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Greater racket-tailed Drongo
The greater racket-tailed drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) is a medium-sized Asian bird which is distinctive in having elongated outer tail feathers with webbing restricted to the tips. They are placed along with other drongos in the family Dicruridae. They are conspicuous in the forest habitats often perching in the open and by attracting attention with a wide range of loud calls that include perfect imitations of many other birds. One hypothesis suggested is that these vocal imitations may help in the formation of mixed-species foraging flocks, a feature seen in forest bird communities where many insect feeders forage together. These drongos will sometimes steal insect prey caught or disturbed by other foragers in the flock and another ideas is that vocal mimicry helps them in diverting the attention of smaller birds to aid their piracy. They are diurnal but are active well before dawn and late at dusk. Owing to their widespread distribution and distinctive regional variation, they have become iconic examples of speciation by isolation and genetic drift.
The greater racket-tailed drongo was described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1766 in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Cuculus paradiseus. It was one of 240 bird species that Linnaeus added to his twelfth edition based on the 1760 work Ornithologie by the French naturalist Mathurin Jacques Brisson. The current genus Dicrurus was introduced by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1816.
There are 13 recognised subspecies:
D. p. grandis (Gould, 1836) – north India through west and north Myanmar and south China to north Indochina
D. p. rangoonensis (Gould, 1836) – central India through Bangladesh, central Myanmar and north Thailand to central Indochina
D. p. paradiseus (Linnaeus, 1766) – south India to south Thailand, north Malay Peninsula and south Indochina
D. p. johni (Hartert, 1902) – Hainan Island (off southeast China)
D. p. ceylonicus Vaurie, 1949 – Sri Lanka
D. p. otiosus (Richmond, 1902) – Andaman Islands
D. p. nicobariensis (Baker, ECS, 1918) – Nicobar Islands
D. p. hypoballus (Oberholser, 1926) – central Malay Peninsula
D. p. platurus Vieillot, 1817 – south Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and nearby islands
D. p. microlophus (Oberholser, 1917 – islands in the South China Sea (Tioman Island, Anambas Islands and the North Natuna Islands)
D. p. brachyphorus (Bonaparte, 1850) – Borneo
D. p. banguey (Chasen & Kloss, 1929) – islands off north Borneo
D. p. formosus (Cabanis, 1851) – Java
In most of its range in Asia, this is the largest of the drongo species and is readily identifiable by the distinctive tail rackets and the crest of curled feather that begin in front of the face above the beak and along the crown to varying extents according to the subspecies. The tail with twirled rackets is distinctive and in flight it can appear as if two large bees were chasing a black bird. In the eastern Himalayas the species can be confused with the lesser racket-tailed drongo, however the latter has flat rackets with the crest nearly absent.
This widespread species includes populations that have distinct variations and several subspecies have been named. The nominate form is found in southern India, mainly in forested areas of the Western Ghats and the adjoining hill forests of peninsular India. The subspecies in Sri Lanka is ceylonicus and is similar to the nominate form but slightly smaller. The subspecies found along the Himalayas is grandis and is the largest and has long glossy neck hackles. The Andaman Islands form otiosus has shorter neck hackles and the crest is highly reduced while the Nicobars Island form nicobariensis has a longer frontal crest and with smaller neck hackles than otiosus. The Sri Lanka drongo (D. lophorinus) used to be treated as a subspecies as it was believed to form hybrids with ceylonicus but is now considered a separate species on the basis of their overlapping ranges. Specimens of the nominate form have sometimes been confused with the Sri Lanka drongo. Considerable variation in shape of the bill, extent of the crest, hackles and tail rackets exists in the island populations of Southeast Asia. The Bornean brachyphorus (=insularis), banguey of Banggai lack crests (banguey has frontal feathers that arch forwards) while very reduced crests are found in microlophus (=endomychus; Natunas, Anambas and Tiomans) and platurus (Sumatra). A number of forms are known along the Southeast Asian islands and mainland including formosus (Java), hypoballus (Thailand), rangoonensis (northern Burma, central Indian populations were earlier included in this) and johni (Hainan).
Young birds are duller, and can lack a crest while moulting birds can lack the elongate tail streamers. The racket is formed by the inner web of the vane but appears to be on the outer web since the rachis has a twist just above the spatula.
The distribution range of this species extends from the western Himalayas to the eastern Himalayas and Mishmi Hills in the foothills below 1,200 m (3,900 ft). They are found in the hills of peninsular India and the Western Ghats. Continuing into the west to the islands of Borneo and Java in the east through the mainland and islands.
