textless

This enormous bird is a Goliath heron, the world's largest living heron. They can grow up to five feet in height, with a wingspan of more than seven feet.

This bird was crouched in some weeds when our guide pointed it out, but when it climbed up the stream bank and stood up straight, it was just incredibly tall for a bird.

Masai Mara, Kenya, July 2023.

This little giraffe absolutely could not stand having a bird aboard. She tried walking fast, wiggling her neck, swishing her tail around, and rubbing her neck against mom, but the oxpecker was bound and determined to stay put.

This baby was at least two days old, and steadier on her feet than the new baby giraffe we saw a couple of days later.

Darn that bird, anyway.

Masai Mara, Kenya, July 2023.

It was the year of the flower crab spider. These were all in the garden in Cochise County, Arizona, in September 2023.