Aloha,
Nice to know the name of the little bird that flew into your window, Dave. We have them here too, but I never knew their name. I haven't had any fly into my windows, perhaps that tells you something about how often I clean them!
LOL Christi, hard to believe there won't be anymore pink flamingos, now that is really the end of an era.
Alexandra, we used to have road runners in our back yard in Arizona, but I went off them big time - they used to hunt along the back wall and in the trees and eat the smaller birds like the sparrows, I just hated to see that. They really are suprisingly fast and very deadly.
Lovely to see all the bird pictures.
Heron pics
How sad! I sure did not know that! I guess I thought they ate rodents or bugs.
Gotta a little side note on bird books. I use the Eastern and Caribbean Birds by James Bond. Did you know that Ian Fleming lived in Jamaica on Estate Goldeneye , and was looking for a simple British name for his 007 agent? He turned to his bird book and voila! Bond, James Bond.
Also, what photo contest? Is it in this website? How do you get there?
Deb~If you go back to the home page, on the right hand side there should be a section for the photo contest. If not try Extra's at the top.
I had no idea that roadrunners are so bad! And I didn't know that you lived in AZ, Jenny!
Deb, sorry I missed the post, here's the link, in case you didn't visit yet. http://davesgarden.com/contest/2008/
Christi, I wanna laugh, but it is also sad... Gardnerkett, beautiful Birdie, you are lucky it didn't fly!
I snapped this pretty young thing yesterday, in a ditch in New Orleans - so pretty. Now is this a young blue heron?
Garden, could this be a subject for a painting?
Hi.
No, that seems to be a white egret (sp?). They are very graceful birds.
Sylvain.
Sylvain, I always thought they were Egret's as well, maybe someone was pulling my leg telling me that they were young herons!
LouC~I might have to put it on my list of things to paint.
It is the common Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis. They are also known as white Herons.
They nest in large "Heronries". They one above is looking for insects.
Aloha, Dave
We have those here in town.... (not in my yard!) Very pretty!
We have those egrets in our yard. They are very beautiful birds. They walk around in a stately manner, keeping a sharp eye on the bushes and hedges. I believe they keep the curly tail lizard population in check. They are also known to eat the ducklings of those nefarious muskovi ducks we had in Lauderhill in great numbers, pooping everywhere. What a nuisance those were. I'm so glad they are just about inexistant over here in Delray Beach, 35 miles to the North of Lauderhill, FL.
Take care, everyone.
Sylvain.
I love to see them following the lawn mowers as they are cutting the golf courses. I don't often see them in my garden which is a good thing because I like my gecco's and lizards - I don't think we have curly tails, Sylvain - but I could be wrong - are they a pest?
Now what eats centepedes? It would have to be something at night as they seem to hide during the day -
Nice picture Gardenkett !
Thanks BraveH, I would love to have them in my yard (the herons)
Metro~thanks for the info
Another heron from my neighbourhood
Hey Jen, the common lizards in your yard are probably a variety of geckos, skinks, and the green anole.
What an awesome picture with mirror.
Yes, the curlytail lizard is a pest. They eat anything that moves; a regular T-Rex in miniature. They eat our little native lizards, their own offspring, anything that moves. We didn't have them in Lauderhill but Delray Beach is infested with them.
Sylvain.
Hey Sylvain, can you show us a picture of the curlytail lizard; do you know the Genus / species of the critter?
What are the native lizards in your area?
Mahalo, Dave
Yep Dave, that's exactly what I have, my absolute favorite are the green anole, such pretty fellows. I also have all the good luck in the world from all the geckos that make their way into our house! I take it the skinks are the dark, rather longish, snake looking lizards that inhabit all the damp mulchie places? I supose a slug is rather a mouthful for these little guys which is perhaps why I have so many....
I would like to see the curly tail too Sylvain, but glad to hear you don't have them at your new place.
Aloha to all....
Aloha, my dear island friends, and everyone who reads this.
Curly-tailed Lizard or Lion Lizard – Leiocephalus carinatus varius. I found this picture on a Grand Cayman site, Cayman wildlife connection. I do not believe they are native to Florida but I do know they are carnivorous and eat anything that will fit in their mouth.
www.caymanwildlife.org/wild-lionlizardvaris.html
The only good curly tail is a dead curly tail. They are a member of the iguana family. They dig around the edge of your paved driveway, around the foundation on your house, etc. Plus, they are too small to make them interesting as a food item.
Here is a picture of the despised reptile. BHM, we didn't have them before but they're everywhere here. When Lucy is big enough, I'll toss one in her enclosure. She should pounce on it. BTW, Lucy is a pet ball python we are snakesitting: a delightful creature in every sense of the word.
Aloha
Sylvain, a.k.a. Pu'ole.
Sylvain, this may be the time to introduce half a dozen cats to your place. We all know of barn cats for other types of rodents and this article says the curley tail is very vulnerable to cats.
Christi
Thanks Sylvain, that's an awesome critter. Glad they small!
The only thing similar here is the Cane Toad (Bufo marinus) which eats anything it can grab including young centipedes. Anything that tries to eat the Cane Toad dies as they are toxic. I lost a cat years ago that decided to play with one.
Wow amazing little creatures those curly tails, glad we don't have them here. I really like the anoles and gecko's as well, no problems with them and they are very interesting to watch.
Cute picture Gardnerkett!
Sylvain, is it me, or is the Lion Lizard really big for a lizard? I know you said that it was from the Iguana family, or maybe it's just the picture. Sure glad that we don't have them here!
