Charlie and the Nature Factory [Warning: Stunningly Beautiful Large Photo Images]

[Wicked]

I went to an arachnid convention in Texas in 2007. Or, more correctly, one of my bug geek friends drove three hundred miles out of his way to come get me, and drag my hermit ass to a convention in Texas.

On one of the field trips, I found this mature male Aphonopelma hentzi. Poor old guy was on his last legs, but he found enough energy to rear up and give me a half hearted threat pose.

My friend tickled this juvenile A. hentzi out of its burrow with a piece of grass. Cute little thing; and hungry. We popped a grasshopper down the hole in appreciation for the spider letting us get a few camera shots.

 

[bettielee]

Ok. So the herons we've been seeing for years are Egrets. I will remember that when I see the folks! They are big on the birdwatching... and I will have gained some points. Thank you Tepelus!

 

[Silver King]

Ok. So the herons we've been seeing for years are Egrets...

They're really the same birds but are known by two different common names.

Great white herons, however, are a white version of great blue herons that are found mostly in Southern Florida. There is a wildlife refuge in the Keys named after them.

 

[Tepelus]

They are all related, but the Great Egret has black legs, the Great White Heron has yellow legs, which distinguishes them. The birds in Bettie's photos have black legs, they're the Great Egret. The GWH is found only in Florida.

 

[Silver King]

They are all related, but the Great Egret has black legs, the Great White Heron has yellow legs, which distinguishes them. The birds in Bettie's photos have black legs, they're the Great Egret. The GWH is found only in Florida.

That's what I was trying to say in my earlier post but wasn't very clear: If bettielee refers to great egrets as white herons, then they are usually understood to be the same birds. But she can't, or shouldn't, identify them as great white herons.

Hope that makes more sense, now.

 

[sailor]

Let me say that the pictures are wonderful. Unfortunately, most of the wildlife that I have seen, no camera was available. Seeing some porpoises swimming between two ships as a fuel transfer was going on was priceless. Coming up on a pod of killer whales slapping their tails on the water in the Juan de Fuca straits was stunning. Sea eagles around the northern tip of Vancouver Island the same. All I can add is this.

 

[Silver King]

...All I can add is this.

This is must see for our spider lovers!

 

[night-flyer]

All I can add is this.

I'm scared to death of spiders, but that's got to be the coolest spider video ever.

 

[Haggis]

This is must see for our spider lovers!

I'm impressed. That is perhaps the most educational video I have seen since I've been on AW, and that's a whole bunch of years.

Bravo, sailor. And thanks for sharing.

 

[kayleamay]

All I can add is this.

 

[Haggis]

I'll tell you what. Wicked knows her spiders. That's for damn sure. But I think even she may learn something from that video.

 

[Lady MacBeth]

Let me say that the pictures are wonderful. Unfortunately, most of the wildlife that I have seen, no camera was available. Seeing some porpoises swimming between two ships as a fuel transfer was going on was priceless. Coming up on a pod of killer whales slapping their tails on the water in the Juan de Fuca straits was stunning. Sea eagles around the northern tip of Vancouver Island the same. All I can add is this.

Great video!

I've seen the whales in the Juan de Fuca. Pretty amazing.

 

[sailor]

I'm scared to death of spiders, but that's got to be the coolest spider video ever.

The next time you see a spider, rather than being scared, imagine it as the THC spider. It will be all mellow and relaxed. If it's moving? Caffeine spider.

 

[night-flyer]

I'll definitely be thinking of that video when I see one...if only for a sec...right before I start to panic.

 

[Wicked]

Yeah, I've seen that video a few times over the years. It's pretty funny.

 

[Tepelus]

That video had me in tears from laughing so hard.

 

[Silver King]

This wood stork was flying against a stiff breeze, tipping this way and that like a drunk person before she evened out for a moment. At one point, she appeared to be moving sideways and almost flipped over as if she were performing an aerial stunt:

 

[Tepelus]

Awesome picture of the stork! But dear God, Haggis, that avatar of yours creeps me the hell out!

 

[Tepelus]

Here's a picture of a little spider on Asclepias incarnata 'Soulmate'. The flowers smell sort of like cotton candy. The monarch caterpillars loved it last year. Hope for more cats this year.

 

[regdog]

This is the hawk that used to dine on the sparrows I was feeding. I named him Thestral. I always felt bad for the sparrows, but damn I loved that hawk.

 

[heyjude]

Love the wood stork! How gorgeous!

 

[Haggis]

Awesome picture of the stork! But dear God, Haggis, that avatar of yours creeps me the hell out!

It's my hair, isn't it? I knew I should have combed it.

 

[swachski]

All I can add is this.

SK, the stork image is incredibly beautiful. The peach color on its wings looks like it's glowing.

Haggis, try Cass's hair stylist. He did wonders for her.

 

[rhymegirl]

Awesome picture of the stork! But dear God, Haggis, that avatar of yours creeps me the hell out!

You're not kidding! I just caught a glimpse of his avatar.

I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight.

 

[Haggis]

You're not kidding! I just caught a glimpse of his avatar.

I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight.

My work here is done.