image of the day
grrlscientist | June 7, 2008tags: northern cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalis, birds, Central Park, Image of the Day
Mama knows best.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
The photographer, Bob Levy, writes;
Remember my story about Mama and Papa Bank Rock: Behind the Green Mesh (see this website May 25, 2008, also see part 2 and part 3)? Well, apparently Mama is still convinced she is invisible as she continues to incubate her eggs. To date, with the exception of a few bird-watchers, she has gone undetected. When Mama Bank Rock got off the nest during my last visit I stood on tiptoe to get a look inside.…
grrlscientist | June 6, 2008tags: northern cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalis, birds, Central Park, Image of the Day
Mama and Papa Bank Rock: Behind the Green Mesh.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
The photographer, Bob Levy, writes;
Finding the Bank Rock nest had been fully constructed was a satisfying discovery but I felt I still did not have the information I wanted. Without seeing either cardinal at the site I did not know if it was still active or if it had abandoned. I decided to continue my walk but come back later for another look. I returned forty minutes later. I stopped twenty feet away and…
grrlscientist | June 5, 2008tags: northern cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalis, birds, Central Park, Image of the Day
Mama and Papa Bank Rock: Behind the Green Mesh.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
The photographer, Bob Levy, writes;
I returned to the park two days later. It was raining lightly but steadily so my camera was tucked inside its case. The light was poor for both photography and bird-watching but from about fifteen feet away I saw evidence that Mama Bank Rock had indeed returned to her nest. A gleaming white object was tucked behind the fence where the Northern Cardinal and I had last met.…
grrlscientist | June 4, 2008tags: Anna's hummingbird, Calypte anna, birds, Image of the Day
Female Anna's Hummingbird, Calypte anna, sitting on her nest.
Notice her long tongue sticking out of her mouth and the uncommonly bright colors on her gorget.
This bird is nesting on Bainbridge Island in Washington state.
Image: Eva Gerdts, May 2008. [larger view].
grrlscientist | June 3, 2008tags: raccoons, mammals, Procyon lotor,, Central Park, Image of the Day
Answer: it's the noses on two sleeping raccoons, of course.
Raccoon noses in a tree in Central Park, NYC.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
The photographer, Bob Levy, writes;
You might recall that Grrl Scientist posted a photo of a single raccoon schnoz poking out of this same hole last year. Notice, if you will, that of the two schnozs in this new image the one in the background appears to be larger than the one in the foreground. I suspect that the larger nose is attached to Mama Raccoon. After I took…
grrlscientist | June 2, 2008tags: Blue-throated hummingbird, Lampornis clemenciae, bats, Image of the Day
My good friend, Dave Rintoul, is on a much-deserved vacation camping in the
Chiricahuas and Gila Wilderness area at the moment, but he took a little time out from the fun and games to send me a couple images to share with you. This is the last of the two images he sent, but more are on the way, as soon as he reaches a computer or wifi site, so stay tuned!
Blue-throated hummingbird, Lampornis clemenciae,
feeds from flowers in Cave Creek Canyon in
the Chirichahua Mountains of Arizona and New Mexico.
Image: Dave…
grrlscientist | June 1, 2008tags: Mexican Long-tongued Bats, Choeronycteris mexicana, bats, Image of the Day
My good friend, Dave Rintoul, is on a much-deserved vacation camping in the
Chiricahuas and Gila Wilderness area at the moment, but he took a little time out from the fun and games to send me a couple images to share with you.
Two nectivorous Mexican Long-tongued Bats, Choeronycteris mexicana,
help themselves to nectar at a hummingbird feeder in Cave Creek Canyon in
the Chirichahua Mountains of Arizona and New Mexico.
Image: Dave Rintoul, 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 31, 2008tags: Long-toed Lapwing, Long-toed plover, Vanellus crassirostris, birds, Image of the Day
Fourth in a series of non-passerine images by this photographer.
Long-toed Lapwing, also known as the Long-toed plover, Vanellus crassirostris, which is endemic to southeastern Africa.
Image: John Del Rio [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 29, 2008tags: Hamerkop, Scopus umbretta, birds, Image of the Day
Second in a series of non-passerine images by this photographer.
Hamerkop, Scopus umbretta, also known as the Hammerhead Stork or the Anvilhead.
Image: John Del Rio. [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 28, 2008tags: Grey-bellied Tragopan, Tragopan blythii, birds, Image of the Day
First in a series of non-passerine images by this photographer.
