Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal - 04 de Fevereiro de 2016

Snowy Egret

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Hollandse Kuifeend

de witte en wildkleurige gekuifde eenden op de "hoenderhoven" van de zeventiende-eeuwse schilders Jan Steen en Melchior d' Hondecoeter.

Paring van gekuifde eenden levert zowel gekuifde als ongekuifde kuikens op.

Hetzelfde geldt voor ongekuifde nakomelingen van gekuifde ouders.

Kuifeenden komen in twee vormen voor, de grote kuifeend, meestal wit van kleur en de kleine kuifeend, iets kleiner als de wilde eend maar in allerlei kleuren en schitterende kuiven.

Vooral de kleine kuifeend is een echt Hollands product

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Petit gourmand qui est bien content de trouver des graines (j'ai acheté un sac de 20 kg plus des blocs de graisse etc.... )

Little greedy sparrow who is happy to find seeds (I bought a 20 kg bag plus blocks of fat etc ...)

Short Eared Owl - Asios Flammeus

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Le Pouldu, Bretagne

Bien tranquille la Pitchou .... pour une fois !

Leopard in the South Luangwa NP, Zambia

Another pose from this uniquely coloured bear.

short-eared owl

Grey Heron - Ardea Cinerea

The grey heron (Ardea cinerea) is a long-legged predatory wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern parts migrate southwards in autumn. A bird of wetland areas, it can be seen around lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes and on the sea coast. It feeds mostly on aquatic creatures which it catches after standing stationary beside or in the water or stalking its prey through the shallows.

The birds breed colonially in spring in "heronries", usually building their nests high in trees. A clutch of usually three to five bluish-green eggs is laid. Both birds incubate the eggs for a period of about 25 days, and then both feed the chicks, which fledge when seven or eight weeks old. Many juveniles do not survive their first winter, but if they do, they can expect to live for about five years.

In Ancient Egypt, the deity Bennu was depicted as a heron in New Kingdom artwork. In Ancient Rome, the heron was a bird of divination. Roast heron was once a specially-prized dish; when George Neville became Archbishop of York in 1465, four hundred herons were served to the guests.

The grey heron has a slow flight, with its long neck retracted (S-shaped). This is characteristic of herons and bitterns, and distinguishes them from storks, cranes, and spoonbills, which extend their necks.

Fish, amphibians, small mammals and insects are taken in shallow water with the heron's long bill. It has also been observed catching and killing juvenile birds such as ducklings, and occasionally takes birds up to the size of a water rail. It may stand motionless in the shallows, or on a rock or sandbank beside the water, waiting for prey to come within striking distance. Alternatively, it moves slowly and stealthily through the water with its body less upright than when at rest and its neck curved in an "S". It is able to straighten its neck and strike with its bill very fast.

Small fish are swallowed head first, and larger prey and eels are carried to the shore where they are subdued by being beaten on the ground or stabbed by the bill. They are then swallowed, or have hunks of flesh torn off. For prey such as small mammals and birds or ducklings, the prey is held by the neck and either drowned, suffocated, or killed by having its neck snapped with the heron's beak, before being swallowed whole. The bird regurgitates pellets of indigestible material such as fur, bones and the chitinous remains of insects. The main periods of hunting are around dawn and dusk, but it is also active at other times of day. At night it roosts in trees or on cliffs, where it tends to be gregarious.

Population:

UK breeding:

13,000 nests

UK wintering:

63,000 birds

Para o nosso zoo de sábado trago um pica-pau.

Flamingo's staan vaak op één poot en bij voorkeur in het water. De reden waarom flamingo's vaak op één poot staan zou thermoregulatie zijn. Met één poot in het water koelen ze hun lichaam af, maar met twee poten in het water zouden ze te veel lichaamswarmte verliezen.

Een andere reden zou zijn, dat de flamingo met twee poten de modder in zakt. Door op één poot te gaan staan kan de flamingo, als die te ver in de modder is gezakt, zichzelf als het ware ophijsen met zijn andere poot.

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Ísland/Iceland

Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal - 28 de Julho de 2014

Late afternoon sighting of a female Bengal Tiger in Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh, India.

panthera tigris (p.t. tigris)

tijger

tigre

Tiger

IUCN Red List Status: ENDANGERED

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Migrant Hawker at Minsmere reserve.

A baby blue tit.

Eastern Bluebird Chick

Hey You Looking At Me. ?

The little owlets definitely are aware that we are there but with as little noise as possible and gentle movements they do not seem to be bothered at all and life goes on as usual. Their yellow eyes are amazing and especially when the sun hits them.

Have a great day !

I saw this beautiful young swan in the water, very calm, serene and elegant. Such contrast between the swan and its dirty surrounding makes me think of Cinderella.

ODC #myowntopic

Spring is not to far away:-))

On my plot.

Thanks for your visits, comments, faves, invites, etc. I really appreciate it very much.

Curlew - Numenius Arquata

Crabbing!!

#Papilio limniace

#Blue tiger