Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: red eyes
Eared Grebe & baby
06 Jul 2019 |
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Saturday, 6 July 2019, 5:15 pm - here comes the rain and thunder. Our weather forecast for today, 6 July 2019, from the Weather Network:
"A multi-day severe storm threat looms for the Prairies. This weekend is ripe with storm risk, with Saturday's thunderstorms set to fire for the afternoon and evening, along with some tornado chance on the table for southern Alberta -- something visitors to the Calgary Stampede should keep an eye on."
This morning, 6 July 2019, I am posting 7 more photos taken three days ago, on a drive south to Frank Lake. Yet again, when I checked the weather forecast, it said continuing rain for day after day after day. However, the sun was shining when I decided to drive south. The clouds were sufficiently photogenic for me to change my plans and, instead of calling in at the Saskatoon Farm, I drove straight to the Lake.
The previous time I was at Frank Lake, there was one Coot, two Canada Geese, and a Red-winged and a Yellow-headed Blackbird. Two days ago, it was so much better! The Barn Swallows were there, having built their nest a few feet away from their previous nest site. The Eared Grebes had their tiny, adorable babies, sometimes riding on their back, other times swimming separately. Same thing with the Coots - some had very young babies; others had somewhat older youngsters. One Coot adult and baby were walking in thick mud, searching for food. They both looked such a mess, as if they had rolled in the mud. A pair of Western Grebes could be seen far in the distance.
"In the fall, almost the entire population of Eared Grebes flies to Mono Lake, California, or Great Salt Lake, Utah, to fatten up on brine shrimp and alkali flies before migrating farther south. Here they more than double their weight, and the sizes of their muscles and organs change. The pectoral (chest) muscles shrink to the point of flightlessness and the digestive organs grow significantly. Before departure for the wintering grounds, the process reverses; the digestive organs shrink back to about one-fourth their peak size, and the heart and pectoral muscles grow quickly to allow for flight." From AllAboutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eared_Grebe/overview
The sky began to change - the white clouds were taken over by rather menacing black ones and it became windy and the rain started. I really didn't want to drive back home on the very busy highway in pouring rain, but after waiting and hoping for it to end, I eventually had no choice but to risk it. As it turned out, there was hardly any traffic going north.
It has been raining on and off for something like three weeks now, and everyone is tired of the rain. The famous 9-day Calgary Stampede runs from 5-14 July this year and rain during Stampede makes things so unpleasant! Judging by my Stampede photos posted on Flickr, I haven't been since 2013, when I went with my daughter - surely it hasn't been that long? I know I haven't been the last few years, as it was feeling just too much to deal with. Happy to be away from the huge masses of people and the sickening smell of grease, ha, ha! Of course, not going means not getting any mini-donuts, too. Happy Stampeding, everyone! May the sun shine ....
Eared Grebe with baby
05 Jul 2019 |
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Pam, don't miss the baby : ) Talk about cute. Thinking of you ....
This morning, 5 July 2019, I am posting 6 photos taken two days ago, on a drive south to Frank Lake. Yet again, when I checked the weather forecast, it said continuing rain for day after day after day. However, the sun was shining when I decided to drive south. The clouds were sufficiently photogenic for me to change my plans and, instead of calling in at the Saskatoon Farm, I drove straight to the Lake.
The last time I was at Frank Lake, there was one Coot, two Canada Geese, and a Red-winged and a Yellow-headed Blackbird. Two days ago, it was so much better! The Barn Swallows were there, having built their nest a few feet away from their previous nest site. The Eared Grebes had their tiny, adorable babies, sometimes riding on their back, other times swimming separately. Same thing with the Coots - some had very young babies; others had somewhat older youngsters. One Coot adult and baby were walking in thick mud, searching for food. They both looked such a mess, as if they had rolled in the mud. A pair of Western Grebes could be seen far in the distance.
The sky began to change - the white clouds were taken over by rather menacing black ones and it became windy and the rain started. I really didn't want to drive back home on the very busy highway in pouring rain, but after waiting and hoping for it to end, I eventually had no choice but to risk it. As it turned out, there was hardly any traffic going north.
It has been raining on and off ever since. The famous 9-day Calgary Stampede runs from 5-14 July this year and some events already started yesterday. This morning, Friday 5 July, it is the Stampede Parade downtown. Rain during Stampede makes things so unpleasant! Judging by my Stampede photos posted on Flickr, I haven't been since 2013, when I went with my daughter - surely it hasn't been that long? I know I haven't been the last few years, as it was feeling just too much to deal with. Happy to be away from the huge masses of people and the sickening smell of grease, ha, ha! Of course, not going means not getting any mini-donuts, too. Happy Stampeding, everyone! May the sun shine ....
