Barcelona Predators: Seagulls - Strange Animal Behavior?

Food, speaking on global terms and not western world standards, is scarce, and this is valid for animals as well that urged by that innate code mother nature gave them tend to change their behavior and even their habitat pushed by this irrational human vicious conduct of throwing stones into our own fragile roof. It is well known that we are happily helping degrade our planet, "nobody lives forever so f*** the future" many think, therefore creatures of the earth find it hard to survive in such a mess. Who has not heard of thinner than ever polar bears coming into towns for food, birds not migrating when or where they are supposed to, insignificant fish captures due to drastic changes in ocean temperatures as a result of global warming of the planet caused by men. I remember those times, when a seagull used to be near the shore feeding on fish or crabs and carrying their prey to their nests in nearby hills. In Barcelona it has become rather common to see these noisy, cunning and robust birds nesting on the roof of our buildings, claiming their territory against pigeons and smaller species and in some cases attacking children in school backyards to steal away a sandwich. Seagulls are carnivores and sometimes scavenge a little so it is not strange that they kill a small sick bird or take profit from their decaying corpse. The ackward thing to me is to find it in the middle of the Ciutadella park surrounded by people, holding an animal so big as an adult pigeon and looking at me so defiantly in the most pure Hitchcock-The Birds style. Times are achanging my friend and for the bad.

Still Life: Wild Partridge Showcase, La Boqueria Market, Barcelona

Like a painting depicting hunting trophies or a still life portraying dead animals, specially those of hares and birds, appeared before my eyes, imbued with a ghostly bluish-yellowish light, the wild game stand in La Boqueria market. From the mixture of species on display, I cropped this rack of wild partridges so you could take a good peek at the strange artistic beauty that inspired painters in the past, at that mysterious blend of nature, food, life and death evoked with traditional austerity in many Spanish bodegones where dead animals hung from a hook waiting to be skinned and free of any banquet luxury or adornment so often present in similar paintings from other countries in Baroque times. I know this is just a picture of dead wild partridges and you may not find it artistic at all but I wanted you to think about this aspect of painting and the peculiar relationship between art, men and dead animals regarded as something aesthetic.

Humming Bird Moth Feeding

Certainly one of the weirdest topics in the blog in the past was the famous moth that I mistook for a bird. Now I had the chance to spot another one with better luck. Here is a beautiful specimen of Macroglossum stellatarum or Hummingbird Moth. In the following two videos you will appreciate the difference between this moth and a real hummingbird:

Owl: What are you looking at?

Although this owl seems to have ears or horns nothing further from the truth. The auditory system is on both sides of the bird's head behind the eyes and covered by the feathers of the facial disc. I took this picture at Cim de les Aligues or Eagles Peak which has been covered in previous posts. The bird was in captivity.

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One-Week-Old Yorkshire Terrier Puppy

Some pet photographs well deserve some space in this blog. Granted that dogs are a very well trodden subject when it comes to photography but of course, depending on how they look. I guess puppies are beautiful enough to be portrayed with some decent results so here it goes: a one-week-old Yorkshire Terrier puppy I photographed this weekend for my neighbors who seemed to be very happy with the newborn babies, four beautiful black puppies. The hair comes further on so now they could be easily mistaken for other breeds. If you don't believe me notice the mother's hair on the top right corner of the picture.

Snake Eagle at Cim d'Aligues

In order to foster the animal lover in you even though you arrived in here searching for Barcelona photos, I want to show you this nice specimen I was able to capture with my camera at Cim dels Aligues (Eagles' Peak): A Snake Eagle. I hope I am not in a mistake as to identifying the animal. Nevertheless, bird watchers or zoologists could help me with taxonomy here.

Captive Vulture

Vultures, feed on corpses or carrion. Scavengers as they are they do the dirty job for us like many creatures in this world who are there for something. They keep the delicate balance, the ecological equilibrium. Take a look at that bill used to tear dead meat apart, the perfect tool for a nauseating task. Imagine this vulture gliding above the Iberian peninsula spotting putrid preys. What a wonderful invention of nature, a spontaneous garbage man that only works for the food. Isn't that great? This guy was captive though and doesn't have the chance to go on a cleaning spree often. The picture I took in Cim d'Aligues mentioned in: Golden Eagle and Girl Holding Eagle.

Eastern Imperial Eagle at Cim D'Aligues, Barcelona

This is a young Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca). The purpose of my blog is not to offer accurate taxonomy or deepen into the biology of any given animal I happen to photograph, although being concise does not mean saying: "this a bird!". The eagle is one of the many species of birds of prey that can be admired at Cim d'Aligues, a special center on the hills of Sant Feliu de Codines near Barcelona.

There is an old post with a link and some further explanation about Cim d'Aligues (Eagles' Peak). If you have time try to reach this town. There is a magnificent view of the valley once you are inside the aviary. During the day there is a show where trained vultures, owls, hawks or eagles are released and claimed with bait using falconry techniques. You can admire them gliding over your head and exploring the neighboring lower areas. They take some time to return but eventually they are all back.

