Wonderful, fresh approach to nature journalism!
Thanks for posting!

Paul

The European Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa) is so well established in the US that it has been made the official state insect of Connecticut, where I grew up.  We still have plenty of kinds of native mantis.  Here is a Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina.

Paul

Great mantis!

Thanks,

Paul

And another happy belated birthday from me!

Paul

Wow!  They must be amazing to watch.  Burrowing parrots are called Patagonian Conures here and often kept as pets -- beautiful, but I have heard that if you have one, you don't need an alarm clock.  I've enjoyed watching wild parrot flocks in San Francisco, but the burrowing parrot colony must be incredible to experience.

Paul

Lou,

Thanks for getting me an eagle fix for today!

Paul

Maybe you have a Variety Pak of small insects -- both aphids and thrips.

Paul

This year, Catherine failed to win the shaving cream race, but I managed to win the sailing regatta two weeks in a row.  The weather was wonderful, even providing a chance to swim in surf at our cabin on our last evening, as a storm rolled in.  I woke up to loon calls nearly every morning.

Don't sign:
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Sign:
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Commenting on a similar peregrine pose, one of the San Francisco falcon people commented that she kept imagining either a shot glass or a hand of cards in the bird's talon.

Paul

St. George?
Sigurd?

Paul

Ah its so cute. Is that as big as it gets or is it a baby?

Our snake is about half grown.  They are pretty small guys -- an average adult is about 22 inches or .56 meters.

Paul

My daughter Catherine was  sick today, so I came home early from work.  As I rode my bike up the steep hill leading to my house, I noticed a tiny green snake trying, without much success, to cross the road.  I stopped to rescue it and brought it into our house before releasing it in the backyard.  Catherine felt it was the cutest snake ever and was delighted. 

It's a Smooth Greensnake (Opheodrys vernalis).  They live on grasshoppers, crickets, and other small insects.  It was quite docile and seemed to enjoy the warmth of my hand.  When I released it in Catherine's garden plot, it vanished instantly abong the blades of grass. 

Paul

Mirta:

Great bat pictures!  Perhaps our cabin mate, Wallace, is doing this right now at the lake.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1213851/Stunning-shots-thirsty-bats-swooping-lick-water-garden-pond.html

Paul

Wow!

I'm so glad you were able to se your first eagles.

Paul

The original Argos was a dog who waited 20 years for the return of Odysseus, so I suppose we can wait a bit longer.

Paul