Posting may be a bit light today as I’m Skyping in 20 minutes with a college evolution class in New York (it’s about WEIT); and I just did some virtue signaling. But enjoy these recent photographs from Stephen Barnard in Idaho, including the butt of a Great Horned Owl. His captions are indented:
Desi bringing home the bacon. [JAC: Looks like a trout. The eaglets are Jewish and don’t eat pork.]
This is an unusual perspective of a Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). I disturbed him from his morning nap in the sun and he flew a short distance to this perch. This could have been a great photo if he’s turned his head to look at me, but he refused. I was practically jumping up and down and Deets was carrying on, but nothing worked. I’ve seen this owl many times. He’s annoyed, not frightened.
The fourth photo is of a Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and a Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) drake. The Blue-winged Teal is a new bird for me.
These three are American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana). They show up on Loving Creek for a few weeks when the water level is low and they can wade and feed on insect larvae and small crustaceans. When the aquatic weeds come in and cause the water level to rise they leave for their breeding grounds.
And my friend Ivan in California just sent me a photo of his new “pet”. He’s has lizards almost as long as I’ve known him, but mostly leopard geckos.
This is our new Northern Blue Tongued Skink [Tiliqua scincoides intermedia], named Bernie. Little Surya, our leopard gecko, died about two months ago from complications of an intermittent GI obstruction. After an appropriate mourning period we were going to get another leopard gecko, but when we went to the lizard store, Jan and I really took to this guy. He apparently became too much hassle for his prior owner, who gave him to the store to be sold. This happens with larger lizards, notably with the big monitors.
Bernie comes from northern Australia, one of 6 species native to that continent. He lives in the brush naturally (we give him dry moss) and he eats almost anything. We feed him dog food, pinkies, grubs, snails, insects, etc. He is not very fast moving and is really sweet. He loves being with people, so we take him out of his cage at least once a day for lap time and petting. I am sure you will warm to him when you next visit. He is a big guy–probably 16″ long and pretty hefty.
Here’s a photo, taken from Animal Spot, of the full beast:
Guessing what PCC’s virtue signaling consisted of…bought solar panels for his penthouse suite?
My daughter had one of these for a while. They look like they are evolving towards snakes.
They should be talking in a few million years.
Two of the really classy ducks in one picture – Mallard and the Blue-winged Teal. Love to watch the Teal fly – they are the formula one’s of the air.
…and by “one of these” in mean the skink.
No pork, eh? The eaglets in Pittsburgh (Hays webcam) are omnivores. I won’t mention what ma brought them the other day.
I love the Great-horned Owl butt.
“We feed him dog food, pinkies, grubs, snails, insects, etc.”
Pinkies!? Where do you harvest those fingers??
The photo of the two avocets swimming is [insert acceptable synonym for “amazing” here]!
And, the obligatory “I probably ought to know this already, but don’t” question: What is the adaptive value of the skink’s blue tongue?