I thought that the title would get your attention. Another example of my weird and eerie sense of humor. This isn’t Horned Toad Sunday. I just made that up. 🙂
Actually, I didn’t do too much today in the line of birding. I spend most of the day doing the Sunday crossword. However, I did get busy and put some new pictures in my bird album. Also I put one new one in my animal album. You can see all of them by going to my Photo Albums page by clicking them above, or on the blogroll at the right.
I won’t hold you in suspense, so I will show you the new animal photo here live and in color. It is a Horned Toad, a.k.a. Horny Toad and Horned Frog. They are getting scarce out here in west Texas. Many things have been blamed for there demise. Imported fire ants, disease, etc. Nobody know for sure. This is the first one that I have seen in several years. He was crawling across the road out at San Angelo State Park.
Horned Toad
Okay, you twisted my arm so I will also show you one of my new bird photos, too. This one of the Western Meadowlarks that are starting to arrive. Someone will probably tell me this is an Eastern Meadowlark. They may be right. I have a hard time telling them apart.
Meadowlark
Click on either image to see an enlargement.
Does anyone know a six letter for a weasel’s cousin??
Texas Tweeties by Bob Zeller 
Oh I love the horned toad shot Bob. You don’t need any photography tips from me. There are some great shots on here. It’s very cool that you’re out there taking these birds and animals that I’ll probably never have a chance to see in the wild.
Thanks, Chris.
It just takes and persistence to get all those shots. I don’t have a day job anymore, so I spend most of time just driving around thru the coutryside, and thru our parks in the area. I have my Canon 7D with a 100-400 lens on my lap for fast shooting. If my target subject affords me the time, I have another 7D between the seats with a 500mm lens ot it. It’s amazing what things cross your path eventually. Of course, I stick to the untraveled country roads, so I don’t interfere with traffic. Of course, out here in west Texas it is pretty wide open. I don’t know where you’re from, but I bet you could come up with some of these kind of shots, too.
Bob
Excellent shots! I love the eye-to-eye angle you’ve used for the bird shot, it really brings out that captivating expression! Beautiful bokeh!
Also, that horny toad reminds me of the australian thorny devil.
Thanks, Kai. I appreciate your compliments.
Bob
Hi Cindy,
That was a hoot writing this post. I got more responses about solving my crossword than I did about the photos. But that’s great. I get to hear from more people. 🙂
Bob
What a coincidence! A biologist was just on the CBC talking specifically about the miraculous hibernation survival techniques of the endangered Vancouver Island marmot. Their body temperature drops to just above freezing and if I remember correctly, their heart rate drops to about 4 beats per minute! I’ve seen the Hoary Marmot scuttling about the rocks at the top of the Jasper Tramway (2277 metres 7472 ft elevation), but I understand that there is another species that lives in lower elevation habitat as far south as California.
OK, so I know that wasn’t exactly the subject of your post, but it was such serendipidy I just had to share. 🙂 Perhaps it is because so many of the species you show are so exotic to me, like the wonderful images above, and that I do appreciate seeing through your lens, it’s fun when you talk about something familiar, even if it is just to solve the Sunday crossword.
Cheers!
Cindy
Yes Mike, there are a lot of six-lettere animals for weasels, but only one, Marmot, worked for my crossword.
Bob
Sorry, Mike. I alraeady figured it out. The word I needed is Marmot.
Thanks for “participating”. 🙂
Bob
Aha!! I got it!! MARMOT. I knew the second two letters were A R. A few minutes ago, it finally came to me. Thanks to Mike and Holly for trying to help. 🙂
Bob
Ah…. marmot! Nope, I wouldn’t have gotten that one, glad you figured it out!! 🙂
so I guess it wasn’t ermine after all! Oh well. but there ARE lots of 6-letter weasel cousins, aren’t there? 🙂
badger?
Nope, I don’t think so, unless I screwed up on another word. 🙂 Stay tuned……
Thanks for the effort, Mike.
Answers.com says ermine is part of the weasel family. Could that be it?
Holly, you’re always one of my favorite readers. You always have kind words and you put up with my strange sense of humeor. Again, thanks for the compliments on the pictures. And, I think “ferret” may be the word I’m looking for.
Bob 🙂
I love reading your posts! I may not always have a comment, but I do look forward to seeing the photos!! Glad I could help! 🙂
Some great photos today, Bob! I always enjoy them, but I love these! We DEFINITELY do not get animals like the horned toad here, so it’s pretty neat to see the photo. The Meadowlark is beautiful, the yellow is so pretty!!
FERRET?
BADGER?
…. help at all??