They common whistle note that is made leads to its local name in many parts of India of kothwal (which means a "policeman" or "guard", who used a whistle that produced a similar note), a name also applied to the black drongo and in other places as the Bhimraj or Bhringaraj. In Mizo language of northeast India, it is called Vakul and the Mizo people regarded the bird as ' 'king of the birds' ' Prior to the 1950s it was often kept in captivity by people in parts of India. It was said to be very hardy and like a crow, accommodating a varied diet. Edward H. Schafer considered the greater racket-tailed drongo as the basis for the divine kalaviṅka birds mentioned in Chinese and Japanese Buddhist texts.
This is spider webbing strung between old seed whorls of native Black Sage (Salvia mellifera, Lamiaceae) - with a spider with prey. I believe this is the work of a Mesh Web Weaver spider in the family Dictynidae. The webbing joins the seed whorls like rigging on a dusty ship model. (San Marcos Pass, 15 November 2021)
A little spider webbing on the rear bumper paint, Otherwise a sharp rear end. Convertible top is appoaching 3 yrs old. Some og the decorative stitching is showing wear, but the actual glued seams are like new. Rear window still translucent
You learn something new everyday. Always assumed the masses of webbing that appear on gorse bushes were spider related, but thanks to Dom Greves expert knowledge and good eye I had a closer look at one example earlier today.
This seethig mass of tiny spider mites are the real culprit and one of the very few things that eat gorse. They have even been exported to countries around the world where gorse is a real pest plant as biological control.
This is a close crop, mainly because I like the detail of the web in the centre here!
I had no webbing just lying around, so I wanted to use this wide(ish) pink ribbon. But then I wasn't sure it would be strong enough, so I folded in another strip of jeans and sewed the ribbon over the seam. I rock. :)
I used the pattern from here:
www.polkadotchair.com/2010/03/tuesday-tutorial-scripture-...
2021 February 2nd Snow Storm Hells Kitchen Clinton near Times Square Broadway in NYC 02/07/2021 New York City Midtown Manhattan Snowing Storms snowstorm winter weather New York Times Building fog like foggy - Superbowl Sunday Snow Hell 's Kitchen Nemo Southern view
Key fob made with black webbing and shocking pink polka dot ribbon and monogrammed in black using the Marie font.
Key fob made with fushia webbing and yellow polka dot ribbon and monogrammed in lime using the Marie font.
TAXONOMY
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea (Starfish or sea stars)
Order: Forcipulatida
Family: Asteriidae
Genus/species: Asterina miniata
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Colors may be colored red, orange, brown, purple or mottled. They have webbing between their short, triangular arms, which gives them a batlike look. Size is up to 20 cm (eight inches) across. Radially symmetrical they normally have five arms, but they occasionally have as many as nine arms. They have tube-feet that allow locomotion.
DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Sitka, Alaska to Baja California, Mexico. Found in low intertidal areas on rocks overgrown with surfgrass, large algae and sponges. Depth intertidal to 290 m (950 ft) on rocky or sandy substrates.
DIET IN THE WILD: Sensors at the end of each arm that sense light and detect prey. Typically an omnivore or scavenger: surfgrass, algae, colonial tunicates, organic films on hard surfaces, as well as other seastars. Like most seastars, feeds by everting its stomach over prey.
PREDATORS Other sea stars, molluscs, and crustaceans. Like some other sea stars, bat stars can sometimes avoid predation by secreting chemicals that evoke flight responses in other animals.
REPRODUCTION The sexes are separate with sperm and eggs broadcast into the sea where fertilization occurs. The eggs and sperm are released from five pores on the upper surface of the body, one each between the arms.
REMARKS: When two bat stars bump into each other, a gentle brawl begins. They seem to be “arm wrestling” in a slow motion skirmish where no winner is usually obvious.
Bat stars lack the pedicillariae, or pincers, common to most other sea stars and used to clear
the animal of unwanted parasites and other debris. Even so, bat stars are free of debris, perhaps because small, constantly moving hairs (cilia) discourage settling
Sea stars have endoskeletons made up of plates (calcified ossicles) joined by connective tissue to protect the bat star’s vital organs. The bat star’s ossicles are so large and defined that they look like rough shingles.
REMARKS: SEA STAR WASTING SYNDROME has become a major issue in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. For an excellent summary check this link to the University of Santa Cruz 9-9-14. www.eeb.ucsc.edu/pacificrockyintertidal/data-products/sea...
