Specially that blue, white and yellow one :cool:

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmbFy4ktw1c

 

Can anyone help me putting a precise identification on the bird in this video?

I caught this life and death struggle on my cell phone cam on Sunday morning down by the Mystic. Don't worry; the squirrel won the battle (this time...)

 

So here's what I know about the boyd.

 

Clearly it's an accipiter. Look at that long gorgeous tail both from above and below. And no buteo is even gonna try to snatch a squirrel with fancy wing work around the base of a tree. (Accipiters are the so-called "chicken hawks" much-maligned of farmers and old Foghorn Leghorn himself for their ability to dart in and out of the henhouse. "I say, I say, I say, now hold on there, son")

 

My problem is, it's certainly too big to be a Sharp-shinned (Robin sized). But also quite a bit bigger than the Cooper's (Crow sized). Those are just rules-of-thumb for sizing one of these birds, I realize.

 

My best guess is that this is an immature female Cooper's Hawk. Here's why I think that:

 

Immature because it clearly doesn't have the uniform slate gray uppers or the black cap of an adult. The breast is also streaked instead of the sort of brick-like pattern of an adult Cooper's. (also possibly immature because she thinks she can catch a squirrel in this way)

Female because it's quite a bit bigger than a typical description of a Cooper's...maybe? (Generally female birds of prey are a tad bigger than the males. Not sure that's true of accipiters, frankly)

 

I'm ruling out a Goshawk (that tail is just too perfectly Cooper's/Sharp-shinned colored -- the broad uniform black and gray bands on the upper side)

 

I'll try to elicit Cornell's help with this one. But I know there's got to be some serious birders out there that might be watching.

 

Thanks as always!

Tony.

 

I'm lousy with raptor IDs, but where was this video taken? Geographical location may help with ID.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmbFy4ktw1c

 

Can anyone help me putting a precise identification on the bird in this video?

I caught this life and death struggle on my cell phone cam on Sunday morning down by the Mystic. Don't worry; the squirrel won the battle (this time...)

 

So here's what I know about the boyd.

 

Clearly it's an accipiter. Look at that long gorgeous tail both from above and below. And no buteo is even gonna try to snatch a squirrel with fancy wing work around the base of a tree. (Accipiters are the so-called "chicken hawks" much-maligned of farmers and old Foghorn Leghorn himself for their ability to dart in and out of the henhouse. "I say, I say, I say, now hold on there, son")

 

My problem is, it's certainly too big to be a Sharp-shinned (Robin sized). But also quite a bit bigger than the Cooper's (Crow sized). Those are just rules-of-thumb for sizing one of these birds, I realize.

 

My best guess is that this is an immature female Cooper's Hawk. Here's why I think that:

 

Immature because it clearly doesn't have the uniform slate gray uppers or the black cap of an adult. The breast is also streaked instead of the sort of brick-like pattern of an adult Cooper's. (also possibly immature because she thinks she can catch a squirrel in this way)

Female because it's quite a bit bigger than a typical description of a Cooper's...maybe? (Generally female birds of prey are a tad bigger than the males. Not sure that's true of accipiters, frankly)

 

I'm ruling out a Goshawk (that tail is just too perfectly Cooper's/Sharp-shinned colored -- the broad uniform black and gray bands on the upper side)

 

I'll try to elicit Cornell's help with this one. But I know there's got to be some serious birders out there that might be watching.

 

Thanks as always!

Tony.

 

I'm lousy with raptor IDs, but where was this video taken? Geographical location may help with ID.

 

He lives in Somerville, Massachusetts so I assume this was taken around that area :)

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18 November 2014

Tuesday

 

African Civet

 

A nocturnal, opportunistic mammal, the African civet (Civettictis civetta) is the largest African member of the Viverridae family, which includes genets, civets and linsangs. This species is easily distinguished by its stumpy front legs and its large hindquarters, which hold the rump high and the head low in an unusual posture characteristic of civets.

