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View from Delta del Ebro, in Tarragona province, Catalonia, Spain.

A closeup shot of blue flowers of Ajuga reptans Atropurpurea in spring .

An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail in Dover, Tennessee

Black bellied plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

Striking large black-and-white wader with a thin, straight bill and bright pink legs, found in wetlands with open shallow water throughout much of Africa and Eurasia, often in brackish habitats. Some populations are migratory, departing northerly breeding grounds for warmer southern regions. Often forms noisy colonies on bare ground near water. Essentially unmistakable throughout much of its range, but compare with Pied Stilt in parts of Southeast Asia. Feeds by wading in water, picking from the water surface with its needle-like bill. In flight, long pink legs stick out far beyond the tail. Calls loudly and stridently, especially when alarmed during the breeding season.

$Tot: 45-50mm, Ab 30-37mm, Hw 33-38mm.\nIdentification:\nVery similar to O. cancellatum, with which it is found especially in the south-east, and as far west as France. However, it is sleeker, paler and more contrasting. Named for the contrasting white appendages of both sexes.\nBehavior:\nLike O. cancellatum, male often sits on open ground near the water, making very fast, low flights over the water.\nOccurrence:\nDistribution is patchy, but the species is generally not uncommon, stretching to China and Japan.\nHabitat: Open Ponds and Lakes.\nFlight Season: From the end of May to mid-September.\n\nThis nice Skimmer is photographed during a Vacation in France in May 1990. Scanned from a slide.$