Beloved canids

Possibly as a result of imprinting on my first dog, Lisa, I have a particularly soft spot for foxes.

Lisa wasn't quite as athletic as a fox, so I have no Muybridge-inspired photos of her hunting. Here are some real foxes instead:

And some foxy-doggy paintings in aid of the earthquake in Japan: 

http://canyouseetherainbowfromthere.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/wenfei-tong/

Convergence and common names

Confusingly, "ovenbird" can refer to two unrelated bird lineages because they both construct rounded nests that resemble wood-fired ovens. It all comes of trusting common names and convergent evolution.

The ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) that breeds in North America is really a New World warbler in the family Parulidae.

The South American ovenbirds or horneros, in the family Furnariidae, build clay nests that look considerably more convincing as ovens. Here is a rufous hornero (Furnarius rufus) at work:

And enjoying the finished product:

Sibling rivalry, grackles and Catharus thrushes

Great blue heron chicks

Common grackles looking grumpy

Left to right: Hermit thrush, Grey-cheeked thrush, Swainson's thrush

Ostrich Chicks and Setophaga (formerly Dendroica) warblers

       

Spring at the Mt Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA

Florida Scrub Jay and Penguin chicks

Favourite African Mammals

Robin, Plumbeous water-redstart, Little egret