JAC: Matthew has gone off to the Lake District for a week’s “hols,” but he left me with a post so I wouldn’t go dry. That’s the good news.
The bad news is that it’s a “Spot the nightjar” post. Srsly! I’ll give the answer either tomorrow or this evening.
by Matthew Cobb
OK, we’re going to give you a chance here. First you’ll get your eye in with some easy ones, then there’s the test.
This photo of a Large-tailed nightjar, by David Behrens and taken from here, gives you an idea of quite how amazing their camouflage is:
This photo of a Bonaparte’s nightjar, by Folkert Hindriks, taken from a great set of photos of Brunei you can find here (superb close-ups), is quite amazing – if the bird had its eye shut, it would be very difficult to spot:
And now, the test, a fantastic photo of a Fiery-necked nightjar by Jolyon Toscianko. And no cheating or image searching!
I see the nightjar in the last one! Phew!
Where? All I see is a couple of crabs. 🙂
Ha ha! I didn’t even try to find the crabs on the last one.
I can’t spot the nightjar in the last photo, but I saw half a dozen crabs there!
This one was relatively easy, but it’s still fantastic camouflage.
I saw it! I really saw it!
I think…
Is it looking right at us?
Facing us, anyway.
Hint: Look for symmetry.
Aha! Thanks, I found it, had no chance without your hint though.
The last one is easy – and it’s a neat photo from a rare angle. The first photo is nice too.
So where is it?
Too early in the game for spoilers…but see comment #4.
Next to the baby mouse? Behind the marmoset?
That last one was very admirable. I love how the dark accents on the feathers match the holes on the dead leaves. Amazing.
life’s too short…
That’s what the predators think. Mission accomplished!
I think what the predators really think is “the heck with this, I’m calling Dominoes.”
😀
The first two jump to the eye, as it where, nearly filling the frame. Third one slightly off centre facing us, had to look twice.
It is striking in these nightjars ‘n crab (not to mention deer killers) photos how difficult it can be to see, but how easy it is once seen.
It is the same with fossils, although there we do not have selection for not being seen..
I see a leaf with nightjar pareidolia. 🙂
Fantastic blending in!
Found it! Great camouflage!
Now I see seven nightjars in the last picture.
I’ll never look at a stash of dead leaves with the same eyes again.
I see it! It’s in an obvious spot, not covered by leaf litter or detritus. Can I give a hint? The bird is facing the camera, so look for bilateral symmetry.
You’re sure that’s not a snuffling short-beaked echidna?
OMG, is that an echidna disguised as a night-jar disguised as leaf detritus?!
It’s next to that brown leaf, and that brown leaf and … =D. But I found it, an easy one.
I saw the first two because of their eyes, but couldn’t see the third until someone pointed it out. Crabs are easier for me!
Finally!!! The first and only time I have ever spotted the nightjars :-0
It does help that in this case they are large and clear, and not pixel sized bits far in the distance…
Spotted them all right away. Thanks, Dr. Cobb for letting up on us.
Yes, an “easy” one–but it’s a treat to see three such fascinating pictures!
I believe I’ve found the nightjar in the last picture, but to the left of it appears to be a Gaboon viper (yes, I know there isn’t one, but that’s the way it looks).
Sorry, I missed your comment in the rush to add mine.
Strange minds think alike?
Speak for yourself about strange minds, but the Gaboon viper had come to my mind too when thinking of spot the nightjar ‘n crab pictures.
Next quiz: How many Gaboon Vipers did you see in the nightjar pictures?
In the bottom image there appears to be a large spider poised in the lower RH quadrant. You can see the legs quite easily. I am surprised that no one has commented on it.
Now that you mention it, there is indeed something there that looks like a “Daddy longlegs” (harvestman)! But I really think that’s actually a fortuitous arrangement of slender stems or leaf veins. Some of the veins (or whatever) that run cross-wise to the “legs” seem to connect with them at a few points.
And it would seem to be awfully big in relation to the nightjar, unless the perspective is deeper than it appears to me.
There seem to be a few extra un-connected legs…