#the scrublands

[life-on-our-planet]

African wild dogs, or painted wolves, are the bulkiest of the African canids. Their fur is also unique in that they have no undercoat, and gradually shed their fur as they age, until adults are almost completely bare. ©Love Nature

[uncharismatic-fauna]

The Palestine Sunbird Persists

The Palestine sunbird, also known as the orange-tufted sunbird (Cinnyris osea) is the national bird of Palestine, and often seen as a symbol of resistance and hope. This species occurs in dry climates, particularly desert, scrubland, and savannahs, but can also be found in orchards and gardens where flowers are abundant. In addition to the Levant, C. osea occurs throughout the southwest cost of Saudia Arabia and the coasts of Yemen and Oman in the south.

C. osea is a small bird, 8 to 12 cm (3.1-4.7 in) long with a wingspan of only 14 to 16 cm (5.5-6.2 in). Males weigh on average 7.6 g (0.26 oz) and females are slightly smaller, at about 6.8 g (0.24 oz). Males are quite easy to identify due to their striking plumage; their feathers are iridescent, appearing dark until they shimmer glossy blue or green, with orange tufts at the side of the breast. In contrast females are fairly drab; grey-brown with a lighter underside. The beaks of the Palestine sunbird are also noted for their distinctively long and curved, which they have developed to efficiently feed on nectar.

Although not directly part of the hummingbird family, the Palestine sunbird shares many similarities with the group. Its diet consists of nectar, and is supplemented with insects. Their tongues are long, and brush-like, and the shape of their beak allows them to reach down to the base of the flower. For flowers that are , they will use their sharp beaks to pierce the side and access the nectar directly. All this is done at very high speeds, but unlike hummingbirds the Palestine sunbird cannot hover in place, and must land in order to feed. Because of their primary reliance on nectar, the orange-tufted sunbird is an important pollinator in its native region. Adults are rarely predated upon, but eggs and young are often targets for lizards, snakes, and birds of prey.

Reproduction begins in June, and continues through October. Males establish and defend territories, and court females by singing to attract a potential mate, then chasing her until she perches to signal her acceptance. Following the pairing, the two construct a purse-like nest, sometimes with a porch-like structure, that hangs from a branch. In this nest, 1-2 eggs are laid, and are incubated primarily by the female, while the male provides her food. The eggs take 13 to 14 days to hatch, and chicks are taken care of by both parents for an additional 14 to 21 days. Individuals can live up to 5 years in the wild.

Conservation status: The Palestine sunbird has a large range and population, and is thus considered Least Concern by the IUCN. Its primary threat is habitat loss due to agriculture and urban development.

If you send me proof that you’ve made a donation to UNRWA or another organization benefiting Palestinians, I’ll make art of any animal of your choosing.

Remember, the donation can be in any amount– every dollar counts!

Photos

Jorrit Vlot

Dula Alhashimi

Rana Hijawi

[mothmiso]

Damaraland (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) by Kandukuru Nagarjun

[wxnter-rain]

He is, in fact, not listening 🌙

[bigpappahope]

Scrub jays are always goofing around

[lukaskyle]

Luke Arnold as Martin Scarsden SCRUBLANDS | 1.01

[etoilesombre]

Look at himmmmmmm (Luke Arnold in Scrublands)

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

Short glimpse of Luke Arnold in Scrublands: Silver from Stan Australia promo

[organisedbirds]

getting luke arnold to say the name "flint" in an entirely different piece of media is an insane move

[eternal--returned]

Vincent van Gogh ֍ Forest with scrubland (1887)

In Paris, Van Gogh experimented with the dotting technique of the pointillists. This forest scene is a good example of this. He covered the entire canvas with small strokes of paint. In this way, he created a play of light and shadow on the ground between the trees. The stripe of yellow in the middle suggests sunlight in a clearing further away. Together with the tree trunk on the right, this gives depth to the scene.

