Flesh fly larvae (maggots) feed on corpses and carrion, and sometimes on the wounds of mammals, hence their common name. They are also found on excrement and decaying organic matter. Adults feed on sugary liquids like nectar, sap, and fruit juice. But sometimes they just sit in the sun casting tiny shadows. The one I […]
Results of the Best Photo of the Week Ended 14 Sep 2013
We are delighted to announce the RESULTS of our most recent “Best Photo of the Week” Competition. First Prize is awarded to Mike Barth for his outstanding image ‘It’s Love’. Dean Eades wins Second Prize with ‘Wild Otter with large Pike’ and Third Prize goes to Carlos Henry for’Colibri Cometa’ (see images below). The voting […]
Birds and frogs of Bowra Sanctuary
A sudden cold snap in Sydney this weekend provided a good reason to stay indoors and to catch up on some trip reports. In May 2012 I had the opportunity to visit AWC’s Bowra Sanctuary in southern Queensland for a few days. Bowra is an internationally known hotspot for Australia’s threatened birdlife. The 14,000 hectares […]
The Reed Warbler
Acrocephalus scirpaceusPasseriformes – Acrocephalidae The Reed Warbler is a small bird, as dull but smaller than the nightingale. It lives in paludal vegetation; It isinsectivorous but will eventually eat berries. This species is one of which the Common Cuckoo parasites as it lays an egg in other birds nests. The species is monogamous even though […]
Windhover Woes
“I caught this morning morning’s minion, kingdom of daylight’s dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon, in his riding of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and striding high there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing. “ The year of 1877 saw the placing of pen to paper and the creation of “the Windhover” […]
Huntington Beach State Park, 9/9/2013
My daughter and I decided to drive seven hours up to Myrtle Beach to visit my parents who were renting a house there. We had a fun weekend. The last morning before we left, we had a couple hours to do some birding. So my father and I went over to the Huntington Beach State […]
Pecho amarillo grande (Yellow-rumped Marshbird) Pseudoleistes guirahuro
El Pecho amarillo grande es un pájaro muy especial para mi, esta especie fue la primera que fotografié cuando comencé a fotografiar aves. No me olvido nunca aquel 1 de Mayo del año 2010 cuando en el medio de la niebla y con 2º de temperatura, una bandada de unos 20 individuos nos recibieron cuando […]
Large marsh grasshopper
Stethophyma grossum – Orthoptera – Acrididae. This species occurs in wet lands and peatbogs and is in fast decline. Usually vivid greenish yellow or olive brown, it can show a wide variety of colors but mostly females show this superb pink coloring. The size is quite variable: Males measure between 12 and 25mm and females […]