Hawaii State Department of Education’s Post

The Eurasian siskin, male (Spinus spinus) A small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Eurosiberia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers. It can be distinguished from other similar finches by the colour of the plumage. The upper parts are greyish green and the under parts grey-streaked white. Its wings are black with a conspicuous yellow wing bar, and the tail is black with yellow sides. The male has a mainly yellow face and breast, with a neat black cap. Female and young birds have a greyish green head and no cap. It is a trusting, sociable and active bird. The song of this bird is a pleasant mix of twitters and trills. For these reasons it is often raised in captivity. These birds have an unusual migration pattern as every few years in winter they migrate southwards in large numbers. The reasons for this behaviour are not known but may be related to climatic factors and above all the availability of food. In this way overwintering populations can thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder, often hanging upside-down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations. More information: https://lnkd.in/dp94pGjT Photographed on 30 December 2023 ... . . . . . #vihervarpunen #Eurasiansiskin #siskin #Spinusspinus #bird #naturephotography #wildlifepic #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birds #birdingphotography #nature #birdphotography #birdcaptures #lintukuvaus #birding

Bird watching is a great way to enjoy nature and also learn a bit about different species. Check out this article from AARP regarding Bird Watching basics. https://conta.cc/43GDa4h

Witness the unexpected! 🦁🌳 Have you ever imagined a lion, with all its grandeur and majesty, in a tree? It seems impossible given their size and the call of gravity, doesn't it? But here in the expansive Thornybush Private Nature Reserve, we love to defy the odds. Watch this interesting video footage captured by Shumbalala Game Lodge field guide Bryce Mitchell - first, we present the agile leopard, for whom climbing trees is a natural skill. Next, some interesting footage of a lion in the reserve deciding to try the same. Can you see the difference? This is an extraordinary occurrence, as unlike their nimble cousins, the leopards, lions are not known for their arboreal agility. But nature continues to surprise us! Perhaps this signals a shift in lion behaviour as sightings of prides perched in trees become increasingly reported. But why is this happening? Some say it’s to get a better vantage point or to escape the heat, others suggest it's to avoid pesky insects, or maybe they are simply adapting to their environment. Regardless of the reason, watching our royal felines clumsily manoeuvre their way up a tree underscores the fact that they are out of their natural element. But it is this very spectacle that makes it so captivating. Who has seen this majestic but rather comical sight with their own eyes? Let us know in the comments below and share your unique lion encounters! 👇 📍Shumbalala Game Lodge, Thornybush Private Nature Reserve 🇿🇦 📸Video footage by Shumbalala Game Lodge field guide, @bryce_mitchell007 #ShumbalalaGameLodge #Thornybush #SouthAfricaSafari #LuxurySafari #WildlifeEnthusiasts #BigCats #LionSighting #NatureUnexpected #Adaptation #WildlifePhotography #UniqueEncounters #AfricanWildlife #MajesticLion #TreeClimbingLion #NatureReserve #AfricanSafari

In many ways, finding an owl is pure luck or coincidence like when we found this Costa Rican Pygmy Owl, however, we have been noticing lately that finding this difficult bird is; "as much as we look for them we get luckier and luckier" In many ways, finding an owl is pure luck or coincidence like when we found this Costa Rican Pygmy Owl, however, we have been noticing lately that finding this difficult bird is; "as much as we look for them we get luckier and luckier" #costaricapygmyowl #costaricabirding #naturephotography #naturelovers #owl #costaricagateway

Spot the Elusive Beauty; Top 7 Places to See Leopards in Tanzania's National Parks Leopards, with their striking spotted coats and secretive nature, are a thrilling sight on any safari. Tanzania's diverse national parks offer excellent opportunities to witness these magnificent predators. Here's our list of the top 7 places to enhance your chances of an unforgettable leopard encounter 1. Serengeti National Park: The vast Serengeti is a prime location for leopard sightings, especially during the Great Migration when prey is abundant. 2. Tarangire National Park: This park boasts a healthy leopard population, with experienced guides often knowing their whereabouts. 3. Ruaha National Park: While leopard numbers are lower here, the chance of a shared sighting is high due to guides' knowledge of their territories. 4. Lake Manyara National Park: Night drives in this park are ideal for spotting leopards, as they're more active after dark in the densely forested areas. 5. Ngorongoro Conservation Area: Though sightings aren't guaranteed, the crater's diverse habitat offers possibilities for encountering leopards. Consider night drives here as well. 6. Manyara Ranch Conservancy: A private reserve bordering Lake Manyara, offering a more intimate safari experience with good chances of seeing leopards. 7. Katavi National Park: Remoteness defines this park, and while leopard sightings are less frequent, the experience is truly off-the-beaten path. #TanzaniaSafari #LeopardSpotting #AfricanWildlife #Serengeti #TarangireNationalPark #RuahaNationalPark #LakeManyara #NgorongoroCrater #WildCatsOfAfrica #BigCatSafari #travel #wildlife #photography

