image of the day
grrlscientist | October 5, 2008tags: Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, Wildlife of Scotland, Image of the Day
Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, near Bridge of Orchy, Scotland.
Known in Europe as "the" wren, and in North America as the Winter Wren.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | October 4, 2008tags: Hebridean Black-faced Sheep, Scotland, Image of the Day
Hebridean Black-faced Sheep near Arnol (Isle of Lewis, Scotland)
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | October 3, 2008tags: Gray Seal, Halichoerus grypus, Wildlife of Scotland, Image of the Day
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
Gray Seal, Halichoerus grypus, at the ferry dock in Uig (Isle of Skye, Scotland).
The translation of the scientific name for this species is "hook-nosed sea pig".
grrlscientist | October 2, 2008tags: Steinacleit stone circle, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, Image of the Day
Steinacleit stone circle, near Shader (Siader) on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland.
Construction of this circle probably began about 2000 BC.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
This mysterious site lies on a gentle slope not far from the A857 road, at the south end of Loch an Duin, Shader, Lewis, northwest of Stornoway. Archaeologists are divided over whether this monument is the remains of a chambered cairn or a domestic settlement. There is a circular structure of some 16 meters in diameter situated on…
grrlscientist | October 1, 2008tags: fishing hole, River Orchy, Scottish highlands, Image of the Day
Fishing hole on the River Orchy in the Scottish Highlands.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | September 30, 2008tags: Pobull Fhinn stone circle, North Uist, Loch Langass, Scotland, Image of the Day
Pobull Fhinn.
Stones at Pobull Fhinn, a stone circle on North Uist. On the shores of Loch Langass (visible in the picture), and about 1/2 mile south of the Barpa Langass tomb.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | September 29, 2008tags: Callanis Stone Circle, Callanish, Isle of Lewis Scotland, Image of the Day
Detail of one of the Callanish stones. The stones are Lewisian gneiss, formed approximately 2.5 billion years ago.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | September 28, 2008tags: Callanis Stone Circle, Callanish, Isle of Lewis Scotland, Image of the Day
Callanish (Callanais) stone circle on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland.
This image present a view of central monolith and central cairn.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008. [larger view].
grrlscientist | September 27, 2008tags: Callanis Stone Circle, Callanish, Isle of Lewis Scotland, Image of the Day
Callanish (Callanais) stone circle on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland.
Earliest construction at this site dates to 3000 BC.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
Read more about this.
grrlscientist | September 26, 2008tags: Callanais Stone Circle, Callanish, Isle of Lewis Scotland, Image of the Day
Callanish.
Callanish (Callanais) stone circle on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland.
View from southeast.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | September 25, 2008tags: Butt of Lewis, Isle of Lewis, Isle of Lewis Scotland, Image of the Day
Butt (north end) of the Isle of Lewis, approx. 58.5º N.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | September 24, 2008tags: Baile Tughaidh, Blackhouse Village, ancient human dwellings, Gearranan Scotland, Isle of Lewis Scotland, Image of the Day
Baile Tughaidh.
Blackhouse village at Gearranan (Isle of Lewis, Scotland). These thatched-roof, drystone walled houses were still inhabited until 1976.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
On the exposed Atlantic coast of the Isle of Lewis, the blackhouse village of Gearrannan lies steeped in history and sited in an environment of outstanding natural beauty. Since 1989 the local community trust Urras nan Gearrannan (the Garenin Trust) has been…
grrlscientist | September 23, 2008tags: Barpa Langass, Barpa Langais, neolithic tomb, Uist Scotland, Image of the Day
Barpa Langass (North Uist).
A Neolithic tomb, chamber opening faces east.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
Chambered Cairn
The best example of a chambered tomb in North Uist (Uibhist a Tuath) and the Western Isles of Scotland. The entrance to the chambered cairn is on the east side which is seen in the photo. The round cairn, about 24m in diameter, has an outer kerb of pointed stones. The entrance passage leads into an elongated chamber, built with seven massive upright stones (orthostats)…
grrlscientist | September 22, 2008tags: Mediterranean Gull, Ichthyaetus melanocephalus, Larus melanocephalus, birds, nature, Image of the Day
[Mystery bird] Mediterranean Gull, Ichthyaetus [Larus] melanocephalus, stretching her wings. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Rick Wright [larger view].
Two hints: (1) this is not a North American species, and (2) it's not a sandpiper.
Read Rick's analysis for identifying this species below ..
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
There's little doubt that we're on the coast again, but this bird of the shore is not -- to our…
grrlscientist | September 21, 2008tags: Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus, birds, nature, Image of the Day
[Mystery bird] Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus, photographed at Smith Point, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 7 September 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1250s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Read a beautifully written and detailed analysis supporting the ID of this species below ..
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
We birders love the technical terms of our trade, delighting…
grrlscientist | September 20, 2008tags: Pectoral Sandpiper, Calidris melanotos, birds, nature, Image of the Day
[Mystery bird] Pectoral Sandpiper, Calidris melanotos, photographed at the Texas City Dike, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 3 September 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1000s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Read and learn to ID this species from a detailed analysis below the fold ...
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
For 75 years, the Calidris sandpipers have labored under the reputation of…
grrlscientist | September 19, 2008tags: Western Sandpiper, Calidris mauri, birds, nature, Image of the Day
[Mystery bird] Western Sandpiper, Calidris mauri, photographed at Smith Point, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 7 September 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1000s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
Quick: big or little? Even without careful measurement of the diameter of the surrounding water molecules, it's obvious that this is a small bird, compact, even stumpy, and I…
grrlscientist | September 18, 2008tags: Greater Yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca, birds, nature, Image of the Day
[Mystery bird] Greater Yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca, photographed at Smith Point, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 7 September 2008 [larger view]. [voice: mp3: Gough, G.A., Sauer, J.R., Iliff, M. Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter. 1998. Version 97.1. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Read and learn from a detailed ID diagnosis below ..
Rick Wright, Managing…
grrlscientist | September 17, 2008tags: Spotted Sandpiper, Actitis macularia, birds, nature, Image of the Day
[Mystery bird] Spotted Sandpiper, Actitis macularia, photographed at Smith Point, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow] [voice mp3: Gough, G.A., Sauer, J.R., Iliff, M. Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter. 1998. Version 97.1. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD].
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 7 September 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1600s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Read and learn from a detailed diagnosis below ..
Rick Wright, Managing Director of…
grrlscientist | September 16, 2008tags: Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris, birds, nature, Image of the Day
[Mystery bird] Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris, photographed at Smith Point, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 September 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/2000s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.