First Impression It was a first impression. Though sporting a much longer tail and a garish ‘coat’, this male Long-tailed Meadowlark immediately brought to mind our North American Western and Eastern Meadowlark species. ~ Anecdote and Long-tailed Meadowlark capture, First Impression © Jerry L. Ferrara. Chile, South America
Speak No Evil The young, mischievous Chimpanzee was ‘full of beans’ as it hyperactively capered around and through the troop. When it playfully grabbed an adult by the face and shoulder, the posture just screamed “Speak no evil!” ~ Anecdote and Chimpanzee capture, Speak No Evil © Jerry L. Ferrara
Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! Munch! Munch! This salad’s really goodIf you haven’t tried it yet you really, really shouldI love the spring and summer too, for it’s the time to reapI have to put on lots of weight before I go to sleep ~ Poem and Black Bear capture, Crunch! Crunch! © Jerry L. Ferrara
A Standoff Looking like a couple of welterweight boxers in a pre-fight arena, a Red-breasted Nuthatch [left] and a Dark-eyed Junco [right] aggressively confront one another by threat posturing. For the moment it seemed a standoff. ~ Anecdote and Red-breasted Nuthatch/Dark-eyed Junco capture, A Standoff © Jerry L. Ferrara
Watery Whispers Shadows grow long at the day’s end. It is a time to wait and watch. While some forest entities seek nighttime shelter, others prepare for crepuscular and nocturnal activities. The latter’s machinations are at times hidden from view. Nonetheless, if one patiently looks close there are signs that are extant in revealing the secret actors. For instance, on the marge of a woodland pond near our home, there are times that tranquil tremors mysteriously radiate from one point near the water’s edge. The concentric ‘watery whispers’ indicate an unseen presence. Eventually the perturbations’ author reveals itself and a Muskrat emerges from its bank burrow on its way to an eventide foraging venture. ~ Anecdote and Muskrat capture, Watery Whispers © Jerry L. Ferrara
The Gelid Setting Except for the brisk breeze, all other movement was devoid in the gelid setting. Nestled tight in the frozen terrain, a pair of Whooper Swans quiescently conserved their energy. ~ Anecdote and Whooper Swan capture, The Gelid Setting © Jerry L. Ferrara
Coming Soon Being absent during winter, the perky Savannah Sparrow will soon return to our local fields and pastures. ~ Anecdote and Savannah Sparrow capture, Coming Soon © Jerry L. Ferrara
The Encounter The encounter was intense. It came unexpectedly with a startling swiftness when the African Lion exploded from the nearby brush and bore down on the bewildered Wildebeest calf. Separated from its mother and the herd, the young Gnu faced a certain demise. Its struggle to survive was certainly spirited, yet not potent enough. In the end, the feline stole its soul. ~ Anecdote, African Lion and Wildebeest calf image, The Encounter © Jerry L. Ferrara
Onca d’agua Something’s fishy in the water, searched by Giant River Otter. To the fluid flow it steals, hunting for a piscine meal. Not long it takes for it to be, the otter feasts exuberantly. So Giant River Otter are, best of fishers yet by far …a truly efficient predator, not unlike a Jaguar. The Giant River Otter [or Giant Otter], sometimes known colloquially as Onca d’agua [Portuguese for Jaguar of the water], is not really a Jaguar at all. In fact, they are members of the mustelid or weasel family and hold the distinction of being the longest creatures in that group. A mature Giant River Otter may reach a length of between five and six feet. Once prevalent, this puckish South American species is considered rare today. ~ Essay, poem and Giant River Otter capture, Onca d’agua © Jerry L. Ferrara
The Disseminator The handsome Phainopepla is a disseminator. It is also a resident of parts of our desert southwest and belongs in the avian group referred to as the Silky Flycatchers. They play a key role in the lifecycle of another desert component, the mistletoe plant. In order for mistletoe to propagate, the seed must actually land on a shrub or tree. The usual substrate is a Palo Verde or a Mesquite. This is accomplished by a contract formed between mistletoe and Phainopepla. Like a siren, the mistletoe seduces the bird with ruby red fruit. The Phainopepla eats voraciously and the indigestible seeds pass through in the bird’s fecal droppings. If the excrement lands on a nearby bush and adheres, as shown in the photo, the stage is set for a new generation of plant growth. When a mistletoe seed does germinate, it invades the host plant and takes some of the benefactor’s nutrients which it then uses to make its own food. ~ Anecdote and Phainopepla capture, The Disseminator © Jerry L. Ferrara