@enog I love the red wing blackbirds! We have lots here. They are very aggressive if you're near their territory. Basically, if you're smaller than a lightweight aircraft - they will try & challenge & drive any perceived threat away. I've seen them team up & go after mature bald eagles before. They are little in size but immensely brave. Super tough, defensive fighter birds!
Yes, he was very aggressive, getting really close to me, making a lot of noise😉 especially when I was walking. When I stopped moving, he became less aggressive 🤔
Two African Fish Eagles sit together to survey their world. The larger, stockier bird on the lower branch is the female. The slighter bird sitting protectively above her & turned to regard the viewer is the male.
Note: When zooming in hard on this photograph, I can see that the male has lost his right eye, but it doesn't seem to be slowing him down any.
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) in cattails (Typha angustifolia) at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, United States on February 9, 2024
We took a trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo today and saw the Wetland exhibit in the Birdhouse. Not the best photos but thought it would be a good contribution to #MarshMadness :)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) near cattails (Typha angustifolia) at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, United States on February 9, 2024
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) Ducks at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, United States on February 9, 2024
There's lots of interesting stuff underground at the edge of a #wetland meadow. Layers of coal are a few hundred meters below, but we hope they won't reach that deep. They come back with black noses and feet anyway.
Wetlands are areas of land that are saturated with water, either seasonally or permanently. Swamps, bogs, and marshes are all wetlands. Here are examples of each in Indiana:
Twin Swamps Nature Preserve located in Mt. Vernon
Pinhook Bog is a bog located in northwest Indiana. It is home to one third of Indiana’s rare or endangered plants.
Celery Bog (which is actually a marsh) in West Lafayette
Our tiny patch of wetland continues to survive in the wooded back portion of our property. Wetland is an important biome, but so many people want to see every bit of woodland drained to make dry, human-accessible spaces. Guess what? It's not all about us!
This year, share your amazing #wetland science! Submit by Jan 12 to Session #6 “Advances in Wetland Science: Connecting the Land, Water, and People” at #IAGLR24 in Windsor.
Co-Chairs: @kirkwoodlab.bsky.social @girls@cdrobich.bsky.social @tylerbhampton.bsky.social