Giant Eagle Owl, aka Verreaux’s Owl, Botswana, Africa
When the sun goes down and the night turns black this Halloween, there are plenty of wildlife creatures to send shivers up the spine.
Owls, our most famous nocturnal creature, have serrated feathers for silent flight. They can glide right past you invisibly and soundlessly…all you know is a faint breeze on your face.
Eastern Barn Owl, Australia
The shadows of the rainforest can make the small creatures large…
Bandicoot, Australia
and the large creatures gigantic.
Baird’s Tapir, female adult, Belize
And where would our scary nights be without bats? In Australia the bats are so big their scientific name is megabats. Here are two species of megabats.
Pair of Spectacled Flying Foxes, Australia
Grey-headed Flying Fox, Australia. Photo: Athena Alexander
In the Trinidad rainforest we discovered a steady stream of these Long-tongued Bats shooting out of the lodge basement every night at cocktail hour, like clockwork.
Long-tongued bats, Asa Wright Centre, Trinidad
A walk through the Australian rainforest brings out animals most of us have never heard of like brushtail possums and sugar-gliders.
Even creatures who are not nocturnal, like this lizard, lurk in the night…they have to sleep somewhere.
Lizard, Australia
One night while Athena was photographing sugar gliders, cicadas came in, attracted to the lodge’s yard light.
Cicada, Australia
I was admiring their bright green color and thinking how much bigger their cicadas were here in Australia, than ours at home. Bigger than my thumb.
I thought they were very cool…until one landed in my hair.
I screamed. Panicked and beat my hands through my hair like a crazy person.
And Africa has a very animated night life when it comes to wildlife. Moths as big as birds; and of course all the nocturnal mammals that are out hunting–lions, leopards, hyenas, to name a few.
Leopards, Zambia. Photo: Athena Alexander
Spotted Hyena, Zambia
The African savanna at night is like no other place on earth. Bumping along in a jeep past the black expanse, at first you see nothing. But then you start to see eerie eyes shining back at you. Pairs of eyes. Everywhere.
The eye shine has to do with a reflective layer behind the retina that helps the animal see better in the dark.
We were cruising along when we heard a lot of sloshing. The guide whispered for us to get our cameras ready.
Here’s what the light revealed.
Hippos, Zambia
The most terrifying night sound I have ever heard was in the Amazon rainforest: the howler monkeys. I’ve mentioned it before, but will include a sound clip again.
Howler monkeys are territorial so when one starts howling, announcing its supreme existence, they all start up. It has a stereo effect that permeates the forest in the most haunting way, sounds like a combination of tornado winds and deep-voiced gorillas.
Red Howler Monkeys, Peru
Imagine hearing this in the dark as you’re walking to the bathroom.
Wild monkeys, hyenas, leopards, owls, bats…a great way to get your Halloween sufficiently spooky. And while these animals may get your heart jumping, erratically even, they’re really not interested in hurting you…well, some aren’t.
In this fresh new year — try to find a spark of joy in every day.
It could be a spot of bright nature;
Azure Kingfisher, Australia
or something new you’ve never seen before;
Male Kudu, Botswana, Chobe River
Conversely, joy could appear in something you see every day, but never stopped to appreciate.
Monarch Butterfly, Horicon Marsh, WI
Twelve-spotted Skimmer Dragonfly, California
We can find joy in remarkable human engineering feats;
Sydney Opera House, Australia
or inspiring people;
Gandhi Statue, The Ferry Building, San Francisco
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC
or art, so many forms of art.
Ancient Kangaroo Rock Art, Kakadu NP, Australia
Chihuly Sea Star, Seattle, WA
Some of the most cheerful joy comes in simple forms.
American Robin nest, Wisconsin
California Honeysuckle, lonicera
There will be times, however, in the new year when difficulty or despair take over.
Joy might not be readily accessible in the darkness.
Olympic Peninsula, Washington
For these times, go to sleep, rest…
Grey-headed Flying Foxes, Sydney, Australia
… and try again tomorrow.
Warmest thanks to my blogging friends and readers, for a year filled with joyful sweet moments, warm words, happy smiles, vicarious adventures, stunning images, and heartfelt sharing. Gentle wishes for a new year filled with joy.
Written by Jet Eliot
All photos by Athena Alexander.
One of the world’s tiniest hummingbirds, the tufted coquette is about the size of a credit card. They live in rainforests and gardens, in a few countries in and around South America. Hummingbirds are a symbol of joy.
Happy Holidays, my friends, and many thanks for your valuable friendship~~
Photo credit: Athena Alexander
A good last minute gift is a digital e-book, and I know just the one — it’s hot off the press, suspenseful, and written by someone you know. Also available in paperback.
Toronto, Canada; Mtn Equip Co-op Store (MEC) roof. Courtesy Wikipedia.
Defined as a building roof partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, green roofs have become a new trend in the 21st century…but they are not new.
Until the late 1800s, sod roofs were the most common roof on Scandinavian log houses. Sod roofs, made with birch bark, kept the house insulated from cold and moisture.
Osterdalen farmstead, Norsk Folkemuseum, Oslo, Norway. Courtesy Wikipedia
Eventually sod roofs fell out of vogue, but were revived in the 1960s in Germany. Today Germany has the most green roofs in the world; where they are part of the landscaping apprentice education.
Calif. Acad. of Sciences, SF. Courtesy Wikipedia.
San Francisco’s natural history museum, The California Academy of Sciences, was completely renovated in 2008 due to earthquake damage. This gave them an opportunity for new environmental upgrades, including a green roof.
SF Academy of Science. Green roof, “rolling hills” in center.
In the center of this large city, the roof provides 2.5 acres (1 h) of rolling hills and fields. A living science exhibit, the roof is open to museum viewers.
I visited there recently and not only was there a terrific view of Golden Gate Park, but white-crowned sparrows serenaded and butterflies fluttered past me.
Courtesy Wikipedia
The Academy reports 30-35% less energy consumption than required. More Calif. Academy Living Roof info here.
Green roofs vary depending on the depth of the planting medium. The deeper the layer of earth, the more installation and maintenance is required. A waterproof membrane and root barrier are always involved.
Shasta Daisy
Rooftop container gardens, though beautiful, are technically not green roofs.
Learning how to maximize our urban centers into earth-friendly expanses will go a long way toward supporting and enhancing our growing population.
Photo credit: Athena Alexander unless otherwise noted
Chicago City Hall. So many abundant flowering plants here, beekeepers harvest 200 lbs of honey/year. Courtesy Wikipedia