Wednesday, May 24, 2017

May 24, 2017: Field Work at Pulau Ubin

 A visit to Pulau Ubin with Justin from N. Parks, Joseph, Chris, Linda and Cole.

Ant Mimic Jumping Spider (Myrmarachne sp)


Pyramid log cabin built by a bagworm moth larva



Epeus jumping spider



Juvenile wolf spider, Pardosa pusiola ?


Epeus


Epeus


Pritha


Segestridae, "tubeweb spider" 


Segestridae, "tubeweb spider" 


Segestridae, "tubeweb spider" 



Spider wasp Pompilidae



Lacewing Larva on the move



Sac spider (female)


Male sac spider


Vicira jumping spider 


Spider wasp (Pompilidae) with  possibly a huntsman



Ant mimic, Myrmarachne sp, eating something



Thursday, May 4, 2017

May 4, 2017: Watching a Limpkin make a mussel breakfast

For me, there is nothing more fun that watching behavior - whether human or animal or plant.  I observed the 10 essential steps for making breakfast.  Here  a limpkin skillfully finds a buried mussel shell,  extracts a mussel from its shell, washes it and enjoys a fresh breakfast 

Step 1: Fish for a mussel shell


Step 2: pull the shell to the surface


Step 3: Penetrate the shell interior with your beak


Step 4: Open the shell


Step 5: Open the shell without dropping it


Step 6: Grab the mussel without dropping it


Step 7: Position the mussel for swallowing


Step 8: Fine tune position for optimal swallowing


Step 9: Swallow and enjoy


Step 10: A happy limpkin 


Another iteration: catch the mussel and penetrate the shell


Carefully wash the mussel


Position for swallowing 


Swallow


Wednesday, May 3, 2017

May 3, 2017: David and Goliath: Red-winged blackbird chases herons



         David and Goliath - Red-winged blackbird chasing herons and egrets            

The chased - invading the red-winged blackbird territory


The chaser: Red-winged Blackbird




The chase -   blackbird chasing the white egret.  I suspect the egret and heron invaded territory that housed a blackbird nest.


Chasing a little blue heron



Close quarter chasing


The heron found there was no way to out maneuver the blackbird


Chasing from above


Taking a turn


This little blackbird is quite persistent