Last week my friend Gary Stacey, the new Wintu Audubon Society president, took me out on Shasta Lake in search of Purple Martins (Progne subis). You see, Gary had told me that last year when he was out on the lake he saw Purple Martins feeding their young, and had gotten a good close look […]
Yangtze finless porpoise on the edge of extinction
WWF is deeply concerned over the reported deaths of over 32 vulnerable Yangtze finless porpoises since the beginning of the year, and is working with authorities and local communities to prevent the tragedy from reoccurring. Since 3 March 2012, more than 32 porpoises have been found dead in Dongting and Poyang lakes – nine of […]
Willets – In Utah and Florida
Willets (Tringa semipalmata) have returned to Utah, on the causeway to Antelope Island hundreds of them can be seen in the shallow water. They seem to spend some time there fattening up after migration before they get down to the serious business of mating and rearing their young. I n Utah I see Willets in […]
The Hassa “oasis”
The al Hassa lagoons east of Hofuf in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia are arguably part of the biggest oasis in the world. The argument is over whether you can count the fact that much of the water is channelled run-off from the area’s huge collection of palm plantations as well the city’s treated […]
Spring Time Chukar
Some of the wildflowers have started to bloom on Antelope Island State Park, I have looked forward to them. I liked that this Chukar (Alectoris chukar) perched on a rock where a few of the wildflowers were visible. Mia McPherson, OntheWingPhotography.com
Return Of the Common Yellowthroat ‘NOT’
I had thought the warblers below to be a female Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) having returned to Flower Hill Farm. Indeed I was wrong in identifying this nimble Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla) that was busy gleaning the Crabapple orchard of tiny insects from within a profusion of blossoms. Nashville Warbler in Crabapple exhibiting gray head […]
Killdeer – Wash, Fluff and Dry
Last week I photographed a Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) bathing at Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area in Davis County, Utah. I was in a mobile blind (vehicle) and the shorebird was quite comfortable in my presence. I used my Nikon D300, resting on my Noodle, f6.3, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, […]
A Goliath Stick Note
Stick insects (Goliath pictured) have long stick-like bodies that grow up to 50cm in length. Their bodies resemble leaves, sticks or grass, which makes them extremely good at camouflage. They usually have two pairs of wings, but some species are wingless. There are over 2500 species throughout the world and counting, with 150 represented well […]