Blyth's Tragopan, Tragopan blythii, also known as the Grey-bellied Tragopan.
Image: John Del Rio. [larger view].
Tragopans comprise a genus within the avian order, Phasianidae -- the pheasants.
grrlscientist | May 27, 2008tags: turtles, turtle yoga, reptiles, Central Park, Image of the Day
Turtle Yoga Chaos!
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
The photographer, Bob Levy, writes;
Ah, how satisfying it was to find that a Central Park turtle rose, or at least lifted its head, to the occasion. Just when they needed it the most a Turtle Yoga master rose from the ranks to bring order out of chaos. Here we see the group under the tutelage of a natural educator artfully performing a cat stretch.
Doesn't this satisfy your need for a moment of Zen?
grrlscientist | May 26, 2008tags: turtles, turtle yoga, reptiles, Central Park, Image of the Day
Turtle Yoga Chaos!
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
The photographer, Bob Levy, writes;
This image captures a group of unfortunate Central Park turtles sorely in need of a yoga master. The chaos, as the Great Oz once said is," The result of disorganized thinking." Finding such a chaotic demonstration of yoga art shocked this observer who has grown used to watching turtles execute poses with precision and grace. Will a yoga master arise to lead the others and bring order to the class and the universe or at…
grrlscientist | May 25, 2008tags: northern cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalis, birds, Central Park, Image of the Day
You do not have to be a photography expert to notice that the only thing in focus in this image is the green mesh in the foreground and even then you might have to enlarge it to see that it is so. To appreciate why I relish this photo a detailed explanation is necessary. Of course that might be said about many of my other images too but none more so than this one: at least so far.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
The photographer, Bob Levy, writes;
You will, I hope, recognize that there…
grrlscientist | May 24, 2008tags: Sun Conure, Aratinga solstitialis, birds, Image of the Day
Last in a series of psittacine images by this photographer (I do have more psittacine images in the queue, but all of them are for lories .. Loriinae).
Sun Conure chick, Aratinga solstitialis.
Image: John Del Rio. [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 23, 2008tags: budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus, birds, parrots, Image of the Day
Third in a series of psittacine images by this photographer.
Budgerigar (Budgie), Melopsittacus undulatus.
Image: John Del Rio [larger view].
This parrot's scientific name means "song parrot with wavy lines" and its aboriginal name was close to "budgerigar" meaning "good eating" -- they consumed these small parrots as snacks!
The bird in the above picture is a blue morph of this species. The wild-type coloring for Budgerigars is green. A blue bird results in those individuals that cannot manufacture yellow pigment…
grrlscientist | May 22, 2008tags: Red-Vented Cockatoo, Cacatua haematuropygia, birds, Image of the Day
Second in a series of psittacine images by this photographer.
The Critically Endangered Red-Vented Cockatoo, Cacatua haematuropygia.
Image: John Del Rio. [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 21, 2008tags: White-bellied Caique, Pionites leucogaster, birds, Image of the Day
First in a series of psittacine images by this photographer.
White-bellied parrot (caique), Pionites leucogaster.
Image: John Del Rio. [larger view].
grrlscientist | May 20, 2008tags: peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus, birds, urban birds, image of the day
Male peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus, named Eric
who lives and breeds in a city in North America.
who replaced "Erik", the former resident on his current territory in a
city in North America.
Image: John P. Baumlin [larger view].
This image is being shared with you by bird artist, John P. Baumlin, who writes;
I've been following your blog for some time and have been enjoying the bird images you posted along the way and thought you might like to see this one.
It is a male Peregrine, one of a pair that are…
grrlscientist | May 19, 2008tags: raccoon, Procyon lotor, mammals, Central Park, Image of the Day
Raccoon, Procyon lotor kit (with mother)
in Central Park, NYC.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger].
This image appears here, courtesy of Bob Levy, who writes;
A Central Park Raccoon known to her admirers as Raquel has been thought to have recently given birth to cubs in her Locust Grove den. At least that is what the scant observable evidence suggested to this reporter. My conclusion turned out to be 100% accurate. Or should I say 200% accurate since I saw two cubs inside the den. Her lair may have a posh…
grrlscientist | May 18, 2008tags: Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis, reptiles, North Carolina, Image of the Day
"I am the Anole King, I can do anything."
Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis,
Carolina Beach, NC.
Image: Don Wirth [larger].