Beautiful Animals

These big birds run to get airborn. They sometimes smack into buildings. I have seen them come down on the beach after a beautiful flight to tumble head over heels at impact.

boy, the lift/drag ratio on those albatrosses is low--you gotta cheer each time they get airborne, and bite your nails, wondering if they'll make it this time.

This video is kinda tangential, but I thought some here might find it of interest. There are some neat underwater creature shots toward the end. There's a sort of informal campaign on to get girls interested in careers in science, and this plays into that. It's four actual scientists at the Barber Lab who are doing research in biodiversity in the Coral Sea in Indonesia, who do a cool takeoff on the music video of Billy Joel's "The Longest Time". Good tune, clever lyrics, a mini-lesson in evolution (I had to watch it a couple times to pick up all they were saying), and worthwhile science.



Here's the Billy Joel original video


And here's the Barber Labs' description of what they're doing (with a bit in what is probably Bahassa), from Boingboing.net

A pelican at the port city of Sidon, southern Lebanon. A small number of pelicans live in the port of Sidon where fishermen feed them. Photograph: Ali Hashisho/REUTERS

This torsier lives in the zoo in Philippines. He saw something striking and surprising and opened his mouth.

Looking like illustrations from the children's classic Alice in Wonderland photographer Igor Siwanowicz brings out the beauty in these little beasts.
The creepy crawly-mad nature photographer used a macro lens to get up-close and personal with a host of weird and wonderful-looking wildlife in his latest work.

The wildlife expert from Poland says he is on a mission to make people fall in love with these striking creatures, some of which he keeps as pets.

Lovely eyes: Using a macro lens, this Phidippus Otiosus (Jumping spider) was photographed in Igor's studio in Munich, Germany.

Not your average moth: Pictured here Mr Siwanowicz has captured a Calleta Silk Moth coiling around a twig and two Deathís Head Moths sharing an encounter.

You can see a few more of Igor Siwanowicz photos here
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2066911/Beauty-beast-One-photographers-love-incredible-close-ups-weirdest-wonderful-wildlife.html

It ain't easy being an albatross.

MJ, Thanks for the info and the musical interlude. Interesting stuff.

olga, Great pic of the bird. I've seen pelicans diving. Amazing.

firefly, I think that's a tarsier. I love dat pic. Love it. Thanks mucho. Extra thanks for the Wonderland creatures. Fantastic.

Pacific harbor seal:

I love that jumping spider! We've seen him before, in one of sozlet's magazines I think.

Love dem arachnids. Well, just not in my apartment.

Giraffey affection:

Lucca, a 8-year-old Belgian Malinois military working dog, sits in front of a Marine Corps flag at Camp Pendleton, Calif., July 2. Lucca deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan where she was injured by an improvised explosive device. The injury led to the amputation of her left front leg and retirement from military service. Cpl. Juan M. Rodriguez, miliary dog handler with 1st Law Enforcement Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force, is scheduled to escort the veteran K-9, July 5, from the base to Finland where she will reside with Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Willingham, Lucca's original trainer. During a turnover at O-Hare International Airport in Chicago, Ill., Lucca will be honored during a ceremony by American Airlines, which will provide transportation for Rodriguez and Lucca through its partnership with Air Compassion for Veterans. ACV is an organization that provides medically related air transport services to service members, veterans and their families. During her military service, Lucca uncovered more than 40 IEDs and saved countless lives.

Barry, A beautiful dog. I'm saddened to hear that she lost a leg. I'm hoping that she'll enjoy her retirement.

Alligator gar:

That's awful that these war criminals drag innocent animals into their illegal activities.

Wood duck:

Black jaguar:



Black leopard:

White lion:

I visited a friend of mr vw's last week for dinner.

he has a ginormous golden retriever that was just recently mostly shaved. he has to be pushing 180 pounds. big friendly guy. Duke.

your lion reminds me of him, and I thought of you while he was poised to attempt being a lap dog as I scrubbed around his big floppy ears.

I didn't let him jumpup to the couch, thank goodness...

Blue Monkey:


Yellow Warbler:


Red Fox:

RH, Speaking of large lapdogs, my cousin had two great danes, some assorted other very large dogs, and a boxer. The boxer was small in comparson to the others and viewed himself as a lapdog. I didn't object when Tige settled in on my lap. When he left, Cinnamon, a great dane decided to give it a try. She backed in like she was parking. She managed to get her tush in my lap, but all four legs were still on the floor. I loved it.

snood, Thanks for the colorful assortment. Beauties all.

Captain Katie Kopp from 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division talks to therapy dog Hank during Hank's visit to Combat Outpost Nangalam in the Pech River Valley of Afghanistan's Kunar Province July 3, 2012. Hank is the only Boston Terrier therapy dog deployed in this region to interact with soldiers as a stress relief.