National Geographic’s Great Nature Project: May 15-May 25, 2015

Tags

Biodiversity, brown pelicans, Great Nature Project 2015, Iguana, inaturalist.org Great Nature Project, National Geographic Great Nature Project, Snowy Egret, Species count

Sunday Social Hour

 The global snapshot of biodiversity is a specific window of time when we especially encourage people to get outside and share photos of their encounters with plants, animals, and fungi. This year, the global snapshot is happening over 11 days, from May 15 to 25, 2015. The goal is to document biodiversity all over the world during this time period.” (from: Great Nature Project FAQ)

Name that bird!

All-you-can-eat shrimp buffet for egrets, herons and ibis!

It’s late at night, and I’m feeling better but am itching, a side effect from dengue fever. Slowly regaining my strength, I look forward to photographing the flora and fauna at Casa Loca and contributing to the Great Nature Project. This is a great opportunity to involve the younger generation and get them interested in their natural world.  The deadline is Monday; for more information, start here:

Pelican Cheering Section

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Christmas Bird Count December 14, 2012 – Jan 05, 2013

Tags

Audubon Annual Bird Count, Birds of Ecuador's Mangroves, Ecuador Mangroves, frigate, Heron, Ibis, Mangroves, Snowy Egret, Stilt

My Chatty Neighbor Mister Kingfisher!

Each year nature lovers participate in Audubon’s  annual Christmas Bird Count.  Ecuador again trumped all others last year with a whopping count of  492 species in the Yanayacu area.   Mindo Ecuador reported 432 birds, and Costa Rica took third, fourth and fifth places with 382, 378 and 340 counts.  See the top tallies for North, South and Central America HERE.

Birds Birds Birds!

I respect all who devote an entire day to counting as many species as possible:  I also encourage everyone to keep a pad handy and note the birds one sees from now until January 5th.

Ah, the mangroves provide visual comfort!

So what’s stopping you?  Peer out that window and start scribbling and see how many species live in your neighborhood!  Challenge your neighbors, your loved ones, especially the youth and direct them to noting the beauty of nature!

Here are some images of my neighbors the birds.

Hey guys! Check out the dame with the white plumas!

Story Challenge Y (And Then Comes Z!!!)

Tags

Bananas, Frizztext Story Challenge Y, Snowy Egret, Yellow, Yellow Taxi

We’re nearing the end of Frizztext’s Story Alphabet Challenge, and I’ll be in my element after clearing this week’s Y!

Long Caye Belize

Y stands for Yellow!  Enjoy these selections of yellow!

What Happened to Nature’s Rights?

Tags

Cattle Egret, Comorant, Ecuador Nature's Rights, Frigate bird, Great Egret, Ibiis, Manglar, Mangroves, Night Heron, Rio Jama, Sea Gull, Snowy Egret

* Republished due to technical difficulty.   Thank you, Word Press, for all of your help! Z

“The civilized man not only clears the land permanently to a great extent, and cultivates open fields, but he tames and cultivates to a certain extent the forest itself.  By his mere presence, almost, he changes the natuere of the trees as no other creature does… It has lost its wild, damp, and shaggy look;  the countless fallen and decaying trees are gone, and consequently that thick coat of moss which lived on them is gone too.”  Thoreau – Maine Woods “If a man walk in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer; but if he spends his day as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making earth bald before her time, he is esteemed an industrious and enterprising citizen.  As if a town had no interest in its forests but to cut them down!”   Thoreau Life Without Principle

BIRDING AROUND

Tags

Birding in Ecuador, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Ecuador, Frigate bird, pelican, Snowy Egret, Yellow Crowned Night Heron, zeebra, zeebra rocks

When high ebb coincides with sunrise and sunset,  a living work of art calls me to the river.  Thousands of waterbirds punctuate certain areas of the mangroves, and to my good fortune, they roost in my little slice of heaven!  During nesting season (now!) their numbers swell, and the cacophony builds as the sun slinks toward the horizon.  With paddle in one hand and camera in the other, I shove the kayak into the water and join them.