American Coots (Fulica americana)
Here is a series of photographs recently taken of two American Coots as they were swimming and feeding on a sunny day. The lovely weather permitted me to snap off some shots while they eagerly dived for food. Watch how one bird gets a sense of the snack it wants, some delicious aquatic vegetation, circling with its head facing downward. They must have some sensational, well-tuned sight to be able to see so well down through the water column. Once it decides what to grab…down it goes in a splash! The other bird, having followed the first nearly the entire time, circling in the same...
Read MoreBrown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) Costa Rica
Yesterday was a travel day for RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser as he headed down to Costa Rica to begin his research season. He took this already very tropical photo of Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) in Puntarenas port. Come on, let’s be honest…we would all go for at least a day or two of this right now! Suffice it to say my Wednesday did not feature any pelican species… Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreDrought Monitor Improving
Here’s the U.S. Drought Monitor as of last week, still showing a frightening and sad situation for many people in the West. However, even since that time there has been more rain for California and slowly but surely (very slowly) the three-year drought seems to be improving. They will need a lot of consistent rain to make up for such an enormous deficit. For us in the East there is very little to mention apart from some patchy long-term moderate drought in Rhode Island, Connecticut and part of New York. That took a hit, thankfully, due to the Nor’easter that ripped through the...
Read MoreHorned Lark in HD
This Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris), a bird of open fields, grasslands, shrublands, desert, tundra and coastal plains, was being friendly while enjoying sitting on this dune at a beach on a cold winter day before resuming foraging.
Read MoreVote Conewango Creek for Pennsylvania River of the Year
Our friends at the Conewango Creek Watershed Association (CCWA) successfully nominated Conewango Creek as Pennsylvania River of the Year in a program run by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. River of the Year is determined by public vote and they have now taken the lead in voting, sitting in first place! But we need your help to keep them there for another week. Please vote even if you are not in PA and spread the word. See the link below or click here: http://pariveroftheyear.org/vote-for-a-2015-river-of-the-year/ If the Conewango Creek wins, CCWA will receive a $10,000...
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