image of the day
grrlscientist | September 19, 2007tags: raccoon, Procyon lotor, Image of the Day
... A real life animal pirate! Arrrr!
"Hey, how can a raccoon get any sleep with all that noise goin' on down there?"
A raccoon, Procyon lotor, peeks down at his fan club from the hollow of a tree in Central Park.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [wallpaper size].
More about this image tomorrow, when the second image in this series appears.
grrlscientist | September 18, 2007tags: birds, Moluccan Red Lories, Eos bornea rothschildi, Green-naped Rainbow Lorikeets, Trichoglossus haematodus haematodus, Seram, Indonesia, Image of the Day
A pair of Moluccan Red Lories, Eos bornea rothschildi (upper, center and right), and a pair of Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus haematodus haematodus (lower, center (that bird is hanging upside down) and left), near the north coast of Seram, Indonesia.
Image: Kevin Sharp [wallpaper size].
More about this image below the fold.
As you know, dear readers, I am passionately in love with the birds of the South Pacific Ocean, especially…
grrlscientist | September 14, 2007tags: birds, Northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, Image of the Day
Male Northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, in Central Park during moult.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [wallpaper size].
More about this image below the fold.
The photographer writes: I'm not sure how to file this particular photo. Does it go in the "almost-too-cute-for-words" file or the "evil eye" file?
The adult male striking this provocative pose is one I call "Papa Meadow" because the center of his territory is the Maintenance Meadow in Central Park. Here he seems to be giving me an…
grrlscientist | September 12, 2007tags: birds, "white" American Robin, Turdus migratorius, Image of the Day
"White" American Robin, Turdus migratorius, on a sidewalk in Casper, Wyoming.
Image: Norma Brown. [wallpaper size].
I am going to speculate here, but I think that, because this bird is pale colored everywhere it would normally be brown, grey or black, this bird's melanin-producing gene(s) have been deactivated. However, because the bird's breast is red, as is typical for this species, carotenoids (red pigments obtained from the bird's diet) are still being added to the bird's feathers when they are growing, as normal…
grrlscientist | September 11, 2007tags: birds, American Robin, Turdus migratorius, Image of the Day
American Robin, Turdus migratorius, with hungry nestlings in NYC's Central Park.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [wallpaper size].
More below the fold regarding how this image was captured.
The photographer writes: This picture is from my almost-too-cute-for-words file. It may be another one of those ho-hum-here-go-again photos of nestlings but how I got this shot will always stay with me.
I was standing on a sloping boulder on the far northwest edge of the Ramble in Central Park when I heard the nestlings yelling…
grrlscientist | September 6, 2007tags: Pale Male, NYC red=tailed hawk, Image of the Day
The photographer writes: I caught the world famous celebrity Red-tailed Hawk Pale Male in a patriotic mood on one of his favorite perches atop the flagpole at the Castle in Central Park. No doubt he was getting into the spirit of this holiday weekend. Let him be an inspiration to us all. Viva Labor Day. It appears to me the city could find the budget to buy a new flag. This one's a bit worn around the edges but then some of us feel the same way.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [larger].
grrlscientist | September 5, 2007tags: female Regal Fritillary, Speyeria idalia, Image of the Day
Female Regal Fritillary, Speyeria idalia.
Image: Dave Rintoul. [larger].
grrlscientist | September 4, 2007tags: female Regal Fritillary, Speyeria idalia, Image of the Day
Female Regal Fritillary, Speyeria idalia.
Image: Dave Rintoul. [larger].
The photographer writes: I was out on the Konza yesterday and captured some more images that your readers might appreciate. This is a female Regal Fritillary, Speyeria idalia, a large and showy butterfly that is endemic to the tall-grass praire. As such, it is a "species of concern" on the USFWS lists. It is also a butterfly not commonly seen by many lepidopterists.
Besides being gorgeous, these critters are really interesting. The males emerge in late…
grrlscientist | September 3, 2007tags: giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, Image of the Day
The giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, is not at an "evolutionary dead-end", according to new research. Previous studies suggested that the bears' isolation, unusual dietary requirements and slow reproductive rates had led to a lack of genetic diversity, which would ultimately lead to extinction.
