urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook nhnotebook nhnotebook 2009-04-18T14:42:15Z urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:6244 2009-04-18T14:42:15Z 2009-04-18T14:42:15Z &nbsp;Wadi Subaitah is in a narrow gorge and has very deep pools. it is accessed through an oasis and by following the falaj (irrigation channel) to the pools. <br /><ul><li><em>Prisuris rupestris</em></li><li>wadi loaches</li><li>water beetles</li><li>dragonfly nymph</li><li>shed skin of a camel spider.</li></ul> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:5646 2009-04-18T11:45:34Z 2009-04-18T12:20:36Z Wadi Jazira is very narrow, and the water does not flow as fast as wadi Khadara, but forms pools in the corners where the water flows fastest during floods.&nbsp; <br /><ul><li>Arabian Toads&nbsp;</li><li>wadi fish</li><li>wadi loaches, brown with orange stripes and blue spots on their tails.</li><li>Orange and yellow hornet</li><li>various dragon flies and damselflies</li><li>Water Scorpion <em><font size="1" face="Verdana">L</font><font size="1" face="Verdana">accotrephes fabricii</font></em></li></ul><br /> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:5563 2009-04-18T11:26:14Z 2009-04-18T11:26:14Z Wadi Al Khadra has flowing water almost all year round. the rocks are&nbsp; conglomerate, which looks like concrete mixed with rocks. On one side of the gorge is the village of Khadra and on the other an Oasis. <br /><ul><li>Semaphore Gecko<em> Pristuris rupestris </em>in a cave, male.</li><li>Arabian toads&nbsp; <em>Bufo arabicus</em></li><li>toadspawn</li><li>round grey water beetles</li><li>dead lizard in a pool, attepted to retrieve the body, but mostly disintegrated, head currently in bucket on roof.</li><li>grey spiders that walk on water </li></ul><br /><br /> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:5347 2009-04-18T11:05:49Z 2009-04-18T11:05:49Z Jebel Qatarra is part of the Hajar Mountain range in Northern Oman, it is mainly dry, sedimentary rock, it's distinctive features are deep cut wadis and plateaus.&nbsp; <br /><ul><li>&nbsp;Omani Lizard, Most likely <em>Lacerta jayakari</em> , tail appeared blue in person, but does not show up so well in the photograph.</li><li>Sand Racer <em>Psammophis schokari </em>easily indentified by the black stripe through the eye.</li><li>Toad poles of the Arabian Toad <em>Bufo arabicus </em><em><br /></em></li><li>Water skaters</li><li>A large silverfish </li><li>Sinai Agama <em>Pseudotrapelus sinaitus</em></li><li><em>Pristuris rupestris, </em>(IDed by Dr Drew Gardener) Although common in the UAE and Oman P. rupestris have a wide variety of colours depending on their habitat which can make ID difficult for the inexperienced (such as myself!)</li></ul> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:4499 2009-01-23T14:41:11Z 2009-04-01T14:40:16Z Dhub Valley <br /><br />First stop- a sand stone out crop amongst the dunes<br /><ul><li>many owl pellets from the desert eagle owl <em>Bubo ascalaphus</em></li><li>hole used by small mammal</li></ul>Dunes<br /><ul><li>Fox tracks&nbsp;</li><li>Jird tracks</li><li>Sand Boa tracks</li><li>possibly Gerbil tracks</li><li>Sand boa tracks round burrow</li><li>camels</li><li>Wasps nests in sand. tubular, made of sand and spit.</li></ul>Gravel Plain<br /><ul><li>Abandoned Dhub <em>Uromastyx aegyptia microlepis</em><em> </em>burrow</li></ul>Sabkha (salt flats)<br /><ul><li>crystal salt</li><li>fox burrow</li></ul><br />Sand Valley<br /><ul><li>Toad headed Agama <em>Phrynocephalus arabicus</em> and burrows</li></ul><br /> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:4269 2009-01-18T17:12:37Z 2009-01-18T17:12:37Z Near Heritage Centre<br /><ul><li>bee eaters&nbsp;</li><li>3 Semaphore geckos (<em>Pristurus Rupestris</em>) on wood pile.&nbsp; Probably female. One light and signalling, two smaller and darker, all with distinctive dark line through eye.