Eared Grebe / Podiceps nigricollis
04 Jul 2019 |
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Happy 4th July to all Americans!
About an hour after writing those words, I turned on the TV and saw the news about the strong 6.4 earthquake that has just hit southern California. Dozens of after-shocks being felt, too. Most unfortunate news.
This morning, 4 July 2019, I am posting five photos taken yesterday, on a drive south to Frank Lake. Yet again, when I checked the weather forecast, it said continuing rain for day after day. However, the sun was shining when I decided to drive south. The clouds were sufficiently photogenic for me to change my plans and, instead of calling in at the Saskatoon Farm, I drove straight to the Lake.
The last time I was at Frank Lake, there was one Coot, two Canada Geese, and a Red-winged and a Yellow-headed Blackbird. Yesterday was so much better! The Barn Swallows were there, having built their nest a few feet away from their previous nest site. The Eared Grebes had their tiny, adorable babies, sometimes riding on their back, other times swimming separately. Same thing with the Coots - some had very young babies; others had somewhat older youngsters. One Coot adult and baby were walking in thick mud, searching for food. They both looked such a mess, as if they had rolled in the mud. A pair of Western Grebes could be seen far in the distance.
The sky began to change - the white clouds were taken over by rather menacing black ones and it became windy and the rain started. I really didn't want to drive back home on the very busy highway in pouring rain, but after waiting and hoping for it to end, I eventually had no choice but to risk it. As it turned out, there was hardly any traffic going north.
Last night, it rained here and has been raining all morning. The famous 9-day Calgary Stampede runs from 5-14 July this year, with some events already starting today. Rain during Stampede makes things so unpleasant! Judging by my Stampede photos posted on Flickr, I haven't been since 2013, when I went with my daughter - surely it hasn't been that long? I know I haven't been the last few years, as it was feeling just too much to deal with. Happy to be away from the huge masses of people and the sickening smell of grease, ha, ha! Of course, not going means not getting any mini-donuts, too. Happy Stampeding, everyone! May the sun shine ....
Eared Grebe / Podiceps nigricollis
24 May 2019 |
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Flickr's "Big Move" has been made today, 23 May 2019, and now various bits and pieces that need tweaking or fixing can be gradually worked out. Flickr/Smugmug staff must be exhausted! Hard to imagine moving billions of photos and so much data from Yahoo to Amazon. Thank you, everyone involved in working on this over the past year.
I was determined to see if Uploader worked tonight. I had to try three or four times to post most of the 12 new photos, but eventually they all appeared. These images were all taken on 19 May 2019, when I spent the day with my daughter, to celebrate Mother's Day and yet another birthday for me. I always look forward to a day like this - my favourite way to spend a day! I hope she enjoyed it as much as I did. Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy and windy, especially when we went to Frank Lake after spending time at the Saskatoon Farm. We both still managed to get a few photos and, despite the weather.
Our day started with a delicious breakfast at the Farm, after which we walked around the grounds. I always enjoy seeing the farm cats and dogs wandering about, inside and outside. Visitors are not allowed to bring dogs, which means that the farm animals can roam in peace.
The gardens have not yet been planted with flowers - just as well, as I noticed that there was a risk of frost on two recent nights. There are flowers blooming in the greenhouses, though.
Our next destination was Frank Lake, where we hoped to see at least a few birds. It was very quiet, with little to photograph - not the best time of the day. Two Eared Grebes were swimming near the blind, but what a challenge they were! Non stop swimming and constantly changing direction, fast. I think I ended up with a couple of photos that might be sharp enough to post - the rest have been deleted. A Yellow-headed Blackbird, perched on a cattail, was swaying in and out of the viewfinder.
It felt really good to get out, as I have been spending so much time going through so many images from my trip to South Texas. It did feel a little strange to be driving, as I have barely been out the last few weeks.
Day 5, Bronzed Cowbirds / Molothrus aeneus
30 Apr 2019 |
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Despite the fact that most of the bird photos that I have posted this afternoon are cropped and poor quality and have been posted really just for the record, I think I have made a good start on Day 5.
