Good morning, friends, and happy weekend!!!  I bet you’re all tired from this past week … I know I am, and I don’t have a job to go to every day!  I beg your forgiveness, but I am yet again re-sharing a post from several years ago … August 2019, to be exact.  However, I think you will still enjoy seeing these strange, funny critters, and before the unique animals … I found a cute feature over on Bored Panda of some birds being ornery that I thought you would get a kick out of …

I’ve seen woodpeckers damage a tree before, but never like this!Poor tree!  That had to hurt.  Apparently this guy didn’t much care for being in a cage …

Ever hear of an Australian Firehawk?  Apparently they are quite the firestarters.  Sometimes working alone, other times in groups, they spread wildfires intentionally via single-occasion or repeated transport of burning sticks in talons or beaks. After successfully spreading the fire, the “firehawks” are able to pick out fleeing prey or munch on the charred remains of those critters who didn’t make it out in time.

I don’t know the story behind this one, but those choppers don’t belong to that pigeon, and somebody is in a panic looking for their teeth right about now …

This next one brings to mind a funny story.  Years ago, when I worked for a mid-size publishing company, one year a family of geese settled in the grassy area next to our parking lot.  After their eggs hatched, they became very protective and would, at first, attack anybody who came near.  We all learned not to park our cars in that section of the lot.  As time went by, though, they got even more aggressive, and one day, our receptionist got a call from a visitor saying he was parked out front, but there was a goose that wouldn’t let him get out of his car!  Another time, one of the geese attacked a new maintenance man, and he resigned after only a few days on the job … said he didn’t take the job to fight off killer birds!  Eventually, the geese flew south for the winter and peace was restored.

Uh-oh …

I think this bird might just have bitten off more than he can chew …

Ouch!

This hawk is about to learn a lesson about stealing beehives …

Where to park your peacock …

I sense a fight about to happen and feathers are gonna fly!

He just wanted a little bite of the ice cream …

And now for just a few of those unique critters that we don’t see around every day.

This guy is a Pink Fairy Armadillo, also known as the Pichiciego, and is the smallest species of armadillo known.  This unique animal resides in the dry grasslands and sandy plains of central Argentina. This sandy environment works well for the pink fairy armadillo since they are excellent diggers. In fact, they have the ability to completely bury themselves in a matter of seconds if threatened.

Meet the Dumbo Octopus, so named because of the two large fins on either side that look somewhat like elephant ears.  Dumbo octopuses live at extreme depths in oceans around the world—up to 13,000 feet below the surface—and are the deepest-living octopuses known. They feed on snails, worms, and other creatures they hoover up from the ocean floor.  Don’t you just love the way he’s sticking his little tongue out?

Isn’t this Sunda Colugo just adorable?  He’s closely related to flying lemurs, and are found in Southeast Asia and are endemic to Indochina and Sundaland, spending their entire lives in tropical rainforests.  Sunda flying lemurs have bold patches of color that look similar to lichen on a tree, which aid in camouflage. While Sunda flying lemurs cannot fly, a membrane of skin called a patagium allows them to glide.

This is a Sally Lightfoot Crab, aka grapsus grapsus.  We don’t typically think of crabs as being beautiful, but Sally certainly is colourful!  The origin of the sally lightfoot crab’s name is still debated. Some people say that the sally lightfoot crab was named after a Caribbean dancer.  The sally lightfoot crab can run very fast, leap, jump, and seemingly fly to avoid predators.

This guy looks like something from a science-fiction movie, don’t you think?  He is a Marine Iguana, is found only in the Galapagos Islands and actually forages for food underwater which is unique for any kind of iguana. The Marine Iguana can actually dive in the water up to depths of 9m and can be found in practically all of the rocky shores of the islands. Various colours of the iguana exist – some are bright green and orange, while others have a beautiful red undertone.

And finally, because I thought the Pink Fairy Armadillo was so cute, I found this video about them, and other armadillos!

Now go have yourselves a great weekend!