Category: Critters

The critters we love and the critters that deserve our love.

My old girl

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date October 17, 2008

Sixteen years ago this charmer came into our life. We don’t know when Zoë was born or how old she really is, so we call this her birthday. She’s probably closer to 17, but I don’t think she looks a day over 15. She wasn’t in the mood for a birthday picture. I had to finally bribe her with a neck scritch, which made taking the photo one-handed a little challenging.

Little girl gets stiff nowadays, and spends a lot of time on her towel wrapped heating pad on my bed, but she plays every day, and can still climb her cat tree in the living room. Not bad for an old girl, I only wish I was in as good a shape.

Zoë's 16

Connecting Critters

Surviving the times with help from one’s friends

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date October 10, 2008

As for the stories on the economy this week…we can survive anything, with a little help from our family and friends.

Grooming session at the zoo

Critters Photography

Not just butterflies

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date September 19, 2008

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

My last trip to the Botanical didn’t just result in some butterfly photos. I was also able to grab some photos of birds, including a rather proud looking goldfinch.

male goldfinch

Our bright fellow wasn’t by himself, though. This female goldfinch, with more subtle coloring, was busy either trying to hack loose a leaf, or sharpening her bill.

female goldfinch

Critters Photography

First Monarchs

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date September 19, 2008

I spotted my first monarchs this week, and managed to get a couple of photos of them and some of their friends at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

Monarch butterfly:

Monarch

I was finally able to capture an image of a Cabbage White. Though they are common, they’re difficult to photograph because they move about more than most of the other butterflies. They’re also a very aggressive butterfly, chasing away other types of butterflies and, on a couple of occasions, small birds.

Cabbage White

The following dainty beauty is most likely a male Clouded Sulphur :

Clouded Sulphur

There’s always room for one more Painted Lady photo:

Painted Lady

At first I thought this butterfly was a male Taxiles Skipper, but the Butterflies and Moths of North America guide say that this species has never been spotted in Missouri. Running through all of the Skipper photos, I then found the Fiery Skipper, which is known to be in Missouri. The two are very similar, at least to someone new to butterfly identification.

Taxiles Skipper?

Critters

Thank goodness for giant squid

Post author By Shelley Powers
Post date September 12, 2008

Because otherwise, I would go mad.

New blockbuster video: Don’t go boating if you owe money to a giant squid. The movie of two friends in a boat on the Brisbane River, one of whom owes money to a giant squid. Guess where the giant squid lives? Soon to be a new feature length film. “It’s not safe to swim in the Brisbane River.”
Philadelphia’s Fringe also goes in search of the Giant Squid — on a budget. I’d love to see a video of this.
The Spoof: Giant Squid Reported in Lake Okeechobee. A nice follow up to the recent B– F— story.
Thanks to the goodness of friends sending the link, Collision Detection: The Humboldt squid beak: Diamond-sharp mystery of the briny deep.