Ecosystems
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Tessin
My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
Whole PHOTO SERIES about my garden on my blog: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/post/western-green-lizard-lacer...
My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (warning, it's a bit shocking): www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2-Xszz7FI
AUDIO (if you want to hear the sounds of my garden in the early morning): www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfoCTqdAVCE
ABOUT THIS PHOTO:
Partly out of fear to bore the Flickr community with too many lizard photos, I thought it would make for a nice change - yet in keeping with the main theme of my gallery - to give interested nature and reptile fans the opportunity to get a sense of the lacerta bilineata habitat where I photographed all the animals on this page.
So this is the second of a (as yet planned) series of pictures (if people like them there will be more) that will show you where all the reptile "action" took place: my garden in the beautiful community of Monteggio in the Malcantone region of the Ticino, Switzerland.
The pictures were taken over a period of over a decade, so there were obviously some changes in the garden during that time, but If you focus on the palm tree - which has grown considerably over the years but is visible in all the photos I plan to upload - you get a sense of the geography of the place.
In summer, which is when this photo was taken, the micro-climate in this particular area of the Ticino can be almost tropical in the sense that it's hot and very humid with frequent thunderstorms and heavy rain, and I often refer to my garden (half-)jokingly as my "little Swiss rainforest". I guess you can see how animals - particularly lacerta bilineata and other lizards - would feel at home in this "tropical paradise" of mine :-)
Apparently - as I learned in the comments here on Flickr - the occurrence of this particular lizard species is a very good indicator that an ecosystem is intact, and my family and I always took great care not to interfere too much in our garden and let nature roam as free as possible.
In return, over the years we were rewarded for this "calculated inaction" with a wide variety of species of plants, insects, lizards and snakes visiting - or by now residing permanently in - our little nature refuge, some of which I managed to capture on camera.
As mentioned before, if people like these photos or are interested in other flora and fauna from my private jungle, I'll upload one every once in a while between lizards, so let me know in the comments if you're interested in seeing more of these or if I should stick to just reptiles ;-)
As always, thank you so much for your interest and feedback, stay safe - and have a great week everyone!
Lacerta
The black skimmer (Rynchops niger) is a tern-like seabird.
The Pantanal is a tropical wetland and the world's largest wetland of any kind. The Pantanal ecosystem is also thought to be home to 1000 bird species, 400 fish species, 300 mammalian species, 480 reptile species and over 9000 different subspecies of invertebrates.
Brazil, Pantanal
Please don't use my images without my permission. All images © Aivar Mikko.
The lionfish, a longstanding showstopper in home aquariums, is a flourishing invasive species in U.S. Southeast and Caribbean coastal waters. This invasive species has the potential to harm reef ecosystems because it is a top predator that competes for food and space with overfished native stocks such as snapper and grouper. Scientists fear that lionfish will also kill off helpful species such as algae-eating parrotfish, allowing seaweed to overtake the reefs. In the U.S., the lionfish population is continuing to grow and increase its range. This is largely because lionfish have no known predators and reproduce all year long; a mature female releases roughly two million eggs a year.
The spines of this species deliver a venomous sting that can last for days and cause extreme pain, sweating, respiratory distress, and even paralysis to predators, or in some cases, an unsuspecting human.
A rainforest is an area of tall, mostly evergreen trees and a high amount of rainfall. Rainforests are Earth’s oldest living ecosystems, with some surviving in their present form for at least 70 million years. They are incredibly diverse and complex, home to more than half of the world’s plant and animal species—even though they cover just 6% of Earth’s surface. This makes rainforests astoundingly dense with flora and fauna. Rainforests’ rich biodiversity is incredibly important to our well-being and the well-being of our planet.
