Category: spot the nightjar (and other beasts)

Spot the cat!

January 1, 2023 • 9:00 am

Don’t expect much from my brain today, and no, it’s not because I’m hung over. Reader Blue sent this picture and asks you to “Spot the Cat”. I find this one medium hard. Reveal at noon, Chicago time; you can say in the comments that you spotted it, but don’t give away its position!

Spot the frog!

December 7, 2022 • 8:15 am

I’m taking a break from wildlife photos today as I’m conserving them and am also tired. But reader Pradeep has contributed a “spot the” picture. In this pile of rocks, there is a frog. Can you spot it? If you do (or don’t), just say “I did” or “I didn’t” in the comments so to allow readers to look for themselves. The reveal will be at noon Chicago time.

Click to enlarge the photo. I’d call this “medium hard”.

Reveal: “Spot the critter”

December 4, 2022 • 12:00 pm

Did you spot the animal hiding on a tree in today’s earlier post? If not, here’s the reveal. It’s a moth, I believe, but I don’t know the species. (I don’t think it’s the evolutionarily famous Biston betularia). Readers who know should weigh in.

A closeup:

Spot the critter!

December 4, 2022 • 7:20 am

This photo comes from reader Pradeep on Facebook, though I don’t know if he took it.  At any rate, there’s an animal hiding on the tree. Can you spot it? I’d rate this “pretty easy if you look carefully”.

It shows the power of camouflage, in this case surely produced by natural selection eliminating less camouflaged individuals—the ones who got eaten by bird predators.

If you do, just say “I did” or “I didn’t” in the comments rather than give it away. I’ll put up the solution at noon Chicago time.

Caturday extra: Spot the cat!

November 26, 2022 • 10:00 am

I may have posted this before but I don’t remember it. At any rate, hidden among these owls is a cat. Can you spot it? It took me a LONG time, but some of you may see it right off the bat.

Don’t reveal the location in the comments; I’ll post a reveal at 1 pm Chicago time showing the cat.  Enlarging the picture may help:

h/t: Nicole

Spot the raptor and identify it

July 20, 2022 • 8:30 am

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 you spot it? The ducks sure did! They go on alert seeing raptors way overhead or dogs in the distance—things that we humans can’t see. Ducks must have terrific eyesight. Of course you must click to enlarge. The reveal is below the fold.

Click “read more” to see the reveal:

Continue reading “Spot the raptor and identify it” →

Readers’ wildlife photos: special “spot the moths” version

January 29, 2022 • 9:00 am

Have an hour to spare to find some cryptic insects? Today we have a “spot the moths” series from Mark Sturtevant. It has two hidden species, one per photo. I’ve put Mark’s reveals below the fold.  Click on the two photos below to enlarge them, and the narrative from Mark is indented.

I rate both pictures as “extraordinarily difficult,” so take your time finding them. I doubt that you’ll find both! This also shows how amazingly cryptic moths can be, and of course they tend to land in places that give them camouflage.

Can your readers find the moths in the two pictures? They are both pretty much in plain view and fairly large. Da Rool, however, must be to please not reveal the locations so that other readers can have a go. Have at it, people!

JAC: BE SURE TO ENLARGE THE PHOTOS TO THEIR MAXIMUM SIZE (click twice in succession), or you’ll fail miserably.

Photo (and speciesI 2:

Click “continue reading” below for the Big Reveals, but first try to see the moths!

Continue reading “Readers’ wildlife photos: special “spot the moths” version” →