Iowa Voice

American Robin Day-Old Babies in Nest

Moe — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:14:49 +0000

American Robin – Turdus migratorius – also known as merle d’Amérique (French), merle erratique, Roodborstlijster (Dutch), Wanderdrossel (German), Tordo migratore (Italian), Robín Americano (Spanish).

3 of the 4 baby robins are less than 48 hours old. Babies were born between May 6 or 7 (first egg had hatched) and May 8 (all four had hatched). Picture taken May 10.

Tehran, Iran: Nightlife

Nagge — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:18 +0000

Smoking the ghalion (hookah).

Raees Coffee. Logo looks conspicuously similar to Starbucks.

Tehran, Iran: Around Town

Nagge — Sat, 11 May 2013 13:00:43 +0000

The “Women Only” compartment on one of the Tehran metro trains.

Some street shots of Tehran.

Mountains north of Tehran.

At the summit of Milad Tower/

North Tehran. Homes in the mountains.

On the way to Lavasan, a city northeast of Tehran.

Views from the balcony in Lavasan.

Tehran, Iran: Miscellaneous

Nagge — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:00:16 +0000

Bought a watch in Tehran. 7,000,000 Rials (approximately $194).

An Iranian stop sign. It literally says, “Be human” (ensan bashid).

Iran’s national car: The Peykan.

A Hooded Crow!

Construction continues on the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini.

Tehran, Iran: Food

Nagge — Mon, 06 May 2013 01:35:09 +0000

There is nothing better than Persian food! Here are just a few things we ate around Iran.

At grandma’s house (maman bozorgh). Lots of great food: fesenjan (chicken in walnut and pomegranate sauce), polo e zaffron (saffron rice), maste e khiar (yogurt cucumber sauce), kashke badamjan (eggplant whey dip), and khoresht badamjan (eggplant stew).

Street vendors selling fruit in Darband, an area of northern Tehran.

Brunch at Cafe Shemroon.

Again in Darband, a street vendor selling lavashak (a type of Persian fruit roll-up).

More lavashak, in smaller quantities.

Individual portions of lavashak.

Fresh fish (ghezelala) at the market. It’s brown trout, great when fried (head and all) in Persian spices.

Spices and dried fruits.

A home-cooked meal!

Gaz, from Kerman, Iran. Not really sure how to describe gaz. Made with nougat and rosewater (golab) and stuffed with almonds or pistachios, it’s a delicious sweet that does not taste sugary or artificial in any way. Truly unique.

Eastern Meadowlark – Back

Moe — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:44:31 +0000

Eastern Meadowlark – Sturnella magna – also known as Sturnelle des prés (French), Triguera común (Spanish), and Östlig ängstrupial (Swedish).

They blend in pretty well when the yellow breast and black “V” are not visible.

Photos taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT and a Sigma 175-500mm lens on March 31, 2013 in Davenport, Iowa.

Doha, Quatar: Doha International Airport

Moe — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 02:31:56 +0000

Lamb.

The golden camel.

Cedar Waxwing on Crabapple Tree

Moe — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:53:38 +0000

Cedar Waxwing – Bombycilla cedrorum – also known as Jaseur d’ Amérique (French), Ampelis Americano (Spanish), Picotera (Spanish), Chinito (Spanish), Cederpestvogel (Dutch), Zedernseidenschwanz (German), and Indiansidensvans (Swedish).

This February, Laurence and I saw a flock of Cedar Waxwings in a wooded area near the Mississippi River not far from Lock and Dam 14, and I had seen a few in the woods around Spoon Lake in Oak Run, Illinois a few years ago, but this is the first time I had seen any in the backyard. Identified by the black mask and yellow tail tips, they resemble the Bohemian Waxwing but have a rufous coloring as opposed to the Bohemian’s grayish coloring.

Photo taken March 31, 2013 with a Canon Digital Rebel XT and a Sigma 175-500mm lens in Davenport, Iowa.

Red-Tailed Hawk in Flight

Moe — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 22:49:28 +0000

Red-Tailed Hawk – Buteo jamaicensis – also known as Buse à queue rousse (French), Roodstaartbuizerd (Dutch), Rotschwanzbussard (German), Poiana della Giamaica (Italian), Busardo Colirrojo (Spanish), and Rödstjärtad vrak (Swedish).

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT and the Sigma 175-500mm lens on February 17, 2013 at Fairmount Cemetery in Davenport, Iowa.

Horned Lark

Moe — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 19:31:22 +0000

Horned Lark – Eremophila alpestris – also know as Alouette haussecol (French), Strandleeuwerik (Dutch), Ohrenlerche (German), Allodola golagialla (Italian), Alondra cornuda (Spanish), Berglärka (Swedish), Rogaty Zhavoronok (Russian).

The only true lark of North America, the Horned Lark is a striking bird (the black-and-gold face fitting for the Hawkeye State). When Laurence was here two months ago, the Horned Lark was pretty much the only bird that presented itself for decent shots. The Horned Lark is here year-round and seems to hang out in the windiest, most desolate spots (rural, open areas).

Photo taken with the Canon Digital Rebel XT and the Sigma 175-500mm lens on February 17, 2013 in Davenport, Iowa.