This was a really special full day, from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, on 23 March 2019, Day 5 of our 13-day birding holiday in South Texas. Before we left Calgary, we had booked a tour at The King Ranch and we were greatly looking forward to it. The area we explored was way south on the ranchland, called the Norias Division. The driver of the van/mini-bus was Barb, who did a great job of finding 47 bird species for us, and also trying to find a tiny Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl. We also bumped into Barb's boss a couple of times and he went off in search of an owl. Almost at the end of our great day, he managed to find a pair of them! A man, originally from Holland, but now living in Houston, had travelled all the way to the King Ranch, hoping most of all to see one of these beautiful owls. The rest of us had actually seen one of these owls on our Trinidad & Tobago trip in 2017. He joined us for the day and, needless to say, he was delighted that his sought-after species was successful. The owls were far away, so photos (to be posted later) are very distant, but what a gorgeous pair of little owls they were. Everyone was thrilled to bits. Many thanks to Tom (?) for searching and searching!
"In 1853, Captain Richard King purchased a creek-fed oasis in the Wild Horse Desert of South Texas, sparking generations of integrity, preservation, and innovation.
King Ranch now covers 825,000 acres—more land than the state of Rhode Island. Over the course of over 160 years, King Ranch led some of the first cattle drives, developed the Santa Gertrudis and Santa Cruz breeds of cattle, bred the finest Quarter Horses, and produced champion Thoroughbreds—all under its iconic Running W® brand.
Today’s King Ranch is a major agribusiness with interests in cattle ranching, farming (citrus, cotton, grain, sugar cane, and turfgrass), luxury retail goods, and recreational hunting."
king-ranch.com/
Some of the species we were already familiar with, but new birds included the amazing Scissor-tailed flycatcher, Vermilion Flycatcher, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, and Bronzed Cowbird. I was really hoping that we might see a Green Jay, and I was in luck.
A variety of wildflowers, a mushroom (Ink-cap or similar), a beautiful moth, and several deer added to our enjoyment. We were also very lucky to see a Javelina/Collared Peccary travelling fast through the bushes. Another sighting that was as fleeting as could possibly be were half a dozen Nilgai Antelope.
"Texas is home to more free-range nilgai antelope than their native country of India. Originally stocked on the King Ranch in the 1930’s, these sporty game animals quickly took hold and are currently free- ranging on a handful of large private properties in lower South Texas." From link below.
www.wildlifesystems.com/nilgai-antelope.html
For me, I think the highlight of the day was when I happened to spot a tiny Texan Horned Lizard / Phrynosoma cornutum. A few years ago, I had been so disappointed to miss a trip to SE Alberta to see a Horned Lizard. At the King Ranch, we were standing still for some reason, when something caught my eye near my shoes. I thought a small piece of dead, faded plant had blown in. Then it moved again, still not far from my feet. Couldn't believe my eyes!! What an interesting creature - it actually can shoot blood from small protuberances by its eyes when it feels threatened! Will post photos later, when I get to them.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_horned_lizard
We had lunch outside and were visited by a beautiful, curious White-tailed Deer. Several others were also seen while we were driving around the ranchland.
A good day, for sure, and we appreciated the effort that Barb and her boss put into searching for various species.
Eared Grebe
31 May 2017 |
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Most unusual for me, I was so desperately tired two evenings ago, that I couldn't even stay awake to find and edit three photos to post to Flickr yesterday morning! It was a long day of birding on 28 May 2017, for the May Species Count, and it completely knocked me out for the following day. Tiredness seems to be my constant companion, but not so tired that I can't fight it. So, no photos from me yesterday!
Yesterday, 30 May 2017, I was out for the day south of the city with my Daughter (a belated day out for my birthday and Mother's Day), to Nanton and a few roads nearby, then making our way north to Frank Lake and finally ending up at the Saskatoon Farm, where we were just in time to have a meal.
It takes about 45 minutes to drive south to the town of Nanton. Though I had been quite a few times over the years when carpooling with various friends, I had never driven quite that far south and through the town. My daughter wanted to walk round two or three of the antique shops there and we both wanted to take a few photos of the grain elevators.
Once that was all done, we drove westwards from the town. Though the scenery is beautiful, we did not enjoy being on a main road with no shoulder to pull over to. We did stop once in a small pull-off, to get a few scenic shots. This was where we saw the metal cut-out of a cowboy riding his horse, with a bird perched on top of his hat (third photo I posted today). I can't decide if the distant bird is a Common Grackle or a Brewer's Blackbird, or something else?
