Regardless of the season, there is always something interesting to see at Dunedin Northern Cemetery. This remarkable graveyard, one of the city’s oldest, has become a wonderful park in nearly 150 years of existence. Its luxuriant, diverse vegetation, its abandoned graves and, first and foremost, its tranquility have created a rich environment for many New Zealand and introduced birds to thrive. Over twenty bird species can Continue reading
Tag Archives: Nature photography
Fifth instar Monarch larvae
Fith instar caterpillar on milkweed. Credit: Yalakom
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are famous for the epic annual fall migration they undertake to Mexico and Southern California. What is little known is that their range extends beyond North America to the Pacific, as far south as New Zealand. North American and New Zealand monarchs are the same species, so biologists believe that Continue reading
The smallest European tit
Here’s one of the two coal tits (Periparus ater) that currently visit my Parisian bird feeder. The couple often keeps together with the large, conspicuous great tit flock that lives in my garden so I hadn’t noticed them at first.
Standing on a privet branch in front of the feeder. Credit: Yalakom
Little egret from Brittany
This elegant, snow-white little egret landed next to me on a beach at the Pointe du Conguel in Quiberon (France). The bird foraged for a little while before taking off again, just long enough for me to manage these few photographs.
This beautiful little egret landed next to me on the beach at the Pointe du Conguel. Credit: Yalakom
Credit: Yalakom
Credit: Yalakom
Quiberon: a former French island turned presque-isle
A NASA screenshot of the Presqu’ile de Quiberon
Situated in the Morbihan region of Brittany, the Presqu’île de Quiberon is a small French peninsula that used to be an island. Long ago, strong winds and currents formed a flat sandy isthmus that reattached the 9 km² territory to the mainland. Dubbed Isthme de Penthièvre, the narrow arm is no wider than 22 m in parts, just enough for cars and trains to circulate. Vulnerable to storms, it has been enlarged and reinforced by man-made dikes on several occasions since the 19th century.
Nowadays, Quiberon is a restful, invigorating and somewhat picturesque sea resort that welcomes thousands of visitors each year. Yet, tourism has not always been the dominant sector. From the second half of the 19th century fishing, especially sardine fishing, and canning concurrently developed as core industries leading to the peninsula’s Continue reading
A bow to the hard-working parents
By now, many breeding birds in Germany have seen their first clutch of the season fledge and grow to weaning age, a moment not all chicks are looking forward to. The many great tits born around my block from at least three different clutches are unwilling to embrace independence and claim it conspicuously. Parents can be seen escaping swarms of hungry juveniles, now master of flight, loudly and relentlessly gaping for food.
The young already know how to pick up food on their own but prefer it served on a plate beak, so much that they sometimes beg great tits other than their parents and even blue tits!
Great tit juvenile loudly gaping for food. Credit: Yalakom
Parents are now cutting loose Continue reading
Return of the mystery bird
This post is related to: Guest of Honor (additional hawfinch photos)
My splendid visitor, feeding on sunflower seeds with his powerful bill. Credit: Yalakom
Despite ranging extensively across Eurasia and north Africa and current population estimates reaching up to 5 millions for Europe alone, hawfinches (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) are commonly known to be shy, elusive and unobtrusive birds—they are sometimes called “mystery birds” for that reason. None of these qualities seem to apply to Continue reading
