I went snorkeling at the Dapdap Marine Sanctuary in Bingag, Dauis, Bohol, Philippines. It features a large number of Giant Clams. Some of them are more than 3 feet long. It’s like being at a strip club- look but don’t touch. Here is a link to video.
Close-ups start at 2:46. They have some surprising neon colors on the inside.
Most excellant!
Thanks!
Feisty little clownfish in the opening bits 
Tridacna spp. clams are popular in the saltwater aquarium hobby. I spent some time, years ago, in Tonga, running a fish collection station for the aquarium trade here in the US. It was illegal to export the clams, but one day out on the boat I snagged one to eat for lunch, and it hit me it would be worth $400 retail back here in the states. Many yards were decorated with giant clam shells. The colors are largely due to symbiotic algae present in the tissue.
Yesterday, in the gardens at Standen (about 30 miles south of London) I saw two daffodils in flower.
Not so very long 'til spring, now,
j
On Pinel island earlier today (off the coast of St Martin) relaxing under a sea grape tree. This lil sugar bird kept me company.
Also known as the bananaquit, which is a name I’ve always found amusing 
.
Very sweet little birds. Their numbers dropped after Hurricane Irma, but they have rebounded nicely. We have a dish of sugar and a bowl of water on our balcony for them.
Today in nature I saw Mars appear from behind the Moon:
Back before Irma there would be a dozen or more at any given time.
Meanwhile here in the snowier than usual mid-Atlantic:
Tufted titmouse
Carolina or Black-capped chickadee
Meanwhile we are in the amazing Caribbean and I can’t shut off notifications from our bird feeder/camera. The tufted titmouses (titmice?) are gorging.
Drunk as a skunk after too many bloodys for breakfast. Oh, and eggs Norwegian on the the Dutch side
Turkey tail fungus and Bird’s nest fungus:
Pretty!
Saw this guy on a hike in Sint Maarten.
What is it? Looks like a big 'un, whatever you call it.
Two versions of the same photo. The original
Actually, that looks better than I thought it would, but you need to click for the full photo. Here’s a crop of the original:
Typical - that one cuts the bird in question out. Click to see a cormorant. I took this last Thursday when I cycled past - rather striking, I thought - the tree is on the edge of a lake, and pretty much the tallest around. I’ve seen cormorants by a couple of local lakes recently, and I don’t recall seeing them before. So: interesting.
I cycled past the same lake today and… cormorant in the tallest tree again.
I guess they’re a fixture for now. I may go back that way again tomorrow to check.
j
Went snorkeling with Sea Turtles this week. Link to video.
Near Balicasag Island, Bohol, Philippines. These turtles see humans almost every day so they are quite indifferent. You can get very close to them and they carry on as if you weren’t there. They range in size from 2.5 feet head to tail up to 5 feet.
That’s beautiful.