</li></ul>Near Mosque<br /><ul><li>Dragon or Damsel flies</li><li>Semaphore gecko on door</li><li>white cheeked bulbul</li><li>Small bright green bird with red underwings</li><li>palm doves</li><li>Parakeets</li><li>Semaphore gecko on wall</li></ul><br /> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:3733 2009-01-13T13:34:57Z 2009-01-13T13:34:57Z On the verges and in the car park of Prix Unique<br /><br />Carpark is dry, but there are trees fed by sprinklers. <br /><ul><li>White Cheeked Bulbuls</li><li>Hopoe</li><li>black head Bulbul-like birds</li><li>Sparrow-like birds</li><li>doves</li></ul><br />The verges are grassy or covered with a plant similar to bean caper. There are date palms planted at regular intervals. <br /><ul><li>&nbsp;</li><li>Hopoes</li><li>Quails</li></ul><br /> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:3339 2008-12-31T12:42:52Z 2008-12-31T12:42:52Z Quirks and Quarks <ul><li>three hoopoes on road verge, on grass under palm trees.&nbsp;</li></ul> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:3152 2008-12-31T12:30:35Z 2008-12-31T12:30:35Z Quirks and Quarks <ul><li>dolphins</li><li>iguana like lizard</li><li>many crows and pye dogs </li><li>massive butterflies</li><li>orange butterflies- either striped tiger or commander</li><li>grey herony egret thing with yellow feet and beak</li><li>fruit bats at dusk.</li></ul> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:3009 2008-12-31T12:25:45Z 2008-12-31T12:26:27Z Quirks and Quarks <ul><li>Guinea fowl</li><li>mats of water hyacinths</li><li>very small fish</li><li>brown backed egret-like things</li><li>small terns</li><li>green lizard - fell from tree, swam to wall then clibed back onto land</li><li>brown and white eagle</li><li>Crowlike bird with long tail </li><li>many crows and pariah dogs </li><li>cormerants </li><li>yellow house geckos</li><li>larger brown house geckos</li><li>white crabs at sea line </li><li>large frog/toad</li></ul> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:2679 2008-12-31T12:19:29Z 2008-12-31T12:20:57Z Black headed bird, red under tail<br /><br />Striped squirrel chipmunk thing. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:2352 2008-12-31T12:17:34Z 2008-12-31T12:17:34Z Quirks and Quarks <ul><li>Candle flower&nbsp;</li><li>Cardamom Shoots </li><li>henna plant</li><li>Ornamental bamboo</li><li>Fuzzy pink powder puff flower </li><li>Pepper Vine</li><li>Nutmeg tree</li><li>Pineapple bush</li><li>Henna Flower </li><li>Purple Basil</li><li>Curry Leaf</li><li>Plant related to banana</li><li>Pink cat's tail</li><li>inside of banana-like flower</li><li>Maybe curry leaf</li><li>Bitter gourd</li><li>green bean</li><li>edged bear gourd thing</li><li>okra</li><li>white aubergines</li><li>spearmint</li><li>yellow aubergine</li><li>tumeric plant</li><li>maybe jack fruit</li><li>cocoa pods on tree</li><li>close up of inside of cocoa pods</li><li>coffee tree roots </li><li>close up of Cardamom flowers and seed pods</li><li>pond</li><li>chilli</li><li>turmeric</li><li>leaves of turmeric</li><li>root of turmeric</li><li>turmeric plant</li><li>ginger growing </li><li>close up of Ginger root</li><li>Ginger plant</li><li>branch of coffee tree</li><li>coffee bean</li><li>red cocoa pods</li><li>weird roots on palm</li><li>kerala bamboo yellow and green like zoo railings</li><li>sparkly rock</li></ul> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:2239 2008-12-31T12:06:56Z 2008-12-31T12:08:02Z Quirks and Quarks Deer, dark brown, round ears, no visible antlers- Sambar Deer<br /><br />Slate grey quail-like bird, white flashes on cheeks, red rump under tail, long yellow legs. <br /><br />Black Monkeys with red hands<br /><br />Bullfinch-like bird with long tail<br /><br />Elephants- extra knobbly skin on knees, soft feet, Tongue very agile, scrunches into hook to scoop food such as cucumbers.<br /><br />Strongest trunk muscle<br /><br />Assam elephants small, Kerelan Forest Elephant very big, female larger than Assam male. <br /><br />Plastic bag butterfly, backward pointing wings<br /><br />Blakc and blue butterfly<br /><br />Wild pig, quail, speckled dove, wagtail and mynah birds seen again. <br /><br />Mongoose- Herpestes javanica<br /><br />Black and whitebird, sort of robin shaped urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:1827 2008-12-31T11:52:47Z 2008-12-31T11:52:47Z Quirks and Quarks <ul><li>Elephant working</li><li>Buffaloes</li><li>tea plants in the hill side, look like scales</li><li>more rubber and banana plants </li><li>Different Variety of Mynah bird</li><li>yellow tailed wagtail</li><li>pig/boar</li><li>climbing pepper</li><li>pigeons with speckled chest</li><li>gecko</li><li>variety of moths</li><li>mole cricket</li><li>&nbsp;</li></ul> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:1743 