Skimmers are the only family of birds with a noticeably longer lower mandible. This uneven beak allows them to hunt in an unique way, skimming the water with their lower mandible which funnels the small fish into their mouth. The African Skimmer (Rynchops flavirostris) is classified as a near-threatened species. South Luangwa National Park, Zambia. […]
River Otter
River Otters are very common here in Central Florida, and I love their seemingly playful natures. They usually stay pretty far away from me, but on a few occasions, especially if I stay very still, they’ve come pretty close. My favorite photo is the one above, but for some reason, I do enjoy the shots […]
Winter Plumage
I took this photo of a laughing gull in non-breeding plumage at the end of September in southern New Jersey. Laughing gulls, Leucophaeus atricilla, loose their sleek black hoods as summer ends.Breeding season is over by then and they no longer have to look their best to impress potential mates.If you didn’t know better you […]
Common Buzzard……whats in a name?
The Common Buzzard – Buteo buteo is a hawk and the most common bird of prey in the United Kingdom. The name Buzzard will present no ambiguity to most Europeans but to those speaking English in the “new world” confusion will have immediately set in! The word “Buzzard” in the USA is a broad term […]
Spanish Steppes – Extremadura Nov 2012, Limosa Holidays
Stephen was at Madrid’s Barajas airport and was all ready and waiting with the minibus parked closely for a quick getaway when the group arrived from London. Travelling through the city and out onto the main road to Badajoz was really quiet…once we cleared Madrid! Birds were seen right from the start with Common Magpies, […]
Japanese Raccoon Dog | Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus
This morning I was quite fortunate to encounter a Japanese Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) at the pond at Oe reclaimed land area. These creatures are normally nocturnal (or at least, crepuscular), so to see one foraging in mid-morning is very rare. It was in the right place, however, as there is a wide range […]
Mosqueta ojo dorado (Pearly-Vented Tody-Tyrant)
Como me gusta la Mosqueta ojo dorado, el color de su ojo es la característica distintiva de este diminuto tiránido que habita el estrato bajo de bosques y sabanas de tipo chaqueño del Norte y Noreste Argentino. En esta oportunidad pudimos acercarnos bastante a ella ya que estaba acicalándose en un pequeño montecito de la […]
Bolivia Trip Report Part I
Bolivia is an extremely diverse country when it comes to birds. In fact, some say that if it wasn’t land-locked it would have more species than any other country. Endemism is not especially high but there are some stunners to search for such as the Red-fronted Macaw and Black-hooded Sunbeam. The country lacks a field […]