Several readers contributed pictures for today’s show and tell.
Reader Sarah Crews took this photo of an American kestrel (Falco sparverius) with prey in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica last November:
. . . and a desert iguana ((Dipsosaurus dorsalis)
Reader Ed Kroc gives us an epic battle between Gull versus Crow:
A glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens) battling a northwestern crow (Corvus caurinus). This gull has a nest with her partner on the pictured rooftop, across the street from my apartment, while the crow has his/her own nest in a tree right next door. Occasionally, the crow gets a little irritated if one of the gulls wanders too close to this tree. This usually results in a few minutes of the crow dive-bombing the offending gull. Usually the gull just ducks and snaps its beak, but this time she got a bit aggressive herself, displaying her wings in full and lunging at the buzzing crow.
Finally, reader Scott sent a picture of bats taken during his honeymoon in Aruba (note the dedication to biology!):
The bats were observed on a tour of the island, and the picture with the dive bombing is my favorite. I think they are Southern Long-nosed Bat (Leptonycteris curasoae). The caves are along the shores of Aruba in Arikok National Park, and gets scheduled tours regularly. I think the park limits the number of caves the public has access to and the “picture time” each tour gets to reduce disturbances.
I would guess the kestrel prey is either a rat or young ‘possum.
I’d think something more along the lines of a deer mouse. Kestrels are awfully tiny.
Nice pics, plus today I learned a new word: glaucous.
Finally, a reptile.
Great desert iguana.
Wonderful pics, everyone!