National Data Buoy Center Things can change from calm to a storm in an instant The ocean is a dynamic environment. For anyone who has spent time on boats, this is something that’s always in the back of your mind. Things can change from calm to a storm even more quickly in the warm summer months, when […]
Halloween Pennant Dragonfly – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern These dragonflies are only about 1.5 inches long! Let’s unpack this interesting name for this interesting creature. The primary body colors of orange and black make it easy to understand why it is called a “Halloween” dragonfly. The “Pennant” part of the name comes from this dragonfly perching […]
Black Skimmer – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern It takes less than a month for a black skimmer to learn to fly! This is what it looks like inside a flock of black skimmers. Let’s unpack what we are looking at. This seabird is mostly black, with a white head. It has a unique beak. The base of the […]
American Oystercatcher – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern The orbital ring of an oystercatcher is orange-red This exotic looking bird is called an American oystercatcher, and it can be found in North, Central, and South America. This bird has a distinctive large orange beak that is used to access and consume shellfish. Obviously, oystercatchers catch oysters, but […]
Snowy Egret – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern This photo is courtesy of a long walk on the beach This photo of a snowy egret was taken while on a birding walk on Siesta Key beach in Florida. For my birthday, I had received a rental from LensRentals.com. I had decided to rent a Sigma […]
Brown Pelican – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern I’ve watched brown pelicans diving my entire life I absolutely love this photo because of the splash of water that you can see behind the brown pelican as it started to take off from the water. I don’t know which of us was more startled when I […]
SOUTHERN STARGAZER – IUCN Conservation Status: LEAST CONCERN Stargazers cover themselves in the sand This eyeball belongs to a rarely seen creature called a stargazer. There is a northern stargazer and a southern stargazer. Both look about the same, and the only way you can really tell the difference is the tail of the stargazer, as well […]
Most blow flies live in temperate to tropical regions. The larvae of blow flies are used for a medical treatment called “maggot therapy”. Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) uses laboratory raised fly larvae to treat stasis ulcers, postsurgical wounds, pressure clots, and diabetic foot wounds. The larvae eat only the dead tissue, which improves the healing potential of […]
MANTIS SHRIMP – IUCN Conservation Status: Varied The mantis shrimp has one of the most complex visual systems in the animal kingdom This creature is thought to have the most complex visual system in the animal kingdom. How can we break down such a complicated biological system? Let’s start by talking about photoreceptor cells. These cells are used […]
BLACK VULTURE – IUCN Conservation Status: LEAST CONCERN The black vulture flipped its head upside down to fit inside the alligator In this photo, the carcass of a recently deceased alligator is being eaten by a flock of black vultures. If you look closely, you can see this vulture actually flipped its head upside down so […]