Les insectes du monde entier sont en voie d'extinction , Plus de 40 % des espèces d'insectes sont en déclin et un tiers sont menacées, selon les chercheurs. Leur taux de mortalité est huit fois plus rapide que celui des mammifères, oiseaux et reptiles. Au cours des trente dernières années, la masse totale des insectes existant dans le monde a diminué de 2,5 % chaque année. A ce rythme, s'inquiètent les scientifiques, ils pourraient disparaître d'ici à un siècle. « C'est très rapide. Dans dix ans, il y aura un quart d'insectes de moins, dans cinquante ans, plus que la moitié, et dans cent ans, il n'y en aura plus » Les insectes sont « essentiels » au bon fonctionnement de tous les écosystèmes, expliquent les chercheurs. Ils pollinisent les plantes, recyclent les nutriments et servent de nourriture de base aux autres animaux. Leur disparition « aura des conséquences catastrophiques à la fois pour les écosystèmes de la planète et pour la survie de l'humanité » L'un des impacts majeurs concerne les nombreux oiseaux, reptiles, amphibiens et poissons qui se nourrissent d'insectes. « Si cette source de nourriture leur est enlevée, tous ces animaux mourront de faim » , « Si nous ne changeons pas nos méthodes de production alimentaire, les insectes dans leur ensemble s'engageront sur la voie de l'extinction dans quelques décennies », écrivent les chercheurs, pour lesquels l'agriculture intensive est la cause principale du déclin des populations d'insectes, en particulier la forte utilisation des pesticides. L'urbanisation et le changement climatique sont également des facteurs importants.
Image prise dans un milieu naturel .
Mara North Conservancy, Kenya
Little Bee-eater
merops pusillus
dwergbijeneter
guêpier nain
Zwergspint
Abejaruco Chico
Gruccione minore
abelharuco-dourado
Many thanks for your views, favorites and supportive comments.
All rights reserved. Fons Buts©2024
My photos may not be used on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written and explicit permission.
adult bird found in Enonkishu Conservancy in the Greater Masai Mara ecosystem, Kenya
a migratory bee-eater that breeds in semi-arid areas in the southern Sahara and that from October to March can be found in Uganda and parts of Kenya, where it can be seen foraging in woodland, open forest and along the edges of riparian or gallery forest.
Merops albicollis
witkeelbijeneter
Guêpier à gorge blanche
Weißkehlspint
Abejaruco gorjiblanco
Gruccione golabianca
Abelharuco-de-garganta-branca
Many thanks for your views, favorites and supportive comments.
All rights reserved.
Fons Buts©2025
My photos may not be used on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written and explicit permission.
a pair found in Enonkishu Conservancy in the Greater Masai Mara ecosystem, Kenya
IUCN Red List Status: ENDANGERED with population trend
updated in 2024 as Decreasing
also Grey Crowned-Crane
Balearica regulorum
Grijze kroonkraanvogel
Grue royale
Grauhals-Kronenkranich
Grulla Coronada Cuelligrís
Gru coronata grigia
grou-coroado-cinzento
Many thanks for your views, favorites and supportive comments.
All rights reserved. Fons Buts©2024
My photos may not be used on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written and explicit permission
Eurasian Jays are usually very shy. My experience and encounters with them are more likely by chance or probably where they nested.
Referring to my observation of animals behaviour and food scarcity at one of my usual location shoot yesterday, this particular Eurasian actually came over to ask for food, about 12 feet away. I was very surprised and decided to play it cool pretending not to know its presence whilst feeding the squirrels. However, this Eurasian Jay would moved towards wherever direction I looked at and tried to get my attention. It was actually begging for food. Of course I threw a groundnut over and sure enough it was picked up.
This bird then flew to a nearby branch, cracked the shell and ate it. The brief moment also confirms my observations of the changes in animals behaviour and food scarcity in the bush ecosystem. It actually gave me a nod just before it flew off as if to say thank you. A very interesting game but experience, lots of photos taken during this time for my coming series.
Nikon series-E 1:4 F=70-210 mm (unedited photo)
Brighton 🇬🇧
26th March 2021
Enonkishu Conservancy in the Greater Masai Mara ecosystem, Kenya
Merops bullockoides
Witkapbijeneter
Guêpier à front blanc
Weißstirnspint
Abejaruco Frentiblanco
Gruccione frontebianca
abelharuco-de-testa-branca
Many thanks for your views, favorites and supportive comments.
All rights reserved. Fons Buts©2024
My photos may not be used on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written and explicit permission.
