UPDATE:  Solved by Alex at 12:06

Here we are, down to the wire on the last riddle before the bonus riddle.  Remember, it’s running Monday, July 4th.  Although I’m sure everybody knows the rules for the bonus riddle by now, I’ll run through them again in case you tuned in to the riddles recently.

• Tom and I will post the bonus riddle at noon CDT, July 4th.
• Guesses on the bonus riddle will be by email to Tom or Marian.
• You will have 24 hours to submit your guesses; from noon CDT Monday July 4th, until noon CDT Tuesday July 5th.
• You get three guesses.
• Comments will be closed on the bonus riddle until after the submission deadline.
• The winner will be the first person to submit the correct answer.  If nobody solves the riddle by noon CDT July 5th, it will be opened for everybody to give it a shot.
• Tom will have the final say in any controversy.

Today’s riddle is your last chance to get on the list for Monday’s bonus riddle, if you haven’t already done so.  Now, for the fun stuff.  Your answer is once again found in the real world.

Don't go for the obvious - that's too easy

Our ancestors probably noticed this.

They were certainly aware of it by 500 years ago.

It holds an important place in Australian Aboriginal astronomy.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Behold - this is one ugly bird.

If you visit Cancun in the late winter, you will see this.

Although thought of as fairly innocuous to most cultures, there is one which views this with fear.

Not prominent in SciFi, it does feature in one important work.

NASA image

Okay!  Nice and short today, but you guys are good.  I will say this;  pay attention to the image clues.  It seems some of us are ignoring the image clues in favor of the written clues.  I’m in the comments, as usual, and looking forward to your guesses.