Columbus August 21

I went to the Columbus Zoo August 21 with a pal and got these shots.

Randhir, a male sloth bear

The picture is not noteworthy, but the activity was interesting. Frankie, the youngster on the left, and one of his aunties had a brief shoving match. They stood this way for several seconds, the auntie gave a small push, and Frankie retreated.

Javan pond heron

northern bald ibis

African grey parrot

One of the western lowland gorilla moms with a kid on her back.

Humboldt penguin

Details

A photo sometimes lets me see something I can't see or don't notice in person.

Birds don't have teeth, but this one has little... somethings in its beak. To better hold fish? Why not have a serrated beak? Maybe serrations would wear away over time while these things can grow back.

Humboldt penguin (Columbus Zoo)

It looks as though this flamingo has a pad under its heel. (Do birds have heels?) Or maybe that's just skin that's bunched-up because the toes are not spread out. Looks like there's a fourth toe, too.

Caribbean flamingo (Columbus Zoo)

I always thought a flamingo's neck was smoothly curved. Also, we can see through one nostril to the other side.

Caribbean flamingo (Columbus Zoo)

Check out this whydah's toenails. Is this normal?

female pin-tailed whydah (Toledo Zoo)

Check out the bottom of the elephant's foot in this post.

Color in photo viewers

In a post about my favorite lizard, I noted that the same animal can appear in different colors in different photos. That's true even when using the same camera in the same light. (I still almost always shoot with the camera in full automatic mode.) The other day I noticed that the exact same photo can have a different color cast depending on the program used to view the picture.

On the left, Windows Photo Viewer. On the right, Windows preview.

The photo is from January, and I can't say now which rendering is closest to what I saw. The picture in Paint and PaintShop Pro looks like the one on the right, so maybe those colors are "correct."

ABP - Always Be Preening

Birds spend a lot of time taking care of their feathers. All photos are from the Columbus Zoo.

African grey parrot

blue-winged teal

black crowned crane

hadada ibis

Sometimes it helps to have a partner. I suppose this is how some birds maintain the feathers on their heads and necks.

Humboldt penguins

trumpeter swan

Click any picture for a larger image.