Van Gogh drew strength from nature: 'Sometimes it is precisely those places where one no longer feels anything of what is called the civilized world . . . it is sometimes precisely those places that one needs to calm down.'

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Scrubland by Anthony Avon

[eomer]

Broadacres sunset

[uncharismatic-fauna]

A Sweet Time with the Honeypot Ant

Camponotus inflatus, better known as the Australian honeypot ant or the black honey ant, or the yarumpa or wuukurta ant among Aboriginal Australians, is one of the most well-known members of the honeypot ant group. As their name implies, they are endemic to Australia. They can be found throughout the continent, but are most common in the arid desert and scrubland regions of central Australia.

Honeypot ants, including the Australian honeypot ant, are best known for their specialized worker ants known as repletes. Other castes of workers go out to forage for nectar and honeydew, and bring it back to the colony where it is fed to the repletes. The abdomens of these individuals swell as they are fed, so that they can hold several times their weight in food. In times of shortages, this food can then be regurgitated and fed to the workers and larvae. In addition to its workers, each colony can contain multiple queens; some colonies have been recorded harboring up to 6 queens, presiding over 1,000 workers.

Visually the replete and forager workers are quite similar to each other. Both have black bodies with gold striped abdomens. However workers remain rather small, at only 5-8 mm (0.19 - 0.31 in) in length, while repletes can grow up to 1.4 g (0.03 oz) in weight and about 15 mm (0.59 in) in length. When their abdomens become swollen with honey, they turn transparent to show the amber liquid inside.

Black honey ant nests are most commonly found near or under vegetation, particularly the Mulga bush from which workers harvest most of their food. In addition co collecting nectar from the flowers, workers also collect honeydew secreted by the sap-sucking insects that live in the leaves and roots of the bush. C. inflatus in turn is predated upon by lizards and birds. Many Aboriginal peoples, especially the Tjupan, Mutitjulu, Anangu, Arrernte, and other groups in northern Australia, have also traditionally harvested Australian honeypot ants as a delicacy.

Conservation status: C. inflatus has not been assessed by the IUCN. Its populations are widespread and so believed to be stable. While traditional Aboriginal harvesting has not posed a threat, increased commercial harvest for its pharmaceutical properties may put increased pressure on this species.

Photos

Steve Shattuck

Jean & Fred Hort

Wang & Pan et al.

[mothmiso]

Damaraland (2) (3) (4) (5) by Kandukuru Nagarjun

Via Flickr:

(2) Himba water bottle     

[newsatsix1986]

Today is a Newsreader birthday!

We are celebrating the birthday of Mr Robert Taylor, the talented bloke who has brought our Geoff Walters to life.

Hasn’t Geoff challenged us viewers? With both seasons of the show, Geoff’s personal, health and career struggles has been met with increasing levels of empathy and understanding by audiences, and that is credit to Robert’s performance. He invites audiences into the mind of a man whose body and stamina is no longer keeping up with what he wants to do, and has to grapple with a world that is changing at a faster pace than ever before. News cycles never end, and there’s always chaos brewing under the surface, be it at work or at home.

I’ll never forget the heartbreaking desperation Robert brought to the story between Geoff and Kay, and especially that scene in Greed And Fear where Geoff is confronted with the reality that he could lose his little girl. It was incredible throughout S2 seeing Robert evolve Geoff into that true family man, who ultimately ended up putting his family first by the end of the season. What a remarkable character arc.

I have also been very impressed with Robert’s performance in the Stan miniseries Scrublands. Harley Reagan, his character, was a complex bloke; a distant father but trying to be a more active grandfather, whose hold on land ownership in the town came back to haunt him in the final episode, ultimately answering the “why” behind the town’s mass shooting at the church. A brilliant actor, who we have been so fortunate to have on our show.

Happy birthday Robert, from Newsreader fans everywhere! 💖🌟

[bigpappahope]