Nature Photography (Formally Spring is in the Air)

[Gwangi]

Now that you mention it... I feel so strangely sick... *faints*
No, you just shouldn't eat them. The Samandarin from their parotoid glands is neurotoxic and apparently small dogs have been killed after biting fire salamanders. But it's not dangerous to touch them, you should only wash your hands afterwards, better don't scratch an itching eyelid before you did, that's really unpleasant (I once made this mistake with Yellow-bellied Toads, Bombina variegata - ouch! ).

In addition to that, if you have a cut on your hand you may want to avoid contact as well.

[brontodocus]

Oh, yes, that might be quite irritant, too.

[Himmapaan]

It's not often we see meadowlarks, we usually just hear them...

Ah, so that's a meadowlark!  We don't have them here in the crusty Old World, so you'll have to forgive me.  I've heard it mentioned in many songs, though.

[SBell]

It's not often we see meadowlarks, we usually just hear them...

Ah, so that's a meadowlark!  We don't have them here in the crusty Old World, so you'll have to forgive me.  I've heard it mentioned in many songs, though.

The funny thing is that we hear them around here all the time--but they are nearly impossible to see (notice the plumage on the back--they literally disappear on the grass and gravel).  Assuming they don't fly away at the first sign of a disturbance.  Really, I've only seen them this way, from behind the mirrored glass. And this is the first time one stayed long enough for me to get photos (lots of them, actually).

[paleoferroequine]

You're right about the Meadowlark's alright. I've been trying to get pictures but they are skittish and fly away before I get the camera ready.
So here is some more stuff. First, pics of two of the places I take pictures. They are city parks and are just starting to get repopulated with critters.

Shuman Park

Blue's Lake

Green Darner-Anax junius

Green Frog-Rana clamitans

Unknown spider I'm trying to ID with the pattern of the eyes but no luck yet.

Three toed Box Turtle-Terrapene carolina triunguis It's now the Missouri state reptile. Sometimes interbreeds with Eastern box and has four rear toes. This appears to be an old female. Most of the turtles I see around here are dull colored.

Raccoon-Procyon lotor  Yes, even more raccoon pictures, this one is pretty young. I got to within two feet of this one, the flash doesn't even bother it!

[ZoPteryx]

Great pics everyone!

I had a beautiful male Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) come to my backyard today.  Sorry about the blurr, I was shooting through dirty windows.


While on a walk my dog, I came across a little raptor! Geococcyx californianus

Meep! Meep!

[Gwangi]

Great shot of that road runner. One of my favorite birds and in my opinion one of the most dinosaurian in appearances.

[paleoferroequine]

We have a similar bird, the Baltimore Oriole, and a long time ago I saw a Road runner, once, here in Missouri.  I'm also always on the lookout for them, no luck. I guess they're accidentals only. That is a good photo by the way.  I need to get out to a local birding area where there are over 200 species of birds potentially to see.

[Takama]

We have a similar bird, the Baltimore Oriole, and a long time ago I saw a Road runner, once, here in Missouri.  I'm also always on the lookout for them, no luck. I guess they're accidentals only. That is a good photo by the way.  I need to get out to a local birding area where there are over 200 species of birds potentially to see.

Theres roadrunners in Missouri?   I ota drive down there and play Wiley Coyote

[paleoferroequine]

We have a similar bird, the Baltimore Oriole, and a long time ago I saw a Road runner, once, here in Missouri.  I'm also always on the lookout for them, no luck. I guess they're accidentals only. That is a good photo by the way.  I need to get out to a local birding area where there are over 200 species of birds potentially to see.

Theres roadrunners in Missouri?   I ota drive down there and play Wiley Coyote

They are very rare, and only in the southern part. Missouri gets critters from other areas quite a bit and is a flyway for migrations of birds also so a number of oddities show up occasionally.

[paleoferroequine]

The weather has been cool here, but birds are still out and about.   And also a few non critter shots.


Great Blue Heron-Ardea herodeas just grabbed a Bluegill sunfish.

Down the hatch!


Purple Martin-Progne subis

Brown Thrasher-Toxostoma rufum  In the same family as catbirds and mockingbirds and can have up to 3000 different songs!

Male Northern Shoveler-Anas clypeata and male Blue Winged Teal-Anas discors

Little Prairie Conservation Area




GooberMobile

[ZoPteryx]

That last picture of the sun is really cool!

It's neat that you still have Purple Martins in your part of the US.  Here in California they seem to be on the verge of extirpation; in my specific area they went from a breeding resident to an extremely rare spring migrant.

[paleoferroequine]

That last picture of the sun is really cool!

It's neat that you still have Purple Martins in your part of the US.  Here in California they seem to be on the verge of extirpation; in my specific area they went from a breeding resident to an extremely rare spring migrant.

Right now they are sighted in Sacramento and even normally mainly on the coast. So they probably vary a lot in distribution every year. In our area they are quite common but the weird thing is in the whole eastern US they are totally dependent on man made housing, so no houses no Martins!  More houses more Martins!    Seems like evolution has taken a strange twist. Seems like a recipe for disaster. Yet it has been like that for a long time, native Americans  put up gourds for them and started them on their evolutionary track.

[Gwangi]

Great Blue Heron


Red-Winged Black Bird


Blue-Winged Teal


American Crow


Wasps of some sort

[Thagirion]

Is this a thread for backyard, bird and nature photos?  If so...


BlueBirds checking out nextbox 01 by Thagirion3, on Flickr

My bluebirds in my nestbox. This was their first clutch. They raised four babies and are using the box again for their second clutch.


Bluebirds make blue eggs 2 by Thagirion3, on Flickr

Bluebirds make blue eggs naturally.


Babies hatched 2 by Thagirion3, on Flickr

Babies


Four baby bluebirds by Thagirion3, on Flickr

Big Babies


Say Good Bye by Thagirion3, on Flickr

The last baby to leave.

[Gwangi]

Great bluebird shots. I've been housing bluebirds for several years now. I had three eggs in one of my houses this year but a pair of house sparrows destroyed the nest.  I'm really hoping the bluebirds come back. The frustrating part is I have six houses up and naturally the sparrows went for the one already occupied. I didn't let them keep it though.

[Weaver]

@Thagirion: The house is almost the same turquoise-blue as the eggs! Lovely pictures!

[Thagirion]

Gwangi, sorry to hear you've been having trouble with your bluebirds. That sucks. I put this box up too late last year.  It was up all year. This year I was worried no one wanted it as I had three pairs come and inspect it and finally the last ones moved in. It's the only box on my property so I'm very happy they're using it again.

Weaver, yeah.  Turquoise is my favorite color and I like blue birds. I didn't realize it would match the eggs and birds so well though.

[Gwangi]

Rose-breasted Grosbeak






White-crowned Sparrows




Grackles enjoying the spring evening.

[paleoferroequine]

Gwangi, these are Northern paper wasps, Polistes fuscatus. They are variable in color and can be dark like this all the way to yellow and red-brown markings on face and body