Beautiful Animals

It's horsie time again, Kentucky Derby coming up.

Here's a story about the trainer - http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/horseracing/2014/04/29/california-chrome-art-sherman-kentucky-derby/8464233/

More detail here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/28/sports/art-sherman-ties-the-kentucky-derby-favorite-california-chrome-to-a-past-winner.html?_r=0

There's a photo in the NYTimes article of Art Sherman on Swaps, as an exercise rider. Ahhhh, Swaps was the first race horse I ever paid attention to, and that time by mistake - I was at a friend's house, this in 1955, and her parents were watching the Derby hullabaloo, and during the parade to post, I picked one named Swaps because I liked the name and thought he was a nice horse.

Sherman, who switched from being a jockey to a trainer in 1976, sat on Swaps, the 1955 Derby winner.
Photo Credit Santa Anita Park


Here's California Chrome, recent photo -

California Chrome came from an $8,000 mare and a middling sire. Only three California-bred horses have won the Derby.
Photo Credit Stuart Palley for The New York Times

What on earth is that? I know it's some sort of mantid, but I've never seen anything remotely like that.

Dem mantises are amazing. Here's my favorite--the orchid mantis:

The photographer is Igor Siwanowicz - http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fphoto.net%2Fphotos%2Fsiwanowicz&ei=PrJgU7vrCsbEOYfegcAL&usg=AFQjCNHgmwmn3lrdP9ZI541UhhGwKVJCQw&bvm=bv.65636070,d.ZWU

Here's another of his incredible bug photos.

Absolutely incredible! Thank you both for those, and for the link, Vonny!

I harassed this little guy for a little while this afternoon. Hope it didn't mind.

I finally found a jumping spider that wasn't the usual dull brown, sitting on a flat surface:

This Camp Shower Is Occupied In The Cutest Possible Way
http://www.buzzfeed.com/video/txblacklabel/camp-shower-occupied-28m7

four of the finalists for the Smithsonian 2014 photo contest - as shown in the Guardian:

Leeloo the dog at Cannon Beach in Oregon (mobile, 2013).
Photograph: Chaz Wilke


A coastal brown bear hunts for salmon in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska (2012).
Photograph: Daniel D'Auria


A snow monkey in Nagano, Japan (mobile, 2012).
Photograph: John Gamble


A wasp standing on grass in Ka'anapali, Hawaii (2012).
Photograph: Eko Adiyanto

Atlantic wolffish

Great pics, you guys. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

A gawgeous mutt:

I found two jumpers today. I think the first one is preggers:

I'd like to spend some time on your rooftop! Wow - amazing photos!

Yeah, she does have that kind of self satisfied look, doesn't she.

Glad you like them! These weren't on my rooftop. This time I went to campus and poked around in the bushes.

I would so dearly love to be able to take pictures like the ones you post! That last owl, in particular!

@roger: Yeah, I think her time is close, judging by the way she didn't seem to mind me too much.

Ladybug and day lily