Erythrina Mulungu and its "customers"
July and August are months rich in beauty and color here.
Crossing the mountains that separate Rio de Janeiro from São Paulo, with a halfway detour to Minas Gerais, this is the time when the green is punctuated by many trees with red flowers, others in coral tones.
Erythrina mulungu, known by the common names of Murungu, Mulungu-coral, is an endemic tree in Brazil, found in several national ecosystem including the Amazon and Atlantic Forest.
The species is used as an ornamental tree in tropical and subtropical regions and as a medicinal plant in traditional South American medicine, especially in Brazil. The tree is 10 to 25 m tall, blooms from mid-August with the tree completely leafless, lasting until the end of September. Its flowers are much sought after by hummingbirds and other birds to suck their nectar.
The fruits ripen in October-November with the plant still without leaves, but they are not edible.
Studies show that the plant has sedative, anxiolytic and anticonvulsant properties.
In my hometown I saw specimens of this beautiful and exuberant flowering being attacked by flocks of Maritacas, and I ended up feeling a small shower of flowers on my head, as the clumsy creatures lose a lot of food on these wild visits to the trees where they feed on.
Maritaca is a popular term to refer to the various species of birds in the parrot family. Depending on the region, Maritaca is the name used for medium-sized birds, which are smaller than parrots.
In the first photo you can see the Psittacara leucophthalma (Periquitão Maracanã) which has an “oval” shaped head, general green coloration with the sides of the head and neck with some red feathers. The average size is 32cm. In juveniles, the red feathers on the head and under the wings are absent, being entirely green in color.
The species flyes in flocks of 5 to 40 individuals, sleeping collectively in different places.
Found from the east of the Andes, from Colombia and Venezuela to the north of Argentina and Uruguay, including part of the Amazon and almost all of Brazil.
In the second photo another species, the Brotogeris chiriri (Yellow-winged Parakeet or Star Parakeet).
It is found in Central and Eastern Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Eastern Paraguay, Uruguay and Peru. In the national territory, it occurs from the South to the extreme of Pará, Ceará, Maranhão, Bahia, Minas Gerais, Pantanal, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
Both species were feeding from the same tree when I took these photos.
male Leopard in Enonkishu Conservancy in the Greater Masai Mara ecosystem, Kenya
Leopard
panthera pardus
luipaard
léopard
Leopard
Many thanks for your views, favorites and supportive comments.
All rights reserved. Fons Buts©2024
My photos may not be used on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written and explicit permission
Picturesque framing of a mangrove forest, one of the most productive ecosystems on earth.
The coastline of Nabq National Park is fringed by 4.8 km of mangrove forest, the most northerly and the largest in the Red Sea.
A mangrove ecosystem is characterized by salt-tolerant trees and shrubs
adapted to thrive in salty, intertidal environments.
Mangroves have developed impressive adaptations to survive in challenging conditions, including filtration systems to manage salt intake and complex root systems that anchor them in shifting sediments.
Some of the mangroves here have completely become terrestrial and don't grow aerial roots anymore. The grey mangroves of Nabq normally build aerial roots all around them, that are able to desalinate the seawater and to absorb oxygen. They also serve as a stabilization on the muddy and soft substrate. The leafs excrete salt through special pores and keep the degree of salinity within the plant at a low level.
They play a vital role in coastal ecology by stabilizing shorelines, reducing erosion from storms and tides, and providing critical habitat and nursery grounds for a wide variety of marine organisms.
Marine life lives and breeds among the mangrove root systems, while the crowns of the mangrove form a nesting and feeding habitat for shore birds.
For those who follow me you know I love the purity and colors of glacial waters. Most rivers are brown, gray or blue. But rivers fed by glaciers are a wonderful mix of blue and green. They really stand out. And where they flow the ecosystems are spectacular and dynamic, from peaks to rivers/lakes and waterfalls. And wildlife seem to like it there as well.
So hard to pick a favorite place for these special waters, what with Banff's Lake Moraine and Louise, Yoho's Emerald Lake, Jasper's Maligne Lake and other's nearby standing out. Those are my top-spots as you've probably noticed.
