Monday in Nature Weekly Photo Nov. 25, 2013

<p>Snapping turtle stretching its neck to get some air. Taken while snorkeling back in august.</p><div></div>

<p>Hooded mergansers on the Muddy River in Boston (indifferently) scanned from the original Fujichrome. Spot the foreign object: not sure if it's most properly described as "hand of man" or "FOR the hand of man." I didn't even notice <strong>that thing</strong> through the viewfinder at the time. Sigh.</p><div></div>

Steve, thanks for telling me about the eucalypts in California. A fascinating story that I had never come across before.

<p>Geoff, when I first saw your photo I thought you were on vacation in California. Had no idea of these trees growing in AUS. I grew up in California and lived in areas with lots of Eucalyptus. They seemed a natural part of the landscape and as a youngster I didn't know the difference. Thanks for sharing that one.<br>

<br />Robert, that's a great mink. I've seen them around here a few times, but they are usually in cover along the lake edge. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>Anthea - what you have there is a species of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cormorant">Cormorant</a>. Which one depends on where the photo was taken. Some of the Cormorants have iridescent blue-green eyes, particularly the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-crested_Cormorant">Double-crested Cormorant</a>. Nice photo!</p>

<p>Hi Larry, thanks for the info. The photo was taken in Brisbane, Australia. Actually, as I said in my corrective post above, it is a Little Black Cormorant.</p>

<p>Juvenile herring gull perfecting its gliding skills.</p><div></div>

<p>Late to the party, but in true Gup fashion also last to leave :)</p><div></div>