Aloha, everyone.
The curly tail grows to about 5 or 6 inches, I would say. They are a robust, armored and mean-looking piece of work. They don't grow anywhere as big as their cousins the iguanas. I have seen some that grew to 8 feet. I kid you not.
South Florida probably holds the world's record for introduced species. Name a critter that is not native to Florida and odds are that we have it. The Bufo frog? We have that here. Cuban anoles: check! Frankenfish? Yep! Birds from all over the world? For sure! Fish from everywhere on the planet? Sure do! Monkeys? Over there.
As a rule, anything that a pet shop sells and makes a lousy pet is eventually released in the environment, be it aquatic, land and the air? You guess it. We have them. Being sub-tropical, everything survives and takes over here.
The only thing I haven't seen here are mongooses. I know they are present in Hawai'i. I was told they had been introduced. I saw a few while I was there and I am not keen on them. Plus, I hear they are too lean and stringy to be good eatin'.
As for cats, there are a few feral ones roaming around. Our development does not allow us to have pets, save for aquarium fish and my snake. It's like that most everywhere around here.
Take care, all.
Sylvain, a.k.a. Pu'ole.
While a cat is not my favorite pet, sometimes we shoot ourselves in the foot by banning natural predators, do we not? Left with the choice of a cat or two or the curley tail----no contest.
Wow! That curly tail DOES look like a minature iguana!
Nice picture of the anoles Gardenerkett, aren't they the most beautiful shade of green. I swear I have seen them change color though and turn more brownish when they are hunting on tree trunks - I had better lay off the sherry!
Just can't warm up to snakes, Sylvain. I am so happy we don't have them here on the Island. If one does get here in a plane wheel hub, or I guess in cargo, and it is seen there is a big hunt for it and we are told in the newspaper to be on the look out, and report the sighting. I guess the one we are most woried about is the tree snake from Guam - they now call Guam "the place the birds don't sing" because it has decimated the bird population.
Interestingly, we have a protected area close to LaPerouse bay that has been closed down now for a couple of months so that the land can have a rest from human beings, and the destruction we cause. Within a month of being closed the shore birds came back and are nesting, and new plants are growing - some of which haven't been seen for years by the Rangers. Next Saturday Frank and I are going with two of the Rangers to pick up plastic and fishing nets, etc, along the bays that has drifted in. Amazingly enough some of the debri has Japanese writing on it so it has come a long way. I count it a very special honor to be invited to go with them.
Aloha to all.
Hey Jen, please enjoy your sherry! The green anole does change color to suite it's environment.
Please take some pictures for us when you are at Ahihi Kinau Natural Area Reserve! I haven't seen the place since 1990.
Mahalo, Dave
LOL Dave, glad to hear it's not the sherry!
Will be taking my camera when I go to Ahihi Kinau, along with a note pad to write down the names of the things I am looking at when Joe and Kapa tell me what they are. I am so hoping the trip will be this weekend, but will have to wait on the Rangers as they are so busy at this time of year with all the tourists. They are still busting tourists who are going into the reserve, despite all the signs that are up everywhere explaining that the area is in recovery and no-one is allowed in. I believe it is a hefty fine, and they are very vigilant...the good news is that locals are not going in and are respecting the land.
Everyone here is up in arms because one of the big builders is trying to build up Makena, which is one of the last remaining pieces of natural land left here on the south end of Maui. This may interest you, Dave, they are trying to ban everyone from using Makena Landing, people are furious.
Aloha to all.
Hi Jen, I worked with Xamanek Researches in the area several years ago, I know there are a few rare plants and quite a bit of archaeological features there.
Dana Hall (Hawaiian activist) will probably know of any public efforts to preserve the area.
Yes, meetings galore but somehow the large developers always seem to win. We had many meetings over what they are calling Wailea 670 ( right next to us in Maui Meadows toward Wailea, mauka from the Pi'ilani) where many experts gave testimony about the lack of water and the last stand of large Wiliwili, endangered plants, etc, etc, but it seems as if it still will be going through - what a shame 670 acres of houses all the way up the hill.....
I am told that Makena means "calm of sea and atmosphere". It will be anything but.
Sorry to hear that large developers have so much opportunity in the area. Hannibal Tavares' daughter must be just as pro-development as he was. From 1980 to present I have seen the isthmus of Maui, Lahaina to Kapalua, and land from Kihei to Makena get filled in with houses and condominiums. Lots of extinction and destruction of archaeological sites happened in the mean time with little concern from the County of Maui.
Meet Branta sandvicensis, the Hawaiian Nene Goose.
The Nene is a Listed Endangered species.
These Nene hang out by Wailoa Pond, in Hilo.
An easily distinguishable difference between the Nene Goose, Branta sandvicensis, and the Canadian Goose, Branta canadensis, is that the Nene has a light tan neck with dark furrows, and the Canadian Goose has a solid black neck.
This is what a Nene Goose does when it's disturbed and gets annoyed. Time to let them be.
Aloha, Dave
Dave, what a pretty goose you have in Hawaii, being from Canada I am more familiar with the Canadian Goose and they will chase you if you annoy them!
Here is a Heron that we annoyed, so it took off yelling at us
What beautiful clear pics of both the Nene and the Heron, they both DO look annoyed!
The Nene goose is something else! The Romanian geese are also quite aggressive if you bother them, especially the male and especially if they have babies to take care of! When we were little, we used to be quite afraid of them, as they bit my cousin on the leg!
I agree, the goose and the heron look like they mean it!