Inflate your sac to show you love me.

Today's photos are from my mom,
who recently returned from a trip to Hawaii with her husband.

She's an amazing photographer, among other things.

I can't wait to share her whale shots with you next week.

But, for now,
Here are some pictures she took of a male African Grey-Crowned Crane
in Kula Botanical Garden in Maui.

This bird has a seriously awesome "do."

My hair frequently looks like this, actually.

These are the only cranes that can roost in trees,

because of a long hind toe that can grasp branches.

I want a long hind toe that can grasp things.
That's awesome.

The Grey Crowned Crane has a breeding display involving dancing, bowing, and jumping.
It also makes a honking sound quite different from the trumpeting of other crane species.

It has a booming call which involves inflation of the red gular sac.

I don't know about you, but nothing quite says "I love you" like the inflation of the red gular sac.



What are you waiting for?
Grab a camera & a critter!
Join the Camera Critters weekend meme!

A goddess, a bird or a moon.

What do these three things have in common?

My name.

Rhea.

I pronounce it "Ray" or "Ray-ah."

Probably one of the reasons I've always loved mythology was due to the Greek goddess Rhea.

She was a Titan, daughter of Uranus (the sky) and Gaia (the earth).
She married Kronus, a really bad dude who ate all his children for fear they would overthrow him.
Well, after Rhea gives birth to baby Zeus, she hides him away in a cave and hands her husband a stone bundled up like a baby, whom he promptly swallows (not a real smart god).
So, Zeus grows up, overthrows Cronus and becomes king of gods.
Rhea is considered "the mother of the gods."
Cool.

Then there is the Rhea bird.
It looks like an ostrich but it's called a Rhea (ree-ah).
I can relate, I sometimes stick my head in the sand, unfortunately.
Rhea Birds are said to have an implausible immune system that allows injured birds to heal rapidly without much intercessions from humans.
The fat of the Rhea birds is used as an anti-inflammatory salve. hmm...




Then there's the moon called Rhea.
It's one of Saturn's many moons.
I was reminded of this little fact recently when Pioneer Woman hosted a contest in which my namesake moon was the answer.
The moon is Saturn's second largest and was discovered in the 1600's.

And, as you can see in this photo below, this moon has tenuous rings around it.



I love having a unique name, even if most people say it wrong.
It's a family name.

Tell me about your name.
Or a cool name you like.
Or whatever you want.
I'm not picky.