 

A secretive, nocturnal species, little is known about the African civet’s habits in the wild. It is a solitary species, mainly active just before sunset until midnight, and around sunrise. During the day, females and cubs are known to sleep in a nest, while male African civets and females without cubs will sleep in thick vegetation.

 

Being omnivorous, the African civet feeds mainly on fruit and millipedes, as well as other arthropods and small mammals. It is even known to raid domestic rubbish, and in southern Africa its diet may also include crabs and snails. Being an opportunistic feeder with a broad diet means that the African civet is a rather flexible species, enabling it to inhabit a range of habitats over a wide area.

 

Communal latrines or ‘civetries’, often found next to puddles on tracks and in clearings, are thought to be used by African civets in communication and to mark territory boundaries. Scats are left in an unburied pile in an area less than 0.5 square metres, and the African civet adds anal secretions when defecating to release a long-term scent.

 

The African civet is famous for the secretions from its perianal gland, known as ‘civetone’, which are traditionally used as an ingredient in perfume production. The glands appear as two swellings near the genitalia and are on average two centimetres wide and three centimetres long.

 

A widespread and abundant species in Africa, the African civet can be found from Senegal on the west coast to southern Somalia on the east coast. Its range extends south to include Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, although it is more restricted and generally only found in the north-eastern regions of these countries.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/j9FBRdH.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/YnKE8Ue.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IKs2t06.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HEXwVf9.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/dcTpJBP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kIPaHXC.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/frUJqmq.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/8jjNUgV.jpg

 

Range:

 

http://i.imgur.com/FpYXqx4.jpg

 

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18 November 2014

Tuesday

 

African Civet

 

A nocturnal, opportunistic mammal, the African civet (Civettictis civetta) is the largest African member of the Viverridae family, which includes genets, civets and linsangs. This species is easily distinguished by its stumpy front legs and its large hindquarters, which hold the rump high and the head low in an unusual posture characteristic of civets.

 

A secretive, nocturnal species, little is known about the African civet’s habits in the wild. It is a solitary species, mainly active just before sunset until midnight, and around sunrise. During the day, females and cubs are known to sleep in a nest, while male African civets and females without cubs will sleep in thick vegetation.

 

Being omnivorous, the African civet feeds mainly on fruit and millipedes, as well as other arthropods and small mammals. It is even known to raid domestic rubbish, and in southern Africa its diet may also include crabs and snails. Being an opportunistic feeder with a broad diet means that the African civet is a rather flexible species, enabling it to inhabit a range of habitats over a wide area.

 

Communal latrines or ‘civetries’, often found next to puddles on tracks and in clearings, are thought to be used by African civets in communication and to mark territory boundaries. Scats are left in an unburied pile in an area less than 0.5 square metres, and the African civet adds anal secretions when defecating to release a long-term scent.

 

The African civet is famous for the secretions from its perianal gland, known as ‘civetone’, which are traditionally used as an ingredient in perfume production. The glands appear as two swellings near the genitalia and are on average two centimetres wide and three centimetres long.

 

A widespread and abundant species in Africa, the African civet can be found from Senegal on the west coast to southern Somalia on the east coast. Its range extends south to include Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, although it is more restricted and generally only found in the north-eastern regions of these countries.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/j9FBRdH.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/YnKE8Ue.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IKs2t06.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HEXwVf9.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/dcTpJBP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kIPaHXC.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/frUJqmq.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/8jjNUgV.jpg

 

Range:

 

http://i.imgur.com/FpYXqx4.jpg

 

They look very cuddly for a wild animal

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20 November 2014

Thursday

 

 

Parson's Chameleon

 

