המועדפים של sammyjames

A Texas Rock Squirrel has decided that she likes a spot on my window sill just outside my office window to sit and eat sunflower seeds. One of our indoor cats, Lily, has decided she likes to sit inches away from the rock squirrel, so the two of them exchanged long visual examinations for many minutes at a time, several times today. It will be interesting to see if this continues on other days. cell phone image.

Saw this poor little guy walking home today. He was scared exhausted, clinging to the wall after being prodded with a stick by a guy. After myself and a couple guys managed to fend him off, Calgary Transit Peace Officers came to help (See pics). The police, fire and animal control were reluctant, as they would likely have to be put into the position of euthanizing it. But, this good officer gave it a bit of a ramp to help it down and said he would remain and ensure no one else approached it!

Rhagodima cf. nigrocincta

Cincta (cinctus, cinctum) in latin means "surrounded by". So the portmanteau "nigrocincta" can mean "surrounding by black color". This might refer to colors and patterns on the abdomen of this species. Or it may not refer to black patches on some legs which does not form full circle/ring as in R. Annulata.

But these informations are not clear to me as per the description by Henry Meyners Bernard who described the species as Rhax nigrocincta along with Rhax Howesii (currently assigned as Rhagodes melanopygus). Another information I can find is that as per Simon's 1885 description R. annulata has body length of 18mm and as per Bernard's description of R. nigrocincta is around 1.25 to 2 inches. T̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶p̶e̶c̶i̶m̶e̶n̶ ̶w̶e̶ ̶s̶a̶w̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶a̶r̶o̶u̶n̶d̶ ̶1̶.̶2̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶1̶.̶5̶ ̶i̶n̶c̶h̶e̶s̶ ̶l̶o̶n̶g̶.̶ (The specimen was just 2 cms long after I re-checked the video where it climbed to my friend's hand. Videograb is attached as last photo.)

Henry Meyners Bernard's 1894 article on the species called "On two new species of Rhax. Journal of Linnean Soicety London" can be read here: https://ww.rcin.org.pl/dlibra/publication/88759/edition/67942/content?ref=struct

The illustrations on the book has been digitized and uploaded to Wiki Commons over here:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rhagodima_nigrocincta.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rhagodima_nigrocincta_cutted.jpg

Comparing the images above I can see similar black patches on the legs. Also the white moustache pattern has good resemblance on the individual. But I don't see the spurs specified in illustrations.

Note: I am not conforming on the species level identification here. I have just added my notes here for future reference for anybody who wants to take this subject for research.

Featured links:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_IRP2ZA02t/

https://twitter.com/inaturalist/status/1251551116027805698

https://www.facebook.com/inaturalist/posts/pfbid02Fja8b97GMMmc4V5FAbNAoccbEETKiDDF59KX7BzdsWV3rqReRq1x4HJa4T9m41cFl

The first time I had ever seen this, i videoed the entire event as well from entry to exit. It was as if this species swims all the time. I sent it to a frogmouth expert and she had never seen that before. The bird chose to swim and flew away very easily after its swim. There appeared to be no explanation for the bird swimming as it was not particularly hot or anything unusual.

Green form of the Alpine Green Cockroach Polyzosteria viridissima one of 15 individuals sighted in a short period at this location. Two other individuals were photographed to show variation also see:
-https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36369027
-https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36369029

For years, since I first read of disk-winged bats, I've been peering into unfurled leaves of heliconias and prayer plants in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. Today I finally scored – Thyroptera tricolor, Spix's Disk-winged Bat! The five species of this genus have tiny suction cups by their thumbs and heels to cling to the inside of these leaves, where they live during the day.

Ramaria? Ramaria concolor?

Plant on left is Mitchella repens, I think: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/20384470.

Plant on right is Monotropa uniflora: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/20384476.

Bamboo Pit Viper (Trimeresurus gramineus Shaw, 1802).

Habitat: It is found in bamboo groves and forests, usually near streams.

The range of this species has been restricted to southern India. It is also rarely seen near Harishchandragad and some other mountain ranges of Western Ghats aka Sahyadris in Maharashtra.

SURPRISED TO SEE SUCH A CASUAL YAWN, THANKS TO OUR CAMERAS THESE DAYS, THEY HAPPEN TO HELP IN SUCH MOMENTS, TAKEN WITH CANON 100-400MM SO HAD PROBLEMS WITH DEPTH OF FIELD.