Image: Yange Yong. [larger].
grrlscientist | September 2, 2007tags: Carolina Sphinx Moth, Tobacco Hornworm Moth, Manducca sexta, Image of the Day
Manducca sexta, or the Carolina Sphinx Moth.
The larva, is known as the tobacco hornworm, or tomato worm. It has seven diagonal white lines on each side, and a red "horn" at the end of the abdomen. It feeds on plants in the nightshade family, and is known for its voracious appetite which can decimate a small tomato garden in no time! This one was first spotted on the window screen on the 2nd floor porch of my house. After I photographed it,
it was released unharmed. Although I have seen many tomato…
grrlscientist | September 1, 2007tags: raccoon, Procyon lotor, Image of the Day
Central Park raccoon, Procyon lotor.
I dipped inside my almost-too-cute-for-words file to present you with this image of a critter I found foraging with its Mother and sibling in Central Park's Ramble one evening. I bet you find it as irresistible as I do.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [larger].
grrlscientist | August 31, 2007tags: mystery image, Image of the Day
Whose eyes were glowing beneath the Hostas? They belonged to a juvenile calico cat. Later on I caught another glimpse of this same kitty with its jet black sibling and mother. Over the past few years I have seen a total of four feral cats in the area of Central Park I most often visit. This was the first time I had evidence that they were breeding. They're cute, of course, but not the safest neighbors for birds to have in the park environment.
Second in a series of two.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [larger image].
grrlscientist | August 30, 2007tags: mystery image, Image of the Day
Photographic proof of the existence of the "Ghost of Central Park's Shakespeare Garden" is available for the first time. It's existence was news to me. Having never heard a rumor that the place was haunted I was doubly shocked to have stumbled on the provocative and eerie scene at just the right moment. I assure you that the photo was not concocted in Adobe Photoshop or some other software. It's a genuine image. So what is the spectral figure lurking in the shadows?
The photographic solution follows tomorrow.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. […
grrlscientist | August 28, 2007tags: zebras, Image of the Day
Two zebras merge in this image in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
Image: Bob Immitt.
grrlscientist | August 27, 2007tags: dahlia, Image of the Day
Dahlia.
Image: Martin Richard. [larger].
grrlscientist | August 26, 2007tags: eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, Image of the Day
Eastern Gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis.
Last but not least was a demonstration of the so-called "gravity assist" method. It was obvious that this required the most skill but was not always as effective as the the other methods. In fact I watched three squirrels drop their Black Walnuts. One retrieved its nut only to drop it again while assuming a second gravity assist posture. Considering the outcomes I am not at all sure that gravity assisted these participants at all but there is no denying the artistry involved in…
grrlscientist | August 25, 2007tags: eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, Image of the Day
Eastern Gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis.
Students of the history of western civilization will surmise that the "reclining method" harkens back to antiquity. At the height Roman Empire eating while reclining was all the rage though I have no proof that these Central Park creatures are related to those of that period and geographic location. Still one must admit these contemporary squirrels have mastered the technique and execute it with aplomb and a suave sophistication, n'cest pas? (second in a series of three).
Image:…
grrlscientist | August 24, 2007tags: eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, Image of the Day
Eastern Gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis.
Central Park Gray Squirrels congregated in an apparent celebration of the ripening of Black Walnuts. This particular contingent of eight excited furry mammals demonstrated the species preferred techniques and proper etiquette for the opening and eating of Black Walnuts. Here are some highlights of the event (first in a series of three).
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [larger].
grrlscientist | August 23, 2007tags: mallard ducklings in a mug, birds, Image of the Day
A pair of tiny abandoned ducklings found battling against waves after being washed out to sea are being nursed back to health -- in a teacup.
The fluffy birds were saved from a watery grave when they were found by passing canoeist Chris Murray.
Image: Richard Austin.
grrlscientist | August 21, 2007tags: grebes, birds, Image of the Day
Clark's Grebe, Aechmorphus clarkii, in the foreground with a Western Grebe, Aechmorphus occidentalis, behind. Both were photographed on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (north end of the Great Salt Lake) in the spring of 2005. Similar birds, but the field marks are straw-yellow bill (Clark's) cf. greenish-yellow bill (Western); white feathering around the eye (Clark's) cf black (Western), and whiter flanks on the Clark's Grebe. This pair of birds was hanging out together, and that was not unusual, making one wonder if splitting these into two…