🐋🌟 Dive into a year of majestic marvels! Experience the thrill of the most breathtaking whale sightings in B.C. This article summarizes the most popular and thrilling whale stories of 2023.

Cawing gull. About 2 minutes before I took this picture, I ran into some people who reported several large hawks diving at each other. I hurried to the spot and found nothing except this lone, seemingly-upset, gull. Had there been hawks? Had the people correctly identified the birds as hawks? I think, yes, to both questions. Gulls, in my observations, often travel in groups at a leisurely pace. This gull circled frantically and then flew on. At the same time I saw the gull, I heard, but never saw, a loud Kiskadee with its call, which sounds like its name. So, what was going on? Something. It begs the question, if a tree falls in the forest and no one sees it, does it really fall? Increasingly, I think reality is more about the observer and the observation point than it is about an objective set (of facts, vertices, etc.) that exists in space/time.

Art, storytelling, and mindful awareness, are powerful keys to help advocate positive, and often drastic changes to our human experience. If we can dream it, we can be it!

🪶 This is a Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) a member of the Accipitridae (Small and Large Birds of Prey) family. 🪶 Like all birds of prey they have the best vision in all of the animal kingdom. To put it into perspective they not only can see further than humans, their visual acuity is eight times greater than ours, while being able to see in color. That’s like having a pair of binoculars or telescopes for eyes 👀 with the ability to focus on close and very long range subjects. 🔭 🪶 While they are a medium sized hawk with an average wingspan of 38-42 inches, they can still fly at speeds from 18-34 mph. So they can certainly fly a lot faster than we can run, never try to race a hawk, it won’t end well for you. 🏃🏽 🪶 Red-Shouldered Hawks eat a variety of prey items mostly small rodents like mice and voles, medium sized rodents like tree squirrels and rabbits. They also will prey on amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds, large insects, earth worms, and even crustaceans like crayfish. These hawks have even been known to eat carrion like road killed deer. 🐀 🪶 Do you love birds of prey as much as I do? Tell me your favorite in the comments section below and I’ll tell you my favorite one too. 🦅 Learn more about this beautiful hawk here: https://lnkd.in/e__XQNTd #bird #birds #birdphotography #birder #birdwatcher #wildlife #birding #birdwatching #birdlovers #wildlifeofinstagram #wildlifeconservation #wildlifephotography #wildlifeonearth #outdoors #outdoorphotography #nature #naturephotography #animal #animallovers #animalphotography #science #conservation #photography #wildlifephotographer #SonyAlpha #birdphotos #ornithology #hawk #redshoulderedhawk

Every winter around the full moon an extraordinary event takes place in southern Australia. Thousands of spider crabs march into shallow water gathering together in large groups to moult their shells – one of Nature’s great spectacles! Huge Smooth Rays which can weigh up to 700 pounds gather to feast on the cavalcade of crabs. The crabs mass together to increase their chances of survival during the half hour it takes to moult and shed their old shells. During the full moon cycle, the ocean currents are stronger which helps the crabs shake free of their shells but once they are released they are still at high risk as their soft shells make them the choice prey of the rays. When the masses head to the piers for safety the rays follow. The crabs eat as they march - seastars, seaweed and sponges on the pylons nourish the crustaceans. When the moulted crabs emerge the back of the shell cracks, body fluids ooze out which the rays detect and swiftly move in to crush their prey with plate-like teeth. The rays have sensitive rostrums which they use to smell out the recently moulted and easily consumed crabs. With up to twenty rays feeding at the same time the crabs' only hope is to moult quickly and hide on the pylons until their shells harden enough to no longer be of interest to the rays. Once their shells harden these survivors will head to deeper water until the next annual migration. #rays #searays #migration #moulting #crustaceans #crabs #hunting #prey #photography #natgeo #underwater #photooftheday