Fish Eyes

Sorry if you came looking for the lenses. This is only a very quiet scene with some dead actors staring at the audience with very fishy looking eyes. Stop staring at me! Well, you can try moving from left to right and viceversa. See how they follow? Should anyone know the name of the species please help me on this. For the moment they are just some red fish at La Boqueria market, those small ones we normally use to make paella known here as peix de roca (fish living in the bottom rocks), in other words, with benthonic habits. They look like some sort of squirrelfish or Candil to me although those are tropical. Hmm, maybe.

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Feeding a Snake: Mesmerizing the Prey

Look at me in the eye or watch the spiral swirl, whatever you choose, but keep looking, do not blink, don't twitch a muscle. Stay calm, stay focus, take a deep breath and keep watching. I am moving to you slowly, very slowly... gulp. Poor snake, in fact it was the mouse performing the hypnotizer. Again one of the many animals kept in captivity in Barcelona, the snake I mean. The mouse was just the food, and alive. Sometimes they are preserved frozen and served dead of course. Yes, people keep them in the fridge. I wonder what she prefers.

Exotic Animals in Barcelona: Pyxicephalus Adspersus

The exotic animals market in Barcelona is a prosperous business but I am not here to denounce anything. Many things are not right in this world. It is just this stupid obsession we humans have to collect things up. I will merely show you the frighten face of this beautiful Pyxicephalus adspersus or African Bullfrog. Check this other bullfrog image by Phil Bishop found via CalPhotos database. I had to look at several pictures to find the correct name since I foolishly forgot to take it down properly. Well, in fact he doesn't look scared but I imagine he must be under stress in the hands of this disgusting pale being that curiously comes everyday and feeds him. Here is a comprehensive database on amphibian species: AmphibiaWeb.

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A Reptile's Look

Rats at Exotic Animals Stall in Las Ramblas, Barcelona

Some baby rats at exotic animal stall in Las Ramblas, Barcelona. As I am no expert and I can't tell a rat from a mouse I leave you a link about these rodents' morphology: Rats and Mice: Differences. Of course the study of animals is not the purpose of this blog. The rats were in Barcelona and they happened to make a perfect pack.

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Baby Rabbits in Nest at a Farm in Vallverd, Lleida

Although Barcelona pictures are in high demand, especially buildings or street photos, I remind you that this blog is always open to other topics that may seem irrelevant sometimes. Such is the case of flowers, assorted objects or animals I find along the way. Moreover, as specified in the description on top there is the possibility of including neighboring towns and by that I mean any place in Catalonia i.e. the Spanish authonomy or the country (according to the political thoughts of its inhabitants) of which Barcelona is the capital. Once said that I wanted to show you a nest of baby rabbits in a small friend's farm in Vallverd, Lleida (map), one of the four Catalan provinces. Everyone knows rabbits but all of them together waiting for mummy in the cage next door to feed them seemed cute enough to portray and a way to shake you off the architectural hypnosis I exposed you to in the last posts.

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Dwarf Rabbit in Pet Stall at Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain

Like some sort of scared Pikachu, this dwarf rabbit finds the most faraway corner to escape the tip of my lens stuck as they were on the cage's bars. The rabbit is part of the bizarre blend of exotic species in animal stalls along Las Ramblas, Barcelona.

Strong Horse at Tres Tombs Parade, Sant Andreu, Barcelona, Spain

I swear I had never seen such strong a horse although I am aware of morphology and breeds. This animal in the equine world would be the equivalent of a pro bodybuilder on growth hormones. Look at those legs, that's not only hair! And that in the background is not a cardboard rock. No, that was a huge stone on top of a sturdy cart. It makes no sense to force the beast to handle such a heavy load for such futile purpose but traditions are traditions and Tres Tombs parade is no less.

Horse Closeup At Tres Tombs Parade, Sant Andreu, Barcelona

This is a close shot of a horse during Tres Tombs parade in Sant Andreu district, Barcelona. It was a very bright day but I think it turned out right in spite of the harsh light. Further on I will explain what this parade is about.

Three Little Pigs Photograph

Three little pigs playing in the straw. I am sorry but it was impossible to catch them all facing the camera, so one of them is clearly being somewhat rude. Those of you craving for more city pictures may be disappointed when I make these abrupt changes of topic. I think it is good to diversify and to create expectations about the future, like, what the heck is gonna show next time? The place, the medieval fair of Suria again. Long time ago, I know, this is from my archives so the poor creatures are not with us anymore.

Butterfly Shot to Welcome the New Year

To celebrate the start of a new year and though this poor white lepidopteran aka butterfly is long gone since I took this picture in Sant Pol de Mar last October, I decided to show you something fresh that mitigates the sad and transcendental mood portrayed in the previous post, that is, last year!

Ferrets: Captive Animals in Las Ramblas, Barcelona

Among the many captive animals you can buy in Las Ramblas stalls there are these ferrets. Apparently they are cute and make good pets but keeping them in a cage is not what nature had in mind. The noise, the lack of freedom to move in such a small space, the great amount of people coming and going or stopping by to watch like this girl provoke stress in many of these creatures. If you enlarge the picture you will notice how the ferret on the right is stubbornly biting on the bars of the cage.

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