Drake Northern Pintail
The drake Northern Pintail (Anas Acuta) is utterly spectacular. It is one of many species of waterfowl on the move as waters in the north freeze during this January cold snap. If you have not seen one yet this year you may soon if you can find an open pond near you. There are an abundant number of ducks to be found in unfrozen bodies of water during such frigid stretches of weather.
Read MoreOrb Weaver Spider (Argiope savignyi)
While walking trails and getting acclimated in Costa Rica today I came across this Orb Weaver spider (Argiope savignyi). It had recently captured some fly species in its web. I instantly recognized this spider because of a documented case of it eating a Proboscis Bat (Rhynchonycteris naso). It managed to encase the bat with its silk over the course of the day. The bat became tired and was able to be consumed eventually. Sean Graesser RTPI Affiliate
Read MoreHappy Halloween!
Happy Halloween! I do not have any cute kids in costumes so I thought I would share my Shetland Sheepdog, Zach, looking the most serious he ever has in his life. That playful boy will be three years old next week and he is a hardcore birder, conservationist and biologist. He was raised as a puppy on hawk watching, waterbird monitoring and waterfowl hazing. He learned to always look up and enjoys watching doves flying around the neighborhood, sparrows scratching at the grass, ducks and geese swimming offshore, gulls feeding on the rocks and raptors screeching by. He has a heck of a life list...
Read MoreMigrating Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Here’s an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) that I recently photographed in the middle of migration, passing directly overhead from our hawk watching position. It is looking straight forward while powering down the coastline on a stiff northwest wind. Perhaps it will spend part of its journey or the winter using a bird feeder as a hunting area. While this may not be what many birders like to read these raptors are hungry birds, too. Young hawks have very high mortality rates and 8 or 9 out of 10 birds will die in their first year with migration, starvation and even...
Read MoreEight-spotted Forester (Alypia octomaculata)
This is another sort of sighting from my Connecticut yard archives, the Eight-spotted Forester (Alypia octomaculata). The diurnal moth species is conspicuous in appearance and looks more like what we think of as a butterfly. This individual, resting on the side of the porch, flew off after a few photos and did not let me get close. And let me tell you, they are fast!
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