Endemic to the central eastern forests of Madagascar, Parson’s chameleon belongs to a unique family of lizards exhibiting some bizarre traits. With a large, triangular head, conical, independently-moving eyes, laterally compressed body, and fused toes, the chameleon has looks as strange as its behaviour. All chameleon species are capable of colour change, which is not only for camouflage as is generally assumed. It may also be a response to other chameleons (when fighting or mating), temperature, as well as the surroundings. Particularly comical when walking, they have an odd gait, moving with diagonally opposite limbs. The toes are fused into two opposable pads, giving mitten-like feet that are efficient for gripping branches. The tongue may be up to twice the length of the body, and has a bulbous sticky tip which is used to catch its prey. This enormous chameleon has ridges running from above the eyes to the nose forming two warty horns. Its colour varies from green, turquoise and yellow, and juveniles may have an orange sheen. The lips and eyelids of adults are sometimes yellow or orange and there may be pale yellow or white spots on the flanks.

 

In aggressive fights at the start of the breeding season, males butt their heads together to determine dominance. Females mate only once every two years, producing 20 - 25 eggs that incubate for a massive 20 months. The young are independent as soon as they hatch.

 

A solitary species outside the mating season, this large chameleon hunts during the day for large insects and small vertebrates amongst the branches of trees. It is able to change colour in response to the temperature, its surroundings or the presence of other chameleons.

 

http://i.imgur.com/ec4haBb.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/OLbsFlR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Dj3WVWV.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/X6frFY3.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RcWo4w4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0coEe2P.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/mYq6aCP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/KGWTZXl.jpg

 

Skull (reproduction):

 

http://i.imgur.com/89o1JEj.jpg

 

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21 November 2014

 

FLORA FRIDAY

 

 

Sturt's Desert Pea

 

(Swainsona formosa)

 

Sturt's Desert Pea is an Australian plant in the genus Swainsona, named after English botanist Isaac Swainson, famous for its distinctive blood-red leaf-like flowers, each with a bulbous black centre, or "boss". It is one of Australia's best known wildflowers. It is native to the arid regions of central and north-western Australia, and its range extends into all mainland Australian states with the exception of Victoria.

 

Specimens of Sturt's Desert Pea were first collected by William Dampier who recorded his first sighting on 22 August 1699. These specimens are today in the Fielding-Druce Herbarium at Oxford University in England.

 

Sturt's Desert Pea is a member of Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. It has pinnate, grey-green leaves which are arranged spirally on the main axis of the plant, and in two opposite rows (distichous) on lateral stems. Its flowers are so different from its relatives that it is almost unrecognisable as a member of the pea family. The flowers are about 9 centimetres in length and grow in clusters of around half a dozen on thick vertical stalks (peduncles), which spring up every 10-15 centimetres along the prostrate stems in a bright red, which may be up to 2 metres in length. The sexual organs, enclosed by the keel, comprise 10 stamens, of which 9 are joined and 1 is free, and an ovary topped by a style upon which is located the stigma which receives pollen during fertilisation.

 

The plant flowers from spring to summer, particularly after rain. There is a natural pure white form, as well as hybridised varieties which can have flowers ranging from blood scarlet, to pink and even pale cream, with variously coloured central bosses. Several tricolour variants have been recorded, including the cultivars marginata (white keel with red margin, red flag and purple-black boss), tricolour (white keel, red flag, pink boss), and elegans (white flag and keel, both with red margins). Flowers are bird-pollinated in the wild.

 

http://i.imgur.com/xK39NF9.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/cmJoDSh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZOURFZS.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7AMlsdK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eGta8T4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0Wkxjec.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ECKq81w.jpg

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20 November 2014

Thursday

 

 

Parson's Chameleon

 

Endemic to the central eastern forests of Madagascar, Parson’s chameleon belongs to a unique family of lizards exhibiting some bizarre traits. With a large, triangular head, conical, independently-moving eyes, laterally compressed body, and fused toes, the chameleon has looks as strange as its behaviour. All chameleon species are capable of colour change, which is not only for camouflage as is generally assumed. It may also be a response to other chameleons (when fighting or mating), temperature, as well as the surroundings. Particularly comical when walking, they have an odd gait, moving with diagonally opposite limbs. The toes are fused into two opposable pads, giving mitten-like feet that are efficient for gripping branches. The tongue may be up to twice the length of the body, and has a bulbous sticky tip which is used to catch its prey. This enormous chameleon has ridges running from above the eyes to the nose forming two warty horns. Its colour varies from green, turquoise and yellow, and juveniles may have an orange sheen. The lips and eyelids of adults are sometimes yellow or orange and there may be pale yellow or white spots on the flanks.

