Today, well exactly yesterday I got my first shot of an Egyptian mongoose. The photo could be sharper, but I’m so happy. I’ve seen them I think three times, but never managed to get a photo. I remember the first time, when I had no idea what it was and felt the gears in my brain working (or rather not.) It’s not a fox, not a marten, nor a polecat, or a weasel and definitely not a cat or dog. So, what on earth is it?? I didn’t know mongooses occur in Europe (Spain). Now I knew, of course. I saw something coming from the left to the path where I was and stay for a moment behind a signpost. The only moment you have to switch on and raise the camera. In the background I heard a woman talking on the mobile, coming my direction. Then the mongoose crossed the path and I managed to get my shot.
This amazing and huge Black Eagle was always a bird I wanted to see. I first thought it was a vulture until I saw the completely black body and wings and the contrasting legs and cere. The 3rd Eagle, 9th Accipiter and 85th bird I have photographed at the place.
I got to explore a part of Australia I’ve not been to before which yielded a few lifers but my favourite by far is this critically endangered spiny crayfish Euastacus hirsutus, my first one from this highly endemic genus. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/331663206
The odd thing is, they were flying north at the start of winter. The French Broad River flows north at that point, then veers westward into Tennessee. I see 7 in that picture, maybe 8 if two are unresolved, and estimate that that’s about a tenth of the total flock.
These may be birds that are staying put all year, instead of migrating. There are some geese where I live that keep a very regular commuting schedule, flying from their roosting site to fields where they can forage in the morning, then flying back in the evening.
Yeah, I was impressed too. Especially on a leaf! They’re so tiny, the slightest moves (at least when shooting handheld) and it’s a blur. Lucky break with the wind-free shooting op!
This has been quite the month of inatting! Plus it’s been quite a month in general- i learnt to swim, ate my first mussel (it was delicious), studied a lot about birds, learnt how to build an axe, and a lot more!