Another top favorite tho is Glacier's McDonald Creek, shown here. This shallow pool caught my eye. Shot taken in the fall when flow was low, not cluttered with spring's runoff. I use a polarizer to cut the glare but other than that this is pretty true to what you'll see.
Glacier Park is also amazing for the impressive varied colors of it's rocks, of many hues and tones.
Isn't nature grand?!
Enjoy a wonderful weekend!
If insects and bees disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live. The insects are very important in our ecosystem. They have a number of features that we people depend on. In Europe, the spread of insects is greatly reduced. This is serious because nature and we humans are completely dependent on the insects coming to work.
Dragonflies are important in wetland ecosystems, vulnerable to wetland drainage, excess nutrients, pesticides and shoreline "cleaning." They eat a broad range of insects from mosquitoes to beetles to other dragonflies. Over 60 dragonflies are found in Central Florida. Some species do not venture far from the water where they breed, while others, such as the Wandering Glider, migrate long distances.
The four-spotted pennant dragonfly is found throughout the southern tier of the United States as far west as Arizona. It's also been spotted in New Jersey. In Florida, its found in most peninsular counties, including all of South Florida, and in a few panhandle counties as far west as Leon and Wakulla. Like other dragonflies, it likes to be around lakes and ponds, since that's where it spends the first part of its life, and that's where it reproduces. The scientific name of the four-spotted pennant is brachymesia gravida. Mature individuals have a dark, slender body, a large black spot between the nodus and stigma of each wing and white stigmas (the only dragonfly with white stigmas). Juveniles are mostly orange-brown with white spots on the side of the face.
This Four-spotted Pennant is from my archives! (Hope I am right about the ID Mary)
A wetland is a land area that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, such that it takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem. The primary factor that distinguishes wetlands from other land forms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation of aquatic plants, adapted to the unique hydric soil. Wetlands play a number of roles in the environment, principally water purification, flood control, carbon sink and shoreline stability. Wetlands are also considered the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide range of plant and animal life. Source Wikipedia.
Thingvellir National Park, Iceland.
Thingvellir National Park is UNESCO World Heritage Site. In recent decades, research has shown that Thingvellir National Park is a natural wonder of the world where the geology and ecosystem of Thingvallavatn form a unique whole. Thingvellir National Park area is part of the Atlantic Ocean ridge that runs through Iceland. There you can see the consequences of the erosion of the earth's crust in the gorges and cracks in the area.
The dead standing and fallen trees across the forest are a bit of an on-going project for me. An important part of of the ecosystem but they can take on a beauty of their own. There is a small skeletal grove I think of ancient holly trees on one of the New Forest heaths which I've been drawn to a few times and after a frustrating morning trying to find a composition on the heath in beautiful conditions, I was heading back to the car and noticed the sun emerging through lingering mist in this grove.
“Urban Ecosystem Restoration” mural painted by Millo for Street Art For Mankind
From the Street Art For Mankind instagram post:
It features the artist’s signature clumsy character in a surreal setting, attempting to reclaim his space in an urban jungle that has forgotten our primary needs. It poetically and powerfully underscores the importance of green spaces in urban environments. The character demonstrates the strength of these spaces, their transformative impact on our reality, and how they enhance our well-being. It’s a clear invitation to reconnect with nature in our cities.
Voilà ce que l'on voit à marée basse dans la baie du Mont St Michel.
Espèce ingénieur de son écosystème, l'hermelle donne naissance à une bioconstruction dont les individus coloniaux érigent des tubes formant le massif ou récif d'hermelles. Les tubes de sable ont une section circulaire de 5 à 10 mm de diamètre, cimentés par une glande du ver, sont droits et forment un ensemble à l’allure buissonnante.
This is what you see at low tide in the bay of Mont St Michel.
An engineer of its ecosystem, the hermella gives rise to a bioconstruction whose colonial individuals erect tubes forming the hermella mass or reef. The sand tubes have a circular cross-section of 5 to 10 mm in diameter, cemented by a gland of the worm, are straight and form a bushy-looking whole.
