domincan wildlife

“S” Stands For Both SADNESS And SMILE. It’s Up To You How You Wanna See It.

May 12, 2020 — 9 Comments

F/8.0, 1/250, ISO 250.

Tricolored-Heron

Why did the worker get fired from the calendar factory?

He took a day off.

Interesting Facts: Although they are solitary foragers, they nest in colonies often with other herons and egrets. At the colony males are aggressive toward all individuals that come near the nest site, but gradually let a female enter during courtship. Aggressive posturing includes calling, stretching the neck straight up, fluffing up the crest feathers, holding the wings below and away from the body, fighting and jabbing in midair, and shaking twigs. Males court females near the nest site. Males bow down, grab a twig, and then stretch the head straight up while snapping the bill. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tricolored_Heron/lifehistory )

I Don’t Have A Drinking Problem, I Drink, I Get Drunk, I Pass Out, No Problem!

April 4, 2020 — 15 Comments

F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 320.

American Flamingo 

Why did the baseball player bring a rope to the game?

He wanted to tie the score

Interesting Fact: American flamingos are saltwater birds that ingest food with a high salt content and mostly drink salt water (with an osmolarity of usually 1000), hyperosmotic to the bodies cells . Also, though not commonly, they can drink fresh water at near-boiling temperatures from geysers. From their high-salt diet, they would lose more water and have a greater salt uptake. One way in which they osmoregulate is through the use of a salt gland, which is found in their beaks.[17] This salt gland helps excrete excess salt from the body through the nasal openings in the flamingo’s beaks. When these birds consume salt, the osmolarity increases in the blood plasma through the gut. This causes water to move out of the cells, increasing extracellular fluids. Both these changes, in turn, activate the salt glands of the bird,[18] but before any activity occurs in the salt glands, the kidney has to reabsorb the ingested sodium from the small intestine. As seen in other saltwater birds, the fluid that is excreted has been seen to have an osmolarity greater than that of the salt water, but this varies with salt consumption and body size. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_flamingo )

Do You Understand The Words That Are Coming Out Of My Mouth?!

April 2, 2020 — 19 Comments

F/6.3, 1/160, ISO 200.

Green Heron

What does a teddy bear say when you offer it a sandwich?

“No thanks, I’m stuffed”

Interesting Fact: Green Herons are common and widespread, but they can be hard to see at first. Whereas larger herons tend to stand prominently in open parts of wetlands, Green Herons tend to be at the edges, in shallow water, or concealed in vegetation. Visit a wetland and carefully scan the banks looking for a small, hunch-backed bird with a long, straight bill staring intently at the water. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Green_Heron )

Hey Autocorrect! Quit Tampering With My Curse Words, You Mother Forklift!

April 1, 2020 — 9 Comments

F/5.6, 1/100, ISO 640.

Bananaquit

Why did the fly fall off the toilet?

It got pissed off.

Interesting Fact: The bananaquit is known for its ability to adjust remarkably to human environments. It often visits gardens and may become very tame. Its nickname, the sugar bird, comes from its affinity for bowls or bird feeders stocked with granular sugar, a common method of attracting these birds.[19] The bananaquit builds a spherical lined nest with a side entrance hole, laying up to three eggs, which are incubated solely by the female.[4] It may also build its nest in human-made objects, such as lampshades and garden trellises. The birds breed all year regardless of season and build new nests throughout the year. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananaquit )

 

 

A Wise Duck Once Told Me “QUACK” And He Meant It!

March 31, 2020 — 10 Comments

F/7.1, 1/200, ISO 125.

White-cheeked pintail

Why did the student wear eye-glasses in math class?

It improved DiVision!

Interesting Fact: White-cheeked Pintail: Large, heavily spotted dark and light brown duck with striking white cheek patches, blue bill with bright red base, buff pointed tail. Legs and feet are blue-gray. Feeds on aquatic plants, small invertebrates. Swift direct flight with strong rapid wing beats. AKA Bahama Duck. ( https://identify.whatbird.com/obj/1029/overview/White-cheeked_Pintail.aspx )

Two Peckers One Hole

November 11, 2019 — 28 Comments

F/8.0, 1/250, ISO 320.

Hispaniolan Woodpeckers

How do crazy people get through the forest?

They take the psycho path.

Interesting Fact: The Hispaniolan Woodpecker is sufficiently abundant to be considered an agricultural pest in some areas, on account of it feeding in fruit orchards, although it also regularly consumes insects and tree sap. It nests in tree-cavities and breeds in loose colonies of up to 20 pairs. ( https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/hiswoo1/overview )

But Officer, I’ve Never Been Able To Walk A Straight Line.

October 7, 2019 — 11 Comments

F/5.6, 1/280, ISO 500.

Atlantic Ghost Crab

Why is there only one Yogi Bear?

Because when they tried to make another one, they made a Boo-Boo.

Interesting Fact: Crabs of this species usually engage in a combat that is non-contact. The combat style is more ritualistic in style and ends in contact in very rare cases. ( https://www.animalspot.net/ghost-crab-sand-crab.html )

 

 

Welcome To The Jungle We Got Fun And Games!

September 2, 2019 — 10 Comments

F/7.1, 1/160, ISO 250.

Tricolored Heron

What is a mattress favorite season?

Spring.

Interesting Fact: Tricolored Herons gracefully walk through wetlands as other herons do, but they also run after fish with sharp turns and stops, balancing with their wings. They tend to forage alone or at the edge of flocks of wading birds. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tricolored_Heron/lifehistory )

Kick Your Feet Back Its The Weekend!

August 31, 2019 — 6 Comments

F/9.0, 1/320, ISO 200.

Hispaniolan slider

Why do you measure snakes in inches?

Because they don’t have any feet.

Interesting Fact: Whether this creature is found in the wild or in captivity, it has been known to urinate when picked up. This is considered a sign of distress. It also may bite or scratch, but has not been known to cause any severe harm. If found in the wild, the turtle may be more likely to do any one of these. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispaniolan_slider )

 

 

 

Don’t Talk With Your Mouth Full!

August 30, 2019 — 2 Comments

F/6.3, 1/160, ISO 160.

Green Heron

What is the only time a man thinks about a candlelight dinner?

When the power goes off.

Interesting Fact: They defend breeding areas from each other and from birds like crows and grackles that prey on their nests. Other predators include snakes and raccoons. Both the male and female brood and feed the chicks, which may stay with their parents for more than a month after leaving the nest, as they learn to forage. ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Green_Heron/lifehistory )