photography

Snowbirds

Posted 9 February 2012 by GrrlScientist

SUMMARY: These videos discuss reasons for the huge numbers of snowy owls that have irrupted into the United States Snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus, photographed on the Konza Prairie Research Natural Area, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas (USA).Image: Dave Rintoul, 4 January 2012 [velociraptorise]. As some of you may have heard, this year is an irruption year for snowy owls. From what I am hearing, they are showing up throughout the United States in unprecedented numbers, and the concentration of snowy... Read more

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Never say goodbye [videos]

Posted 13 January 2012 by GrrlScientist

SUMMARY: Many of the world’s plant and animal species are now threatened with extinction I’ve always loved photographer Joel Sartore’s minimalistic portraits of endangered species, and I even was lucky enough to share a series of his photographs of endangered North American animals when I was at ScienceBlogs. But now, in the company of his 18-year-old son, Mr Sartore is expanding his efforts; they are currently photographing as many endangered animals as they can find throughout the world. ... Read more

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Mystery Bird: Two-banded Courser, Rhinoptilus africanus

Posted 12 September 2010 by GrrlScientist

SUMMARY: Today’s Mystery Bird is probably fairly challenging to identify, but you should be able to easily identify the family that this African species is placed into. tags: Two-banded Courser, Double-banded Courser, Rhinoptilus africanus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Two-banded Courser, also known as the Double-banded Courser, Rhinoptilus africanus, photographed at Ndutu camp, near Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Dan Logen, 21 January 2010 [larger view].... Read more

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Mystery Bird: Square-tailed Drongo, Dicrurus ludwigii

Posted 11 September 2010 by GrrlScientist

SUMMARY: This African Mystery Bird is a small passerine that is endemic to the Old World Tropics. Can you name the species? tags: Square-tailed Drongo, Dicrurus ludwigii, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Square-tailed Drongo, Dicrurus ludwigii, photographed at East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Dan Logen, 13 January 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D300, 600 mm lens, ISO 1000, f/4, 1/125 sec. Please name at least one field... Read more

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Mystery Bird: Barred Owl, Strix varia

Posted 10 September 2010 by GrrlScientist

SUMMARY: This large Mystery Bird bird is triggering a lot of important controversy in one region of North America. Can you tell me more about this controversy and what we can learn from this discussion? tags: Barred Owl, Black-eyed Owl, Wood Owl, Swamp Owl, Laughing Owl, Strix varia, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Barred Owl, also known as the Black-eyed Owl, Wood Owl, Swamp Owl and Laughing Owl, Strix varia, photographed in the spectacular Newton Hills State... Read more

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Mystery Bird: Boreal Chickadee, Parus hudsonicus

Posted 9 September 2010 by GrrlScientist

SUMMARY: This cute little Mystery Bird bird has a patchy distribution within its large range — why? Also, the northern limits for this species’ range coincides with the northern range limits for another organism; can you name that species? tags: Hudsonian Chickadee, Boreal Chickadee, Acadian Chickadee, Brown-capped Chickadee, Tom-tit, Chick Chick, Fillady, Parus hudsonicus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Boreal Chickadee, Parus hudsonicus, also known by a large collection of other common names such as the Hudsonian... Read more

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Mystery Bird: Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris

Posted 8 September 2010 by GrrlScientist

SUMMARY: There’s no doubt about it, this North American Mystery Bird species is challenging to identify, but I am giving it to you anyway because (1) I have a bird feet fetish and (2) I love reading your discussions about how you arrive at your IDs (and I am curious to see what you decide this species is using very limited data). tags: Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris, photographed... Read more

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Mystery Bird: Least Bittern, Ixobrychus exilis

Posted 7 September 2010 by GrrlScientist

SUMMARY: Here’s a lovely North American species for you to identify! The camera angle will make this rather challenging, but there’s a few of you who can do it! tags: Least Bittern, Dwarf Bittern, Little Bittern, Cory’s Bittern, Least Heron, Ixobrychus exilis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Least Bittern, also known by a suite of other common names, including Dwarf or Little Bittern, Cory’s Bittern, and the Least Heron, Ixobrychus exilis, photographed Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Anahuac,... Read more

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Mystery Bird: Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis

Posted 6 September 2010 by GrrlScientist

SUMMARY: This endangered migratory North American Mystery Bird species has a distinctive courtship display, can you tell me a little about that? tags: Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis, photographed Smith Point, Chambers County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours] Image: Joseph Kennedy, 25 August 2010 [larger view]. Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400. Please name at... Read more

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Mystery Bird: Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius

Posted 5 September 2010 by GrrlScientist

SUMMARY: There are so many interesting things to say about this gorgeous African Mystery Bird that I am going to ask you to tell me something about this species that you think is especially fascinating. tags: Secretary Bird, Secretarybird, Sagittarius serpentarius, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz [Mystery bird] Secretary Bird, (also sometimes these two words are smooshed together into Secretarybird), Sagittarius serpentarius, photographed at Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]... Read more

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