We decided to turn around and cross over to the other side of the main highway (#2) and drive north to Frank Lake, hoping to find a few things to photograph along the backroads. A handful of barns and a very few distant birds were enough to make the drive worthwhile.
Frank Lake was deserted when we arrived there, though a couple of other people turned up shortly. Not many bird species, either. The water was quite choppy thanks to the wind, and there was just one Coot, a pair of Ruddy Ducks, a Barn Swallow and one Eared Grebe. I managed to get just this one shot of the latter. Saw two American Avocets, a Killdeer and a pair of Phalaropes. Franklin's Gulls were their usual noisy selves. Not a single White-faced Ibis to be seen, and only one or two Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. When we had been on the road south of the lake, we had seen a Black-crowned Night-Heron perched on a distant fence, being harassed by several smaller birds - Brown-headed Cowbirds? I was so happy to see the Heron, as I so rarely see them. We had also seen a shorebird in a field of stubble and I need to check if this was a Long-billed Curlew.
On our way home, we called in at the Saskatoon Farm and were just in time to order a meal before they closed. A quick wander round gave me the chance to grab a shot or two of a very loud Rooster and the male Wild Turkey. My favourite kind of day, so thank you, Rachel, as always!!
Eared Grebe
19 Jan 2017 |
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Just posting one photo again today - I'm just not getting time to get out and take many new photos, and my motivation level keeps dropping! Thank goodness for archives!
This morning, 19 January 2017, the temperature is +2C and it's supposed to reach +5C this afternoon. Totally overcast, though. No snow to clear off my car, which will feel great when I go to meet a friend for coffee this afternoon.
I used to love photographing Eared Grebes, but the last couple of years have not been the best for them, in my own experience. Last summer, 2016, was so wet and I didn't get down to this area very much at all.
On 18 May 2013, I had so much fun trying to photograph three or four of these gorgeous Eared Grebes at Frank Lake, SE of Calgary. They were moving fast, changing direction, and diving suddenly. Took me a while, but I got some photos that I was happy with - and a lot that I still need to delete, ha. They really are beautiful birds. I love the patch of golden head feathers, chestnut-brown flanks, and those wonderful red "button" eyes. Always good to see them when they fly north for the summer here.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eared_Grebe/id
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-necked_Grebe
The donkeys with reflector eyes
10 Jan 2016 |
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I've seen this fence several times before, E of Calgary. It has various animal shapes, including a bear, fixed to the outside of the fence. The red eyes look like they are made from reflectors.
All three photos posted this morning were taken yesterday, 9 January 2016, when I took part in a Mid-winter Bust-out trip east of the city. Eight of us, plus our leader, took part in this day trip - maybe when everyone else saw what the temperature was first thing in the morning (-23C, not counting windchill, which would have made it much colder), they changed their mind about going! Everything was covered in a heavy layer of hoar frost, which turned everywhere into a beautiful winter wonderland. The sky was blue - what more could anyone want? Well, a few birds would be nice, of course : )
The highlight of the day was seeing 6 Short-eared Owls, in addition to 6 Snowy Owls (7 seen by the people in the other cars, when we split up at the end of the day). As a photographer, though, the only birds that were close enough were two of the Snowy Owls - the one that I posted today and another one that was even further away. All the Short-eared Owls were tiny dots in the landscape. I don't know how anyone was able to spot them! I'm amazed (and thankful) that the three photos today came out OK, as most of the photos I took of anything yesterday are so blurry and not fit for use. Zoomed in shots, especially, suffered from heat distortion - and distorted they are!
Our meeting place was right across the city; a drive that I never enjoy at all, but I really didn't want to miss this outing. Some of the roads we travelled were ones that I had driven several times before. Most of the time, though, I had no idea where we were : )
As always happens on any day that I go anywhere, I turned my camera lens to anything else of interest/beauty, even more so when the birds are way, way off in the distance. Like the barn in the previous photo, the splash of red in these eyes was a welcome sight.
I will add the list of bird species seen that Andrew H. compiled. Many thanks for driving some of us. Thank you, Terry - it was a great day and much appreciated, as always! You did an excellent write-up of the whole day (not posted here).