 

In aggressive fights at the start of the breeding season, males butt their heads together to determine dominance. Females mate only once every two years, producing 20 - 25 eggs that incubate for a massive 20 months. The young are independent as soon as they hatch.

 

A solitary species outside the mating season, this large chameleon hunts during the day for large insects and small vertebrates amongst the branches of trees. It is able to change colour in response to the temperature, its surroundings or the presence of other chameleons.

 

http://i.imgur.com/ec4haBb.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/OLbsFlR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Dj3WVWV.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/X6frFY3.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RcWo4w4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0coEe2P.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/mYq6aCP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/KGWTZXl.jpg

 

Skull (reproduction):

 

http://i.imgur.com/89o1JEj.jpg

 

Amazing looking creatures :yes: :cool:

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21 November 2014

 

FLORA FRIDAY

 

 

Sturt's Desert Pea

 

(Swainsona formosa)

 

Sturt's Desert Pea is an Australian plant in the genus Swainsona, named after English botanist Isaac Swainson, famous for its distinctive blood-red leaf-like flowers, each with a bulbous black centre, or "boss". It is one of Australia's best known wildflowers. It is native to the arid regions of central and north-western Australia, and its range extends into all mainland Australian states with the exception of Victoria.

 

Specimens of Sturt's Desert Pea were first collected by William Dampier who recorded his first sighting on 22 August 1699. These specimens are today in the Fielding-Druce Herbarium at Oxford University in England.

 

Sturt's Desert Pea is a member of Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. It has pinnate, grey-green leaves which are arranged spirally on the main axis of the plant, and in two opposite rows (distichous) on lateral stems. Its flowers are so different from its relatives that it is almost unrecognisable as a member of the pea family. The flowers are about 9 centimetres in length and grow in clusters of around half a dozen on thick vertical stalks (peduncles), which spring up every 10-15 centimetres along the prostrate stems in a bright red, which may be up to 2 metres in length. The sexual organs, enclosed by the keel, comprise 10 stamens, of which 9 are joined and 1 is free, and an ovary topped by a style upon which is located the stigma which receives pollen during fertilisation.

 

The plant flowers from spring to summer, particularly after rain. There is a natural pure white form, as well as hybridised varieties which can have flowers ranging from blood scarlet, to pink and even pale cream, with variously coloured central bosses. Several tricolour variants have been recorded, including the cultivars marginata (white keel with red margin, red flag and purple-black boss), tricolour (white keel, red flag, pink boss), and elegans (white flag and keel, both with red margins). Flowers are bird-pollinated in the wild.

 

http://i.imgur.com/xK39NF9.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/cmJoDSh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZOURFZS.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7AMlsdK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eGta8T4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0Wkxjec.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ECKq81w.jpg

Interesting looking flowers. They look a bit like a dragon's head

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Can anyone help me putting a precise identification on the bird in this video?

I caught this life and death struggle on my cell phone cam on Sunday morning down by the Mystic. Don't worry; the squirrel won the battle (this time...)

 

So here's what I know about the boyd.

 

Clearly it's an accipiter. Look at that long gorgeous tail both from above and below. And no buteo is even gonna try to snatch a squirrel with fancy wing work around the base of a tree. (Accipiters are the so-called "chicken hawks" much-maligned of farmers and old Foghorn Leghorn himself for their ability to dart in and out of the henhouse. "I say, I say, I say, now hold on there, son")

 

My problem is, it's certainly too big to be a Sharp-shinned (Robin sized). But also quite a bit bigger than the Cooper's (Crow sized). Those are just rules-of-thumb for sizing one of these birds, I realize.

