Cutest fruit bat ever!

Cutest little fruit bat – Photograph by Laura Lecce

Ok, so to those of you that hate bats, hopefully I can change your mind with these two very cute photos. In inner Sydney an hour before sunset the sky is full of winged creatures called flying foxes (also known as a fruit bat), which is one of Australia’s mega-bats. This particular type is native to Australia and is called a Grey-headed flying fox (typically a grey head with a neck collar of orange-brown fur). These little guys might be bigger than you think, with adults having an average wingspan of 1 meter (3.3 ft). They settle on the giant fig trees when in fruit, and if you are anywhere near, you will hear them squabbling loudly at each other. Unlike micro-bats they don’t use sonar to get around, they use their eyes an ears like we do and can see in the dark as good as a cat can. If you watch them closely enough you will see how cute they are, hanging upside-down and watching you while munching on a fig, which also means they poke their tongue out a lot. To me the photo below is just like an adorable teddy bear. They love nectar, pollen and fruits and are vital to maintaining the ecosystem by dispersing the seeds. I hope you also see how adorable a bat can really be once you get past the whole night creature with leathery wings.

Bat or teddy bear? – Photograph by Laura Lecce

A heron with a spunky hairdo

A spunky hairdo – Photograph by Laura Lecce

This juvenile Green Heron was photographed in Belize, and what amazes me with these birds is how different they appear as an adult compared to a juvenile. This bird is called a Green Heron because as an adult his back and wing feathers will be a very deep green color (rather than brown) and a chestnut red neck and breast. Hopefully he will get to keep those lovely white streaks down the front of his neck. This little fellow is stretching his neck out to see as far as he can from his perch, but a lot of the time they will sit with their neck folded. These birds have quite a spiky hairdo which they can emphasize at will by raising their crown feathers when annoyed or disgruntled, or just because they can.

A formidable pair of ospreys

A formidable pair of ospreys – Photograph by Laura Lecce

This mating pair of ospreys were getting their nest ready for the future egg that will call this nest home. They were the only ospreys on this tiny island off the coast of Belize, and having the entire island to themselves meant they had ample food to catch in the reefs off the shore. Ospreys are the kind of bird that if they were ever happy, they never show it, with their face fixed in an icy frown. At one point hubby returned with a fish and wifey jumped with joy and ran across the roof top to share the meal, still looking as angry as ever! Poor guy, I guess he should have caught a bigger fish.

Merry Christmas 2018

Christmas Bird 2018 – Photograph by Laura Lecce

A very merry Christmas and happy New Year to everyone! I’m looking forward to seeing the wonderful creatures that 2019 will bring. I am now back in Australia permanently, so hopefully some beautiful Aussie birds will come and say hi.

The three seabirds

The three seabirds – Photograph by Laura Lecce

Not all seabirds are what we imagine. When I hear “seabird” I think of a large pointy-winged hunter gliding over the ocean, waiting to dive for its prey just below the surface of the water. Or, I think of a huge colony of squabbling seagulls on the sand fighting over their food. In this photo however, are a trio of fairly timid and quiet seabirds that are often overlooked for a photo. I think that the red-brown feathers and bright orange legs are a perfect match for this crystal clear, aqua blue water.

Woodpecker in Belize

Woodpecker in Belize – Photograph by Laura Lecce

Since we’re on the topic of woodpeckers, I thought I’d show you a different kind. This beautiful, puffed out bird was diligently hole checking on an island in Belize. It was traveling with a friend from palm tree to palm tree, which made me realize that the woodpeckers I’ve seen have often traveled in pairs. I’m not entirely sure what kind of woodpecker this is, as it has the face markings of a ladderback woodpecker, but more yellow coloring on the underbelly than usual. I saw them at the same times each day which gave me multiple opportunities to observe their behavior and get some great photos.

Woodpecker with a radical hairdo

Woodpecker with a radical hairdo – Photograph by Laura Lecce

This was a treat to finally get to photograph on of the largest woodpeckers in America. Growing up in Australia I didn’t know there were different types of woodpeckers, I thought there was only one. This particular bird is a Pileated Woodpecker that lives in Yosemite National Park. My ignorance about the woodpecker is valid considering they exist worldwide except for Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Madagascar and extreme polar regions. In America, well before I had even seen a woodpecker, I had learned to recognize the signs of woodpecker activity on trees who have had numerous holes poked into them and display naked areas where the bark has been hammered off. I’ve also often heard the bird in the distance hammering on the tree, but not actually seen the individual making all the noise. They hit the tree surprisingly hard with their beaks over and over again at incredible speed, it is a wonder how they don’t have a permanent migraine.

A lizard with blue spots?!

Lizard with blue spots – Photograph by Laura Lecce

If I didn’t have photographic proof, would you ever have believed that I found a lizard with blue spots? Well this Aruban Whiptail lizard with a ‘too cool for school’ facial expression is real and comes in differing degrees of blue. Many species of whiptails reproduce asexually by parthenogenesis, meaning the females eggs undergo chromosomal doubling without being fertilized and produce babies with the genetic make up (clones) of the mother. Because of this reproductive quirk, many species of whiptail lizards are all females. Goodbye males and genetic diversity and hello to a world where females rule all. See ladies, it can happen!

For other lizards posts please click here.

There’s always one

There’s always one – Photograph by Laura Lecce

This photo makes me smile… While each of these gorgeous Icelandic horses are warming their faces in the sun, there is one with his bum to the sun. So here’s to being different, interesting and unique, especially if it brings a smile to someone’s face and keeps your butt warm at the same time.

For other posts about Iceland click here.