Bare-throated Tiger-Heron

On January 29, 2021January 22, 2021 By Mike and Christy6 Comments

The Bare-throated Tiger Heron is a medium sized heron common to Central America. They are somewhat bulky and shaped a bit like a night-heron or Bittern with distinct baring and rufous on their breast.

This individual was displaying a behavior that indeed reminded us of the American Bittern.

The Bare-throated Tiger Heron forages along costal zones, brackish water and in inland marshes and swamps feeding mainly eating fish, frogs and crustaceans but has been known to consume small rodents.

Like many other Herons the bare-throated Tiger Heron hunts by remaining motionless and quickly striking when prey appears.

Reference:

Martínez-Vilalta, A., A. Motis, and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Bare-throated Tiger-Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.btther1.01

When the moon is full.

On January 28, 2021January 22, 2021 By Mike and Christy2 Comments

When the moon.

The clouds will sing.

A silent nocturne.

Flora and Fauna

On January 27, 2021January 22, 2021 By Mike and ChristyLeave a comment

Not alone, not in isolation.

A Green Heron perches upon a gigantic palm frond making what we consider a fairly large bird look small by comparison. Photographing the Flora and Fauna as one always presents quite a challenge yet tells a story that’s important to hear.

On the move

On January 26, 2021January 25, 2021 By Mike and Christy7 Comments

A Red Fox quickly passes by on a snowy winter afternoon. Dressed in a wonderful winter coat. A coat that is not just beautiful but one that keeps them warm on those cold winter nights.

Roadside Hawk

On January 25, 2021January 25, 2021 By Mike and Christy1 Comment

The Roadside Hawk is on the most common raptors encountered at the edge of forests and cleared fields ranging from Northern Mexico all the way south to Argentina. There are at least 12 subspecies with most being similar in appearance with a grey head, yellow cere, rufous banding across the breast and striped tail. The Roadside Hawk is opportunistic and hunts insects, reptiles and small mammals. We encountered this individual several years ago on a large palm tree peering out into some cleared pasture.

A intense looking hunter and a good look at the banded tail.

Reference:Bierregaard, R. O., P. F. D. Boesman, and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Roadside Hawk (Rupornis magnirostris), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.roahaw.01

On the bull kelp

On January 24, 2021December 31, 2020 By Mike and Christy2 Comments

A tiny Yellow Rumped Warbler found the bull kelp a perfect perch for hunting sand flies and other small insects on the beach. This girl would quickly dart down form the kelp to snag a small meal and quickly return to her perch. Seeing her sitting on the head of the bull kelp made us realize just how small she was. We watched a documentary about songbirds the other night called The Messenger.
It is a very timely reminder about what a world without song birds would be like.

in the stew

On January 23, 2021December 31, 2020 By Mike and Christy4 Comments

Familiar yet far removed.

A snowy, steamy, warm and cold day in Yellowstone National Park.

Music to my eyes

On January 22, 2021January 21, 2021 By Mike and Christy7 Comments

There are days when the skies are silent and other days it sings.

Today it sang a symphony and it was music to my eyes.

Happy Friday and wishing you a wonderful weekend.

Loggerhead Shrike

On January 21, 2021January 21, 2021 By Mike and Christy5 Comments

Somewhat hidden away we heard this Loggerhead Shrike singing away while enjoying lunch at a campsite last fall. This Shrike had a wonderful song that was similar yet more melodic than the example on the Cornell website. This bird was quite content and let us photograph it for quite some time. A wonderful experience indeed.