lg-macbeth's Favorites

Je précise que nous avons manipuler la tortue dans le cadre de recherche scientifique avec la SOPTOM ( nous avions donc une autorisation)
L’animal a était inventorier, mesurer et relâcher dans son plus grand respect.

Grizzly Bear
AKA
Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
Teller Road
Nome, Alaska
4 June 2012
two shots posted

This bear was encountered about 40 miles out of Nome on a gravel road where I was helping to lead a small group of birders. This was not one of the typical Yellowstone National Park-type encounters with a bear that is used to people being watched by tourists in 300 parked cars. On this occasion it was just us in our van with this bear. Initially the animal was about 200 meters away, shot taken with a 500mm lens. We were on the road and the bear started approaching us as if curious. We got back into the van and the bear kept coming. The 2nd shot was taken when the bear was about 50 feet away I think. The bear finally wandered away. A good example why you stay close to vehicles in this area, but it was a great experience. This bear was unusually shaggy (perhaps still in winter coat?) and very blonde.

Awww ...

After 2 months rehab Beaky's still not quite right. She does rule the roost though.
See younger version: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/21482109.

EDIT: Uh, turns out she's a he. When last seen, flying free as a ... err ... bird, Beaky sported an already impressive male casque.

(With humble apologies to Hugh Chittenden, who corrected my pronouns whilst Beaky was still amazingly young).

An individual caught a caterpillar. Did not consume it immediately but passed on from one individual to another individual. This process was repeated back and forth before passing on the caterpillar to another different individual and eventually flying off. Interesting behaviour. Possible courtship?

Was watching this mantis hunt for honey bees on California Buckeye. She ignored the native bees. After several misses, she caught one, and was bombarded by 2-3 other honeybees for about 20 seconds before they gave up. While finishing off her honey bee, the mantis is grabbed by a female Western Fence Lizard that leaped vertically 9" into the air (I measured later). They land on the ground in a confused heap six inches from my foot, with the lizard on top and the mantis grabbing on to it. Everyone freezes, especially me, since I don't want this battle to go up my pants leg. I move into a better position, and after a while the lizard gets off the mantis and there's a long standoff where they stare each other down from about 6" apart. Finally, the lizard grabs some other small insect (ant?) from the ground and scuttles away under the buckwheat. With the coast now clear, the mantis hustles back up into the buckwheat. The End.

I photographed this life form recently, and was intrigued by this particular frame. It reminds me of any number of things, but is hard to pin down, so I am making it into one of my infrequent quiz photos. After any interested friends have responded, I will upload other photos that will make the ID clear.
Edit-1. I ran it through the AI suggestions, and it is flummoxed--interesting!
Edit-2. See comments. This is a Lion's Mane mushroom, Hericium erinaceus. I have reordered the photos to show the widest shot first.

Photo 1:
More Faces Than I Expected
Yesterday morning I stepped outside before sunrise and saw movement. Turned on a porch light & saw this. I'd been wanting to see this for years. She had 2 babies on her back with a 3rd climbing on. The mama froze as I ran back inside and scrambled to get my camera assembled. I was very lucky, she was still standing frozen when I got back. So dark I had to use flash. I was about 10 feet from her.
Photo 2:
There Is Always One
After my first shot, I stood still & mama finally relaxed and turned sideways. That is when I saw there were 4 babies, not 3. Number 4 was struggling to find a handhold on the other side from it's siblings. Every big family has that one kid that marches to a different drummer.
Photo 3:
Mom Checks Me Out Again
When my flash went off for my 2nd shot, it got mom's attention again. With 3 little sets of eyes also looking my way. Number 4 was still trying to hang on and facing the wrong direction.
Photo 4:
Mom Decides I'm No Threat
Mama ignored me and the camera flashes and wandered around the deck sniffing and exploring for a minute or so. Baby # 4 finally seemed secure. Babies stay in mom's pouch until they are about 2 1/2 months old when they emerge and climb on her back. They stay with her until they are about 4 to 5 months old.