paradoxornithidae's Favorites

A spider on our wall and her egg sac. She's about 2+ inches long. Venomous but not deadly. We were watching her eat that cricket then she dropped it. They are pretty common in the region.

The last photo was another spider of the same species which shows the backside.

Green form of the Alpine Green Cockroach Polyzosteria viridissima one of 15 individuals sighted in a short period at this location. Two other individuals were photographed to show variation also see:
-https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36369027
-https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36369029

Blue-eyed baby thrasher

This was the first and probably only day that the thrasher baby(s) appeared in the birdhouse hole to have a first look at the outside world. The baby(s) took awhile to learn that perching in the entryway meant no parent bird landing and thus no food. I believe I heard multiple babies in the box in prior days.

Bird photos are from April 16, but the empty nest photo is from April 18. The nest was started by a cactus wren around November, which was out-of-season:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/177586510
The box is designed for kestrels.

A separate observation from 11 days prior shows parent(s) in-between shuttling food to the nest:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/177299186

This Pied Crow (Corvus albus) has been observed intermittently in southeastern Baltimore since at least March 2006. It is actually a raven (note the huge bill) and the species is widespread in Sub-Saharan Africa. My theory for its origins are that it must have been intended as a Baltimore Ravens mascot, but either escaped or was released. The area it seems to favor is only about six miles from the Ravens stadium, and of course non-native ravens are essentially the only legal option for mascots. The same species was used for a popular Windex commercial (YouTube video). When we photographed it (12/25/2011), it was drawn to a small feeding flock of Ring-billed Gulls and Fish Crows, and it seemed to specialize in ripping open large paper bags that probably proved difficult for the other species. Note the band on its right leg, confirming its earlier captivity. Whatever its story, it's an awesome bird.

eBird import | https://ebird.org/checklist/S9410618

Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania. I was working in early morning light from a boat on Lake Nzelekela when a crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) seized a Tilapia. 600 mm lens mounted on a Wimberley head and tripod. Natural Light. Pam Osborn image

A green chiton attached to a half crab. We observed this alien looking commensal beast while undertaking an intertidal survey on the reefs off Hawera. It made us jump when we first turned over the rock.

We watched a roadrunner stalk and kill a mourning dove. See subsequent photos. The roadrunner repeatedly thrashed the bird against the ground. The roadrunner walked off some distance after killing the dove. Great-tailed grackles kept a respectful distance and the roadrunner rushed at one or more when they approached the expired dove. We returned hours later and the carcass was still in place. If I hadn't seen this myself, I would have thought for sure a Cooper's Hawk was responsible and perhaps got scared off the carcass. @karakaxa @noahgaines @featherenthusiast