Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
Yes, people have been sent out on fruitless snipe hunts, but there really is a bird called the snipe. In fact, there are 26 species that go by that name, all in the bird family Scolopacidae. Matthew, who started the “spot the nightjar” series, sent this “spot the snipe” photo. I’ve put the extracted picture … Continue reading Spot the snipe!
This photo comes from a frustrated Mark Richardson, who gives us an easier “spot the” photograph. Can you find the goldfinch? I’d call this one “pretty damn easy”, in fact so easy that there will be no reveal. Since the last couple “Spot the…” posts have been so difficult (for me at least…I couldn’t find … Continue reading Spot the goldfinch!
In lieu of readers’ wildlife photos today (see previous post; we have a shortage), I’m putting up a reader’s “spot the. . . ” quiz. There is a white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) hiding in this photo. Can you spot it? (Click photo to enlarge.) I think this one is medium hard—at least it was for … Continue reading Spot the sparrow!
Due to my obliviousness, Sunday’s regular batch of photos from John Avise was posted yesterday. Today we have only one photo. It’s a weird one from Peter Fisher in Cumbria, and could easily have been a “spot the osprey” photo—except you can see the reveal below. Plus I enlarged the photo, and can’t make out … Continue reading Readers’ wildlife photos, or “spot the osprey”
We had a duck alert yesterday afternoon caused by the presence of this raptor, who flew over the pond and settled in a tree right by the water. The bird was small—too small to take a good-sized duck, I think, buttI don’t know the species. Can you identify it? (All photos by Jean Greenberg). Can … Continue reading Spot the raptor and identify it
Did you spot the snipe in this morning’s photo? Here’s the original photo, the reveal (from Matthew), and an enlargement of an enhanced snipe:
Reader David Fuqua sent a “spot the” photo which he thinks is pretty easy. Well, give it a try. Here’s what you’re looking for (and verify the ID if you can); click the photo to enlarge it. The answer is below the fold: I rate this one easy, maybe too easy for your readers. This … Continue reading Spot the bird!
Did you spot the grey heron in Matthew’s photo? Here’s the reveal (click to enlarge).
