Beautiful Animals

We used to keep aquariums. I always thought the Picasso Triggerfish was the most beautiful fish we ever had:

Wow! I love both of those.

Coincidentally, I've just posted a pic of my favourite bird on another thread. One has taken up residency in my nearby park, which is most unusual. I've never seen one there before, so I hope he sticks around for a while.



KINGFISHER.


Here he is, taken with my pathetic amateur camera this morning....





...and here's what he would've looked like, if I had one of those super duper cameras.

I love kingfishers too. I made this pic in Kruger (SA) in August.
Brown-hooded kingfisher




This one was made in Oz in 2002, by my husband (film camera)
Azure kingfisher




Kookaburras are my favourite though, Daintree Village

Grrrrrrr, snarl. I wrote a response and was then booted by the nasty little hamsters of a2k. Gonna give it another shot.

boomer, I was hoping and expecting to see fish here. The Picasso parrot fish is a stunner. Don't think I ever saw one before.

E.L. A kingfisher in your backyard. What a gorgeous neighbor.

Gwendolen, Thanks for the photos. Kookaburras look related to kingfishers. I've heard the sound kookaburras make. Not sure I'd want one for a neighbor. But they do look wonderful

I think that cats are positively gorgeous. You might have guessed that from the cheetah in my avatar. The spectacular faces, the eyes, and the markings on many of them. Also love the way they move. Although the cheetah is my favorite big cat, I think the leopard wins the big cat beauty contest.

Pretty kitty.

I've always loved black panthers.

Bella Dea, "Pretty kitty" is a major understatement. I gasp. I've always loved these too.

How 'bout an Arabian horse?

I love black horses too. Something about a pure black animal that I just think is so beautifull.

I'm glad others appreciate fish. They are so gorgeous.

Another of my favorites is the Mandarin fish:



For cat beauty I think it is hard to beat a "plain" tabby:

roberta wrote


dont be too quick to judge. We love it whem they sit on next doors tv antenna and go off at (a seemingly) amusing incident.

Nudibranchs are wonderfull. Infinite variety of shapes and colours

I knew I was gonna love this thread. I'm smiling before I get here. What gorgeous critters.

Bella Dea, I too am enamored of all black animals. They are stunning.

Boomer, Wow. That is one spectalar fish!! And I agree about cats. Tabbies are beautiful. I had one that was 100 percent tabby, another that was white and tabby. Can't beat dem cat faces.

dadpad, I'm glad you showed up. This was the thread I wanted to start, that made me determined to learn how to post a picture. I believe you about the kookaburras, as long as they're mute when I'm sleeping, let 'em yak the rest of the time. The photo is of a kind of sea slug, isn't it? Those guys are amazing.


Here's another of my favorites:

Had to have a butterfly. Had to.



And, Boomer, a lion fish.



The longest snake in the world, a reticulated python.



Love dem boids

Just a plain old sea slug.

really? the sea slug is a surprise to me..

(I usually see them on menus....)

not a fan of most small dogs, but there's something cool about scottish terriers

and meerkats



gotta love meerkats

The variety of these critters is astounding. And some are quite spectalar looking.

Here's another:

djjd, Thanks for the Scotties. Can't think of a breed of dog I don't like, but terriers have a special something. And Scotties have a special special something.

Here's a photo of Fala, one of the most famous Scotties ever and his owner.



I do love dem meerkats. Interesting social structure. Smart. Lots of personality. And wonderful to look at. Thanks again.

Sometimes I believe in God and sometimes I don't.

But when I see stuff like this it really, really makes me want to enroll in his graphic arts seminar.

Wow, Boomer. A rare moment for me. I'm almost speechless. Almost. Nature in its beauty and diversity never ceases to inspire awe in me.

Here are some poison dart frogs--the amphibian part of the seminar.