Red-eyed Reef Crab (Eriphia smithii)

Red-eyed Reef Crab (Eriphia smithii)

The marine life around Socotra is rich and diverse, but I am focusing on the flora and fauna on land. However, I had a short window of opportunity during low…


Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

Erissel is the easternmost point of Socotra. It is a windswept low-lying area governed by the elements. During cyclones the wind and sea wreak havoc on the…


Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

Erissel is the easternmost point of Socotra. It is a windswept low-lying area governed by the elements. During cyclones the wind and sea wreak havoc on the…


Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan)

The north-facing beach of the tip of Erissel is wide and deep, with a large part only tasting the waves during monsoons. This is perfect conditions for the…


Inversed Fiddler Crab (Cranuca inversa)

Inversed Fiddler Crab (Cranuca inversa)

I found plenty of this species at this location and no signs of competing species. They thrive here next to a large date grove, where I rested in their…


Striated Laughingthrush (Grammatoptila striata)

Striated Laughingthrush (Grammatoptila striata)

Jigme Dorji National Park, Bhutan I encountered this species many times during my time in Bhutan, but rarely in clear view like this. In fact I thought I was…


Hoary-throated barwing (Actinodura nipalensis)

Hoary-throated barwing (Actinodura nipalensis)

Experiencing the rhododendron forests in bloom is an amazing experience in many ways as they are a magnet to so many incredible bird species. Sometimes you may…


Blue-throated barbet (Psilopogon asiaticus)

Blue-throated barbet (Psilopogon asiaticus)

Barbets are such colorful birds and when seen out in the open on a naked branch, you would not think of this as a bird very hard to locate once it’s in the…


Long-tailed sibia (Heterophasia picaoides)

Long-tailed sibia (Heterophasia picaoides) on a Flame of the forest (Butea sp)

To the human eye a tree with just these flaming inflorescences is a wonder to behold, but for pollinators and nectar hunters alike this is a welcome and very…