3 Canada Goose
4 Rough-legged Hawk
6 Snowy Owl
6 Short-eared Owl
1 Downy Woodpecker
34 Black-billed Magpie
46 Common Raven
73 Horned Lark
1 Black-capped Chickadee
75 Snow Bunting
511 Common Redpoll
1 Hoary Redpoll
32 House Sparrow
Eared Grebe with young one
14 Jul 2014 |
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I love these Eared Grebes, with their bright red eyes that look like red buttons. They are only small, 28–34 centimetres (11–13 in) long. I spent a while trying to photograph several of them at Frank Lake (SE of Calgary) two days ago, 12 July 2014. I say "trying", as they are fairly fast swimmers, who like to keep changing direction and who were almost constantly diving for food. They were also preening most of the time. There were a handful of young ones, too, looking cute in their light grey feathers.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eared_Grebe/id
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-necked_Grebe
Two days ago, 12 July 2014, I spent a few hours in the late afternoon till mid-evening, driving just a few of the backroads SE of the city, in the Frank Lake area. I had been there the day before, too, and just couldn't resist a few more hours there. Some of the fields were aglow with vibrant yellow Canola crops, which I look forward to every year. The sun was shining, but it was such a hazy day, I believe from the large forest fires in the next province to our west (British Columbia).
My first stop was at Frank Lake, where I saw a few more Eared Grebes with their quite large "babies". The light was really bad, so it was impossible to get photos that showed colour and details, unless the sun happened to catch the golden "ear" feathers. Saw Soras again - love these little guys, they are so cute. A few very distant White-faced Ibis were in the area, but I lucked out later, finding this lone Ibis at a slough. The Barn Swallows are vicious at the moment, dive-bombing anyone who approaches the blind! You not only hear them as they whoosh past your head, you also feel them! Hang on to your camera if you take photos from inside the blind, as they will continue to dive-bomb. It's too bad, as they really don't make it very pleasant for people. Also saw a couple of small birds that I'm not sure of the ID for, along the country backroads. Posted one of them yesterday and will upload a very poor photo of the other sometime soon.
I see that, on Flickr, one can no longer click and open a link that's included in one's own description. Instead, it works if one right clicks on the link and then opens in a "new tab". Why on earth did they change from just one simple click?!
Eared Grebe
16 Jun 2014 |
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I haven't had a chance to drive SE of the city for quite a while, so have not been taking photos of these beautiful Eared Grebes. This photo is from just over a year ago, taken on 18 May 2013 at Frank Lake. I love the patch of golden feathers and those wonderful red "button" eyes..
Eared Grebe
28 May 2014 |
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These are one of my favourite birds to photograph, and I do have much better photos than this one. However, I'm posting this one quick shot, despite its poor quality, just in case it's the only time I get to see one this close this year.
It was seen when I spent the day (24 May 2014) with my youngest daughter, driving SE of the city, checking a familiar spot or two in the morning, and we were lucky with certain birds, but not with others. A pair of Great Horned Owlets were where we had hoped they would still be, but I'm sure they will be fledging before long or maybe have already flown by now. I had hoped to find a White-faced Ibis to show my daughter – various friends had been seeing and photographing them from fairly close. We bumped into friend, Greg, at the birding blind, and I had just told him that I was hoping to find an Ibis. I had barely got the words out when Greg swung round and pointed way up, saying: “You mean, like that one?” I'm sure I would have missed it. So, at least my daughter saw one, even if just a distant bird. Thanks, Greg!
After driving along a few of the backroads, we then went to the Saskatoon Farm for a delicious lunch and to wander round the greenhouses and gift shop. A weekend day is perhaps not the best time to go – or should I say that a weekday would probably be quieter. So many people out enjoying a warm, sunny day. Thanks so much, Rachel, for such a great day spent with you, and thanks for everything else, too.
Red button eyes
27 May 2013 |
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I love these Eared Grebes, with their bright red eyes that look like red buttons. I spent a while trying to photograph several of them at Frank Lake (SE of Calgary) two days ago, 18 May 2013. I say "trying", as I found them to be fairly fast swimmers, who like to keep changing direction.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eared_Grebe/id
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-necked_Grebe
Is this my best side?
10 Apr 2010 |
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This side view of the tiny Red Eyed Tree Frog allows you to see the rather beautiful greeny-blue pattern on its side. Love its red eyes and its big, orange feet : ) Seen at the Calgary Zoo in almost total darkness.
Cute little sucker
07 Apr 2010 |
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A different angle on the amazing, tiny Red Eyed Tree Frog that I saw at the Calgary Zoo a few days ago. It seems that almost every part of it is beautifully coloured, textured or patterned. This little guy had suctioned his feet to the front glass of the aquarium. Everywhere was almost pitch black, so I'm still shaking my head that any of my photos came out at all.