 

My best guess is that this is an immature female Cooper's Hawk. Here's why I think that:

 

Immature because it clearly doesn't have the uniform slate gray uppers or the black cap of an adult. The breast is also streaked instead of the sort of brick-like pattern of an adult Cooper's. (also possibly immature because she thinks she can catch a squirrel in this way)

Female because it's quite a bit bigger than a typical description of a Cooper's...maybe? (Generally female birds of prey are a tad bigger than the males. Not sure that's true of accipiters, frankly)

 

I'm ruling out a Goshawk (that tail is just too perfectly Cooper's/Sharp-shinned colored -- the broad uniform black and gray bands on the upper side)

 

I'll try to elicit Cornell's help with this one. But I know there's got to be some serious birders out there that might be watching.

 

Thanks as always!

Tony.

 

I'm no expert on birds, but it's a good video clip! :)

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18 November 2014

Tuesday

 

African Civet

 

A nocturnal, opportunistic mammal, the African civet (Civettictis civetta) is the largest African member of the Viverridae family, which includes genets, civets and linsangs. This species is easily distinguished by its stumpy front legs and its large hindquarters, which hold the rump high and the head low in an unusual posture characteristic of civets.

 

A secretive, nocturnal species, little is known about the African civet’s habits in the wild. It is a solitary species, mainly active just before sunset until midnight, and around sunrise. During the day, females and cubs are known to sleep in a nest, while male African civets and females without cubs will sleep in thick vegetation.

 

Being omnivorous, the African civet feeds mainly on fruit and millipedes, as well as other arthropods and small mammals. It is even known to raid domestic rubbish, and in southern Africa its diet may also include crabs and snails. Being an opportunistic feeder with a broad diet means that the African civet is a rather flexible species, enabling it to inhabit a range of habitats over a wide area.

 

Communal latrines or ‘civetries’, often found next to puddles on tracks and in clearings, are thought to be used by African civets in communication and to mark territory boundaries. Scats are left in an unburied pile in an area less than 0.5 square metres, and the African civet adds anal secretions when defecating to release a long-term scent.

 

The African civet is famous for the secretions from its perianal gland, known as ‘civetone’, which are traditionally used as an ingredient in perfume production. The glands appear as two swellings near the genitalia and are on average two centimetres wide and three centimetres long.

 

A widespread and abundant species in Africa, the African civet can be found from Senegal on the west coast to southern Somalia on the east coast. Its range extends south to include Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, although it is more restricted and generally only found in the north-eastern regions of these countries.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/j9FBRdH.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/YnKE8Ue.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IKs2t06.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HEXwVf9.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/dcTpJBP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kIPaHXC.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/frUJqmq.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/8jjNUgV.jpg

 

Range:

 

http://i.imgur.com/FpYXqx4.jpg

 

 

Lovely pattern! :)

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20 November 2014

Thursday

 

 

Parson's Chameleon

 

Endemic to the central eastern forests of Madagascar, Parson’s chameleon belongs to a unique family of lizards exhibiting some bizarre traits. With a large, triangular head, conical, independently-moving eyes, laterally compressed body, and fused toes, the chameleon has looks as strange as its behaviour. All chameleon species are capable of colour change, which is not only for camouflage as is generally assumed. It may also be a response to other chameleons (when fighting or mating), temperature, as well as the surroundings. Particularly comical when walking, they have an odd gait, moving with diagonally opposite limbs. The toes are fused into two opposable pads, giving mitten-like feet that are efficient for gripping branches. The tongue may be up to twice the length of the body, and has a bulbous sticky tip which is used to catch its prey. This enormous chameleon has ridges running from above the eyes to the nose forming two warty horns. Its colour varies from green, turquoise and yellow, and juveniles may have an orange sheen. The lips and eyelids of adults are sometimes yellow or orange and there may be pale yellow or white spots on the flanks.

