Two very different species visited today, and each set about doing a bit of spring cleaning.
First to come by were three deer: a doe and two fawns. This is the mother and a fawn who always stuck close by her. They kept an eye on me but did not seem concerned.
The second fawn couldn’t care less about my watching and set about doing a bit of washing up.
Then an eagle came by and set to preening.
At one point it stared at me and blinked (its nictitating membranes). This produced one of the oddest images I have ever taken: an eagle who turned a glass eye on me.
Alistair I would love to try my hand at painting one of the images you have of an eagle facing full front. Could I please use your photos as a reference? They’re so detailed.
Lorna, I had no idea that you painted. Certain you can. I will send you some images you can try.
Thank you so much.
Exquisite all. With the eagle, its nictitating membranes are covering its eyes? What is the purpose of those, beyond supplying you with one of your oddest images?
Pamella, a nictitating membrane is a transparent or translucent third eyelid present in some animals. The membrane can be drawn across the eye for protection and to moisten it while maintaining visibility. Fish have it; birds have it; some mammals have it, but it is rare in primates. In humans the membrane is vestigial and can be seen in the corner or the eye. That the eagle’s membrane is translucent can be seen by a comparison of the last two pictures.
Translucent: light through. That’s fascinating, useful information. Thank you so much, Alistair. ( I like your use of semi-colons too. Heartening to see someone else using them. They seem to be being overthrown of late by those dashy things: – those things. I can’t respect their slatternly ubiquity.
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