Mountain goats Oreamnos americanus graze in a mountain meadow along the Beartooth Hiway in the Beartooth Mountains of Wyoming. Though not native to Wyoming, these goats (Oreamnos americanus) descended from small groups introduced to the Beartooth and Absaroka Mountains in the 1940s and 1950s. They were brought in from western Montana were they are native. Some consider the species a compliment to the ecosystem. As their numbers grow, others worry about the effect of the goats on the alpine vegetation and the native mountain sheep population. Regardless of the concern that always accompanies introduced species, It is always fun to see them.
Continuing my coastal ecosystem series with this preening Brown Pelican.
Brown Pelicans live in estuaries and coastal marine habitats along both the east and west coasts. This one was found perched and preening atop a weathered wharf pole near a fish cleaning station in Lamar, Texas.
After being slaughtered to near extinction, there are now sizeable numbers of Plains Bison on various prairie landscapes around North America. To me bison are the most iconic species in the prairie ecosystem.
Here's how James Page refers to photographing them in his book, "Wild Prairie".
"...But this prairie icon can be a dangerous beast. Equipped with my longest telephoto lens, I took a walk on the wild side of a big bison bull...It is possible to share common turf with most animals, provided you respect their fight-or-flight distance, which is different for each species and for different individuals within a species. Careful observation is required. There is little margin for error. I kept back 300 feet or more, allowing the solitary bull to become aware of me in increments."
James' book and his wonderful work posted here on Flickr has given me an appreciation for the prairie that I never would have had otherwise.
Brittle stars, an alternate common name is the 'serpent stars', are a species-rich class of echinoderms with outstanding regenerative abilities. Living under rocks or in crevices with only the tips of the arms exposed, they are known to be seafloor ecosystem engineers. They reshape the seafloor sediment surface and influence the distribution of other seafloor species. They also provide nutrition to fish, sea stars and crab predators.
Their presence in a sediment sample is one indicator of a healthy benthic community. They embody nature's fragility and resilience.
Shot from the Three Pools shoreline during low tide.
Leviticus 25:14 “And if ye sell ought unto your neighbour, or buy of your neighbour’s hand, ye shall not overreach one another.”
“Russia to Mandate State-Backed Digital ID App on All Devices”
“France Pushes Digital ID Check Laws For Platforms Like Reddit and Bluesky”
666: the Bible warns about a coming world-wide Digital ID
A micro ecosystem of mushrooms and lichens nestled in the bark of a red maple tree in Eagle River, Vilas County, northern Wisconsin
SE204200m
Close-up of a black beetle perched on frost-covered grass in a natural outdoor setting during winter.
Bonefish Pond National Park, established in 2002 consists of 1,235 acres of coastal wetlands and is the last remaining tidal mangrove ecosystem on the shores of Southern New Providence in the Bahamas. Print Size 13x19 inches. HFF.
Race Rocks Ecological Reserve is located 17 kilometres southwest of Victoria at the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and is the most southerly part of Canada’s Pacific coast. One of its nine islets is the site of Race Rocks Light station, the second oldest lighthouse in Western Canada.
Named for its strong tidal currents and rocky reefs, Race Rocks is a showcase for Pacific marine life, featuring whales, sea lions, seals, birds and a dazzling array of underwater plants and animals. Cold, nutrient-rich waters from the depths of the Pacific Ocean are forced upwards to the surface in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Fast-moving water with eddies and whirlpools at Race Rocks supports an ecosystem very rich in marine mammals, fish, invertebrates and birds.
A handsome dark-maned male lion strikes a pose and looks at the camera in the renowned Ngorongoro caldera in Tanzania when I was there earlier this month at the start of the rainy season that brings fresh grazing and water to the caldera ecosystem.
23/03/2025 www.allenfotowild.com
Papilio glaucus, the tiger swallowtail, is a large butterfly found in North America. It is easily identified by its bright yellow wings with black markings, which resemble the stripes of a tiger. The yellow tiger swallowtail is a pollinator, and its long, thin tongue allows it to sip nectar from flowers. This butterfly is an important part of the ecosystem, and its presence is a sign of a healthy environment.