 

In aggressive fights at the start of the breeding season, males butt their heads together to determine dominance. Females mate only once every two years, producing 20 - 25 eggs that incubate for a massive 20 months. The young are independent as soon as they hatch.

 

A solitary species outside the mating season, this large chameleon hunts during the day for large insects and small vertebrates amongst the branches of trees. It is able to change colour in response to the temperature, its surroundings or the presence of other chameleons.

 

http://i.imgur.com/ec4haBb.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/OLbsFlR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Dj3WVWV.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/X6frFY3.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/RcWo4w4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0coEe2P.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/mYq6aCP.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/KGWTZXl.jpg

 

Skull (reproduction):

 

http://i.imgur.com/89o1JEj.jpg

 

 

Amazing creature! :)

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21 November 2014

 

FLORA FRIDAY

 

 

Sturt's Desert Pea

 

(Swainsona formosa)

 

Sturt's Desert Pea is an Australian plant in the genus Swainsona, named after English botanist Isaac Swainson, famous for its distinctive blood-red leaf-like flowers, each with a bulbous black centre, or "boss". It is one of Australia's best known wildflowers. It is native to the arid regions of central and north-western Australia, and its range extends into all mainland Australian states with the exception of Victoria.

 

Specimens of Sturt's Desert Pea were first collected by William Dampier who recorded his first sighting on 22 August 1699. These specimens are today in the Fielding-Druce Herbarium at Oxford University in England.

 

Sturt's Desert Pea is a member of Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. It has pinnate, grey-green leaves which are arranged spirally on the main axis of the plant, and in two opposite rows (distichous) on lateral stems. Its flowers are so different from its relatives that it is almost unrecognisable as a member of the pea family. The flowers are about 9 centimetres in length and grow in clusters of around half a dozen on thick vertical stalks (peduncles), which spring up every 10-15 centimetres along the prostrate stems in a bright red, which may be up to 2 metres in length. The sexual organs, enclosed by the keel, comprise 10 stamens, of which 9 are joined and 1 is free, and an ovary topped by a style upon which is located the stigma which receives pollen during fertilisation.

 

The plant flowers from spring to summer, particularly after rain. There is a natural pure white form, as well as hybridised varieties which can have flowers ranging from blood scarlet, to pink and even pale cream, with variously coloured central bosses. Several tricolour variants have been recorded, including the cultivars marginata (white keel with red margin, red flag and purple-black boss), tricolour (white keel, red flag, pink boss), and elegans (white flag and keel, both with red margins). Flowers are bird-pollinated in the wild.

 

http://i.imgur.com/xK39NF9.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/cmJoDSh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZOURFZS.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7AMlsdK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eGta8T4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0Wkxjec.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ECKq81w.jpg

 

Stunning and such a vivid shade of red! :D

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22 November 2014

 

Paleontology Saturday

 

 

Meganeura

 

First discovered in France in‭ ‬1880,‭ ‬Meganeura is one of the largest known flying insects to ever exist.‭ ‬Although superficially similar to a dragonfly,‭ ‬Meganeura and others like it are generally referred to as griffinflies,‭ ‬due to morphological differences between them and the dragonflies.

 

It is generally considered that the maximum potential size of an insect is dictated by how much oxygen is available for respiration.‭ ‬The oxygen content of our atmosphere today is typically‭ ‬21%‭ ‬of the total gases,‭ ‬but back in the Carboniferous it was much higher at up‭ ‬to‭ ‬35%.‭ ‬Insects like Meganeura breathe through a system of tracheal tubes that carry oxygen directly into their internal tissues.‭ ‬A higher amount of oxygen in the atmosphere would supply a passive boost to these tissues with no effort on the part of Meganeura allowing for the larger growth.‭ ‬Falling oxygen levels after this period would mean that the giant insects simply did not have enough oxygen to maintain their size,‭ ‬resulting in either the evolution of smaller forms,‭ ‬or outright extinction of the larger.

