FOS
I had my FOS (First of season) Brown Creeper this afternoon. Always exciting to see one in our woods. One time years ago when I was out with Claire at Unit 55 (Rucker’s), we saw a Brown Creeper. It was doing it usual business going up the tree hunting for its next meal. While we were sitting there, all of sudden the Brown Creeper froze and was trying to look very small. A moment later we knew why. A Sharp-shinned Hawk came racing down the ditch and went right passed us. Creeper was fine and we had a fun view of the whole event!
There was a lot of robins in the woods too. The Brown Creeper was too far away and too small to get a photo.
Pretty reddish grasshopper (Melanoplus species)
Eryngo (Eryngium leavenworthii) still has some color.
Nostoc does not look like much when it is dry.
Left side is dry; right side wet. When wet it is jelly-like. Nostoc is a cyanobacteria.
Close up view at 400X.
I made a spore print of a mushroom I found a couple days ago. Still didn’t help me ID it. Spore print can help ID sometimes or least assist in the clues. Interesting enough, spore prints don’t always match the color of the mushroom.
Spores were bumpy, greenish and about 8 microns.
I wonder what the squirrel found in the hole it dug. Paw print is to the left center.
Happy Thanksgiving! Giving thanks for my naturalist friends like you who teach me so much!
Happy Thanksgiving to all as well. I'm so grateful to have friends that love nature as much as I do. Always something to learn from y'all!
I remember the hawk and creeper! It was so cool! Love the nostoc.