"Many scientists believe the red-eyed tree frog developed its vivid scarlet peepers to shock predators into at least briefly questioning their meal choice.
These iconic rain-forest amphibians sleep by day stuck to leaf-bottoms with their eyes closed and body markings covered. When disturbed, they flash their bulging red eyes and reveal their huge, webbed orange feet and bright blue-and-yellow flanks. This technique, called startle coloration, may give a bird or snake pause, offering a precious instant for the frog to spring to safety.
Red-eyed tree frogs, despite their conspicuous coloration, are not venomous. They are found in tropical lowlands from southern Mexico, throughout Central America, and in northern South America. Nocturnal carnivores, they hide in the rain forest canopy and ambush crickets, flies, and moths with their long, sticky tongues.
Red-eyed tree frogs are not endangered. But their habitat is shrinking at an alarming rate, and their highly recognizable image is often used to promote the cause of saving the world's rain forests." From
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/red-eye...
Red Eyed Tree Frog
05 Apr 2010 |
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I was thrilled to bits to be told where to find these little guys at the Calgary Zoo. For so many years, I had seen photos of them, and always wished that I could see and photograph them. Had to aim at where I thought the frog was, as it was almost pitch black, and thankfully using flash worked out well.
"Many scientists believe the red-eyed tree frog developed its vivid scarlet peepers to shock predators into at least briefly questioning their meal choice.
These iconic rain-forest amphibians sleep by day stuck to leaf-bottoms with their eyes closed and body markings covered. When disturbed, they flash their bulging red eyes and reveal their huge, webbed orange feet and bright blue-and-yellow flanks. This technique, called startle coloration, may give a bird or snake pause, offering a precious instant for the frog to spring to safety.
Red-eyed tree frogs, despite their conspicuous coloration, are not venomous. They are found in tropical lowlands from southern Mexico, throughout Central America, and in northern South America. Nocturnal carnivores, they hide in the rain forest canopy and ambush crickets, flies, and moths with their long, sticky tongues.
Red-eyed tree frogs are not endangered. But their habitat is shrinking at an alarming rate, and their highly recognizable image is often used to promote the cause of saving the world's rain forests." From
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/red-eye...
Avian elegance
13 Jun 2013 |
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On 18 May 2013, I had so much fun trying to photograph three or four of these gorgeous Eared Grebes at Frank Lake, SE of Calgary. They were moving fast, changing direction, and diving suddenly. Took me a while, but I got some photos that I was happy with - and a lot that I still need to delete, ha. They really are beautiful birds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eared_Grebe/id
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-necked_Grebe
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Happy Mother's Day!
09 May 2010 |
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Happy Mother's Day, whether you are a Mother yourself or you are celebrating your own Mother (living, or living in your memory)! I've posted my photos so early today, as my plan was to go with two or three friends east of the city, to the wonderful Badlands. However, I have just checked the forecast for Drumheller and there is a 70% chance of precipitation (snow and rain this morning). Our destination, Horseshoe Canyon, is a very treacherous place if it has been wet or is raining. The Bentonite clay becomes extremely slippery and dangerous, and, though I was longing to go and botanize the Canyon, I am not willing to take that kind of risk. I've recently read too many stories of how people have slipped on the descent and slid all the way down to the Canyon floor. Maybe I'll just take a local drive somewhere, depending on whether our own grey skies clear.
"Many scientists believe the red-eyed tree frog developed its vivid scarlet peepers to shock predators into at least briefly questioning their meal choice.
These iconic rain-forest amphibians sleep by day stuck to leaf-bottoms with their eyes closed and body markings covered. When disturbed, they flash their bulging red eyes and reveal their huge, webbed orange feet and bright blue-and-yellow flanks. This technique, called startle coloration, may give a bird or snake pause, offering a precious instant for the frog to spring to safety.
Red-eyed tree frogs, despite their conspicuous coloration, are not venomous. They are found in tropical lowlands from southern Mexico, throughout Central America, and in northern South America. Nocturnal carnivores, they hide in the rain forest canopy and ambush crickets, flies, and moths with their long, sticky tongues.
Red-eyed tree frogs are not endangered. But their habitat is shrinking at an alarming rate, and their highly recognizable image is often used to promote the cause of saving the world's rain forests." From
animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/red-eye...
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