I’m sitting in Paris this evening waiting for the rain to finish up so I can head out for some dinner, and while Paris is cool and all, what I’m really missing is this… The conditions were never favorable for any over/under shots, but I still kept this one for the heck of it. But …

I can’t decide which version I like better…

I’ve been trying to get some photos of this kestrel since shortly after arriving in Andava, then one evening a pair of them posed for me right in the perfect light of sunset…

I’ll hopefully be putting together a couple timelapse videos, but for now, here’s a single frame of the Milky Way with a couple meteors…

These little guys were photographed inside one of the no-take reserves that Blue Ventures has helped the Velondriak association establish. We had completed our surveys of this site, so I got the bonus of getting to take the camera and do some “photographic surveying”.

On the same dive where we found those Nemobrotha Nudis, I managed to find this absolutely stunning Blue Dragon Nudibranch (Pteraeolidia ianthina). Today is a bit of a sad day though as I am leaving Andavadoaka and beginning my journey back towards home.

A couple closeups showing the corals feeding with their tentacles out during the day…

This little reef fish tends to live both in tabular corals (like the Indian Dascyllus I’ve shared before) as well as in anemones like this one…

We’ve started doing actual scientific survey dives at this point so I am not able to take my camera as often (though honestly, if I hadn’t struggled with it working properly earlier in the trip, I might have more photos). But one of our expedition members was leaving early, so the team gave us a …

Outside our huts there is a wooden fence/railing at the edge of the small cliff that drops down to the beach – many of have taken to hanging wet clothing there to dry… and quite often when I go to retrieve my dry clothes I’d spot a gecko or a spider or some other bug …

It has been such a treat to be presented with this view almost every evening, and sad that it is soon coming to an end. I had debated trying to stay for a second expedition, but in the end decided not to (though I still feel I am debating it)…

I saw tiger flatworms in Indonesia, but I think these are some better photos. Flatworms are different from nudibranchs, but they kind of get lumped in with nudis as one of my favorite underwater critters. I’ve been lucky to see some really nice nudis and flatworms so far on this trip, but I haven’t always …

One of the days I was wandering with the camera, I noticed this little fly that seemed to be trying to dig a burrow in the sand. It is seemed like such interesting behavior so I got some photos and videos…

I told you that these guys are one of my favorite fish even though they are quite common. This shot also comes from wandering around in the tide pools during low tide. I actually found a small tabular coral (which is where these guys usually hang out) and it had a small group of Indian …

Another juvenile fish found in the rock pools. This little guy actually was a very cooperative subject even though it was swimming away from me. Usually fish turn and swim away and you’re left with fish butt photos… but this little guy simply backed away from me the entire time, giving me plenty of good …

I found this little guy hiding among the rock pools during low tide. Unfortunately, the coloration isn’t leading me to any identification, but I do like the spot patterns on his head…

As promised, here is a sunset… the rock formation out in the water is called Andava Rock and this is basically the view from my hut.

I just don’t know how to describe this landscape – it was just something to stand at the top of one of those rocks and look down on that landscape and take it all in. The photo is a feeble attempt to convey the magnitude of the landscape, but it is the best I can …

This is not one of the species of fish being surveyed, but pipefish are related to seahorses, so that makes them cool…

Ok – I’m going to start bouncing around with my photos now, so they’re no longer in sequential order as I took them… After some challenges with the diving (rough conditions, less than perfect visibility, and wanting to make sure I focused on the science aspects of the diving first before indulging my hobby) and …

I know this photo isn’t all that great (it was taken with my cell phone), but for at least the first week here in Andava, this was my morning view as I made a point to wake up and get out for the sunrise. Recently with the diving, I’ve been a bit more tired/lazy and …

Otherwise known as the Madagascar Spiny Tailed Iguana… We saw them during a tour of an arboretum outside of Toliara, and the guide there said that they will be going into about a three month hibernation here in a couple more weeks as the weather gets cooler, so it was nice to get to see …

Just a quick post today to share some more ring-tailed lemur photos… (and make up for those spiders from yesterday for any of you squeamish folks).

At least I *think* they are a pair… I suppose there is a possibility that the smaller one is one of those species of spiders that steals food from other spiders, but I am leaning towards this being a pair.. Incredible size difference between the two, no?

These little guys were a bit calmer and let me get a closer approach, which is good since they were about half the size of the other black and white birds I posted earlier.

Another morning hike we took was to the spiny forest to see the baobab trees. Along the way, we went past some mashes and these medium sized birds were wading through the water. I had to let the group get out ahead of me so I could make a closer approach. Because the sun was …

Baobab trees are one of those iconic sights of Madagascar, so no need for a lengthy introduction…

Zebu are the cattle in Madagascar, they’re used both as food and a beasts of burden. Those distinct horns and that hump behind the head between the shoulder blades make them rather distinct from most of the cattle in the USA The beef from them tasts the same as regular beef in the US. I …

There is just something about these wide open landscapes… the sky seems larger, the patterns from the rice fields, the easily visible transition from valleys to mountains, everything. I often found myself wondering whether there are such landscapes somewhere in the States, as well as some of it reminding me of Bali.

This gecko I actually spotted myself as we strolled through an arboretum. I was happy with myself for being able to find it with how well it seems to camoflage against that tree.

This is a leaf chameleon – something I had hoped to see, but was expecting would not happen. Luckily, one of our guides during the one hike was phenomenal and found one – in fact, when he found it, I was lagging behind the group taking my photos a bit slower than others and so …

A close up of a ring-tailed lemur – shots like this make it worth carrying that large, heavy telephoto lens… (and this isn’t even the closest portrait I have, but you’ll have to wait a bit more for the other one).

The second day of driving on our overland tour took us thought completely different ecosystems – actually, that is something pretty awesome so far. The first few days in Ivato and Antananarivo, there were plenty of coniferous trees (which surprised me) mixes with tropical plants. As we headed south, the coniferous trees vanished and were …

And just because I love tree frogs…

Another chameleon for you all today. Our guides spotted this one literally within two minutes of us starting on our hike that day. I had hoped that it would mean we would see them everywhere, but disappointingly they are much less common than I was hoping. Again – sorry, I am not sure on the …

I’m bouncing back to the first couple photos I took for this bird photo that I shot while at Hotel Raphia in Ivato. This is a Madagascar Cardinal.

Today’s post is from the first day of driving, so only a bit south of the capital of “Tana” – the buildings here are constructed mostly brick covered with some sort of stucco and in my opinion look fantastic. Combined with the sweeping vistas and the rice paddies, it just makes for a stellar landscape.

And after that lemur post, I have to go to the other iconic Madagascar animal with a chameleon… sorry, I don’t know what species this is, but I know it is the female of the species – the male is similarly patterned but grey in color.

Hi everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts so far – it has been a bit crazy with getting in country and then after a few days in Ivato (just outside of the capital of Antananarivo), we set off on the four day overland tour and I am now in Toliara on the coast. Tomorrow …

Just a quick post to share a couple photos from exploring the city of Antananarivo. I have a couple other photos on the real camera and I’ll try and upload them later this evening… We leave tomorrow for the overland tour and I highly doubt I will be able to upload anything at least until …

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