 

Meganeura is likely to have hunted and fed in much the same way as dragonflies do today,‭ ‬although its larger size may suggest that many more creatures could have been on the menu for it. Aside from other invertebrates, potential prey may have also included small amphibians that were rapidly evolving into terrestrial life.

 

http://i.imgur.com/39fbnD7.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/722pEN8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qxGT5NB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/o0BHLUK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kMHpmWd.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/t8XorX1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SOXoEm6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/e3msGFk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AAtJBSe.jpg

 

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22 November 2014

 

Paleontology Saturday

 

 

Meganeura

 

First discovered in France in‭ ‬1880,‭ ‬Meganeura is one of the largest known flying insects to ever exist.‭ ‬Although superficially similar to a dragonfly,‭ ‬Meganeura and others like it are generally referred to as griffinflies,‭ ‬due to morphological differences between them and the dragonflies.

 

It is generally considered that the maximum potential size of an insect is dictated by how much oxygen is available for respiration.‭ ‬The oxygen content of our atmosphere today is typically‭ ‬21%‭ ‬of the total gases,‭ ‬but back in the Carboniferous it was much higher at up‭ ‬to‭ ‬35%.‭ ‬Insects like Meganeura breathe through a system of tracheal tubes that carry oxygen directly into their internal tissues.‭ ‬A higher amount of oxygen in the atmosphere would supply a passive boost to these tissues with no effort on the part of Meganeura allowing for the larger growth.‭ ‬Falling oxygen levels after this period would mean that the giant insects simply did not have enough oxygen to maintain their size,‭ ‬resulting in either the evolution of smaller forms,‭ ‬or outright extinction of the larger.

 

Meganeura is likely to have hunted and fed in much the same way as dragonflies do today,‭ ‬although its larger size may suggest that many more creatures could have been on the menu for it. Aside from other invertebrates, potential prey may have also included small amphibians that were rapidly evolving into terrestrial life.

 

http://i.imgur.com/39fbnD7.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/722pEN8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qxGT5NB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/o0BHLUK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kMHpmWd.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/t8XorX1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SOXoEm6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/e3msGFk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AAtJBSe.jpg

 

 

Wow..! The world's biggest dragonfly! :D

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22 November 2014

 

Paleontology Saturday

 

 

Meganeura

 

First discovered in France in‭ ‬1880,‭ ‬Meganeura is one of the largest known flying insects to ever exist.‭ ‬Although superficially similar to a dragonfly,‭ ‬Meganeura and others like it are generally referred to as griffinflies,‭ ‬due to morphological differences between them and the dragonflies.

 

It is generally considered that the maximum potential size of an insect is dictated by how much oxygen is available for respiration.‭ ‬The oxygen content of our atmosphere today is typically‭ ‬21%‭ ‬of the total gases,‭ ‬but back in the Carboniferous it was much higher at up‭ ‬to‭ ‬35%.‭ ‬Insects like Meganeura breathe through a system of tracheal tubes that carry oxygen directly into their internal tissues.‭ ‬A higher amount of oxygen in the atmosphere would supply a passive boost to these tissues with no effort on the part of Meganeura allowing for the larger growth.‭ ‬Falling oxygen levels after this period would mean that the giant insects simply did not have enough oxygen to maintain their size,‭ ‬resulting in either the evolution of smaller forms,‭ ‬or outright extinction of the larger.

 

Meganeura is likely to have hunted and fed in much the same way as dragonflies do today,‭ ‬although its larger size may suggest that many more creatures could have been on the menu for it. Aside from other invertebrates, potential prey may have also included small amphibians that were rapidly evolving into terrestrial life.

 

http://i.imgur.com/39fbnD7.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/722pEN8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qxGT5NB.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/o0BHLUK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kMHpmWd.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/t8XorX1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SOXoEm6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/e3msGFk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AAtJBSe.jpg

 

Amazing wings! But I wouldn't want to go for a picnic with a few of them buzzing around

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