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Marty’s photo of the day #4994: Here’s a second photo from yesterday at Freezeout Lake (45 miles northwest of Great Falls, MT). The official migrating snow goose count yesterday was 51,500 (down from the peak of 63,500 a day earlier). Last night, when Deb and I went over all the photos I shot, she commented […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4993: Deb, Nellie, and I just returned from an overnight adventure. Yesterday, we drove 200 miles north to Great Falls, Montana, where we stayed in a hotel. Then, this morning, we got up before sunrise and drove another 45 miles to Freezeout Lake. Twice before, I’d made the Freezeout Lake […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4992: In recent weeks, I have been featuring the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands. I’m taking a brief break from that theme to feature some of the plant life on the islands. Here’s a cactus flower. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Marty’s photo of the day #4991: In recent weeks, I have been featuring the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands. I’m taking a brief break from that theme to feature some of the plant life on the islands. This is the flower of a Mexican palo verde. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Marty’s photo of the day #4991: In recent weeks, I have been featuring the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands. Today, I’m switching to plant life. This is a Galapagos passionflower. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Mockingbirds—obviously mocking me for my lack of feathers. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Marty’s photo of the day #4990: Marbled rays are nocturnal hunters that can reach 10 feet in length and 6 feet in width. While generally non-aggressive, they possess a venomous tail spine for defense. They are protected within the Galapagos Marine Reserve. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Marty’s photo of the day #4989: Blue-footed boobies are accomplished divers that plunge into the ocean, reaching speeds of sixty miles-per-hour to catch fish. The blue in their feet comes from carotenoid pigments in their diet, signaling health to potential mates. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
After posting a different Hood mockingbird image as today’s photo of the day, I came across this shot, which I like even more. These mockingbirds are found only on Española Island (previously called Hood Island). They live in social groups where the lower-ranking members help raise the young of the dominant pair. That’s my hand […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4988: Hood mockingbirds are found only on Española Island. They live in social groups where the lower-ranking members help raise the young of the dominant pair. And as this photo shot without using a zoom demonstrates: they have no fear of humans. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Marty’s photo of the day #4987: This is a Pacific burrfish. Unlike pufferfish which have spines that lay flat, Pacific burrfish have short, thick, immovable spines that stick out all the time. And when threatened, they can rapidly swallow water to inflate their body, doubling their size. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Marty’s photo of the day #4986: I photographed these white-cheeked pintail ducks as they were hanging out at a waterhole with Galapagos tortoises. These unique ducks are found in the Galápagos Islands, the Caribbean, and South America. Unlike many other duck species, males and females look alike, and they are adapted to brackish water, often […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4985: Supposedly, Sally Lightfoot crabs are named after a Caribbean dancer because of their nimble, light-footed movements. The actual human Sally Lightfoot is unknown. The crabs can squirt streams of water from their shells at attackers, and if they lose a leg, claw, or eye, they can regenerate another during […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4984: Deb and I saw only one flamingo in the Galapagos Islands. Two if you count the reflection. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
During the past few weeks, I’ve concentrated on wildlife that is unique to the Galapagos Islands. Great blue herons aren’t unique to the islands, but I’ve never seen one extend its neck quite so far. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Marty’s photo of the day #4983: It’s lunchtime for a young Galapagos sea lion. Worldwide, there are six species of sea lions, and of those, the Galapagos sea lions are the smallest. Females average 200 pounds; males average 550 pounds. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Marty’s photo of the day #4982: Colorful king angelfish stood out among the underwater life of the Galapagos Islands. They were difficult to photograph, however. If the water wasn’t clear, they’d look like they had white specks on their scales; if the lighting wasn’t perfect, their eyes wouldn’t show up; and they’d often turn just […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4981: A group of Galapagos tortoises (also known as giant tortoises) that has stopped at a waterhole on their migration from the highlands to the lowlands. I really like the reflection on the water in this shot. (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Marty’s photo of the day #4980: An exhausted green sea turtle makes it ashore after hours of “waterbed sex.” (Photographed last month in the Galapagos Islands.)
Marty’s photo of the day #4979: This is a finescale triggerfish. They can swim forward, backward, or hover by rippling their dorsal and anal fins. They have 8 strong teeth in each jaw, allowing them to crush sea urchins, crustaceans, and mollusks. Their teeth grow throughout their lives, requiring them to chew hard materials to […]