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.
www.fitzgeraldreserve.org/newffmrsite/wp-content/uploads/...
References
California Academy of Sciences Coastal Marine, Tidepool
Monterey Bay Aquarium www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/invertebrates/ba...
U. of Michigan Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Patiria_miniata/
Ron's flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608501343477/
Ron's Wordpress shortlink wp.me/p1DZ4b-to
4-1-13, 9-30-14, 11-23-15
recycled materials.
adjustable belt, woven through rings
natural (light beige) cotton webbing, 11 clear plastic shower curtain rings, white adjustable buckle and closure
Next, weaving the webbing through the other way. The webbing took me a couple hours. There was no webbing in the seat before. Just foam on top of the springs. Now it's MUCH firmer!
This is webbing associated with an untidy caterpillar rather than a spider - along with frass (caterpillar poop) and partially skeletonized leaves of the Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia, Fagaceae) tree that it's on. I'm not sure what kind of caterpillar is responsible, but I have photos of them here and here among others. Spiders aren't the only ones - Happy Web Webnesday! (San Marcos Pass, 7 March 2021)
An Immature Bold Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax) on a blade of grass.
Due to their large, forward facing eyes, they have very good stereoscopic vision. This aides them when stalking prey, and allows some visual communication with others of their species, such as courting 'dances'. It's best to creep up on these guys slowly, because they are very aware of your presence.
Like most jumping spiders, Bold Jumping Spiders tend to prefer relatively open areas to hunt in, as they actively seek and stalk prey and do not build webs. They do use webbing when laying eggs or to hide. They also use spider silk as a 'lifeline' when jumping for prey or evading predators.
They are common in fields and grasslands, but are frequently seen on fences, exterior walls, and gardens as well. I usually find them on Prickly Pear Cacti.
Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG APO Macro mounted on a Canon Xti.
New Year's Day trip to Hanging Rock! There were brief disappearances, but nothing lasting. And after we went off to be dragged uphill by eerie magnetic fields (or optical illusions). OOOooooooeeeeeeooooooo!
Made from oiled finish leather and webbing stiched with leather, fine stitching and solid stainless steel fittings for its strength.
Standard Duble harness consists of:·
Bridle with blinkers
Breast Plate
Saddle with fixed back band and Crupper·
Leather traces with Steel rings for quick release shackles or roller bolts·
Quick release tugs·
Brown leather reins
Breeching with trace carriers and breeching straps·
Breeching for comfort. Breeching Strap Connected with Buckle at the end of Breast Plate It can be padded or without padding.
Technical Specification:
Tug Buckle or Leather with Movable or immovable strap in Saddle.
Standard webbing yoke, compatible with both PLCE and 58' pattern components.
Fully adjustable
Airmesh back panel
Duraflex branded accessories
IRR coating
Material: XTP 900D fabric
Waterproof
Weight: 220g
Here is the nest of a caterpillar under an oak leaf with webbing. I suspect that it's the work of a caterpillar because of the abundant frass (or poop) off to one side, but I can't see the critter in its nest. We seem to have a number of different caterpillars that spin webs in the oak leaves, compare this photo and this photo and this photo. I already have my two photos for the Web Wednesday group, but HWW anyway! (San Marcos Pass, 23 March 2020)
Made for a relative; I call this color combination "Douglas fir" after the conifers here in my home bioregion. Made with French seams.
We were able to bring down all of Allison's clothes in one trip by hanging them on a rope and carrying it over our shoulders. It was only once we got into the truck that we realized we could not tie it off with all the weight.
yummy cupcake ribbon on tan webbing.
Keychain can slip over your wrist. My latest addition to the Girly Girl Bags "line"
This is the "cushion of webbing" where the caterpillar of a Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon) butterfly has been resting on a leaf of California Coffeeberry (Frangula californica, Rhamnaceae), see this photo for similar caterpillars on their webbing. It's my impression that the caterpillars make this silk cushion to have something to hang onto when they are resting. I already have my two photos for the Web Wednesday group - but Happy Web Webnesday anyway! (San Marcos Pass, 28 June 2021)
Several of the patches with the red webbing that have had vinyl trimmed also have some of the webbing stitching in need of reinforcement. This can be done using a needle and nylon thread. The stitching on the bottom of the patches with blue webbing looked good. One of the ten 1" wide straps is kind of chewed up. Still usable, but it might be best to get a new length of 1" flat nylon or polypro webbing and sew the ladder lock on the end of it. The saddle only needs five straps to hold it to the boat, though.