2008-12-31T11:47:19Z 2008-12-31T11:47:19Z <ul><li>Monkeys, white ruff, red face</li><li>small lizards, skink-like, pale blue tail</li><li>go to sleep flowers </li><li>reddish bracket fungus</li><li>yellow dragonflies</li><li>Spiders with ground webs </li><li>swarms of butterflies</li><li>geckos in shop</li><li>Elephant carrying palm fronds on road</li><li>&nbsp;</li></ul> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:1408 2008-12-31T11:40:33Z 2008-12-31T11:40:33Z <ul><li>Rubber Plantations</li><li>Yellow geckos in Cafe</li><li>some kind of eagle, fan tail, white body. </li><li>Tree ferns</li><li>Orange winged birds, black tips</li><li>Greyish Heron</li><li>Monkeys, small, red face</li><li>Chipmunk things</li><li>Crested birds red cheeks, some kind of bulbul</li><li>bamboo-like palm- probably Betel nut</li><li>Giant brown Cricket</li><li>Lizard with red cheeks and red stripe on tail</li><li>Giant Millipede</li><li>Orange and brown butterfly</li><li>yellow house gecko, no tail </li><li>Moth with ragged shaped wings </li><li>many geckos, some warty</li><li>lizard, iguana like</li><li>brown mantis</li><li>lace wing type thing</li><li>orange winged butterfly or moth</li></ul> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:1129 2008-12-31T11:26:16Z 2008-12-31T11:26:16Z <ul><li>Yellow Butterflies</li><li>wedge tailed kites</li><li>many butterflies</li></ul><br />Trivandrum Zoo<ul><li>Nice Grounds, some more modern enclosures, but also cages. (Big cats in barred cages with concrete floor)</li><li>Great Potential. Improvements are being made. </li></ul>Trivandrum Natural History Museum <br /><ul><li>Sparse signage, needs more context</li><li>Index room fascinating, if delapidated</li><li>Interesting glass models of the insides of bivalves</li><li>dirty and dusty.</li></ul> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:976 2008-12-22T10:19:58Z 2008-12-22T10:19:58Z carhorns <ul><li>Large fearless crows, pale neck. - Presumably&nbsp; Indian House Crow, <i>Corvus splendens</i>.</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>large birds in the sky, eagles, or possibly vultures - kites also known to be in the vicinity</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>Coconut palms, taller and slimmer than date palms</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>Wall of green moss and ferns</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>bread fruit</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>floppy eared goats roaming</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>wild snapdragons, pale yellow, growing in a ditch</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>wild mynah birds in a garden</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>yellow dragon flies</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>red dragon flies</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>Go to sleep plants, low lying, some fruit. Closes up when touched. Fruit red like a hard raspberry.</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>Purple and black swallow tail butteefly</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>Cattle egret</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>chickens</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>young buffalo with rope through nose</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>stubby red and white spotted spider in restaurant window</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>Electrocuted fruit bat on wires</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>Fruit bats flying overhead at dusk</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>Followed by small bats</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>then medium sized bats</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>Grey Heron with cricked neck on water</li><li>&nbsp;</li><li>swift-like birds&nbsp; over water</li></ul> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:nhnotebook:685 2008-12-01T13:45:10Z 2008-12-01T13:45:10Z This is my personal Natural History note book which shall be filled with random jottings about things of interest in the natural world. <br /><br />My more organised blog intended for public viewing is <a href="http://armchairzoologist.blogspot.com">armchairzoologist.blogspot.com</a><br /><br />