A cardinal as homage to CotD #180, this one a flower. With an isolated bloom on a short stalk I didn't recognize it. It was in the middle of a shaded path in the McKee-Beshers WMA—maybe it didn't like being mowed.
At #97 in the region on iNaturalist they are not uncommon but I never noticed them before. Now I'm seeing them everywhere, from swamp to forest to meadow, and even some volunteers that came to our garden with the daisies.
2021-08-28 McKee-Beshers WMA, Poolesville, MD
A gray hairstreak enjoying the flowers in our back yard last August. She's not particular about her food. Wikipedia says her caterpillars prefer mallows and legumes, but here she is on a joe-pye weed from the aster family. Nor is she particular about habitat, living everywhere from tropical forest and mountains to temperate woodlands and meadows. And suburban gardens.
2021-08-14 Bethesda, MD
So I am standing by the tree waiting for the hawk to talk to me (it was quite chatty that morning), when this mockingbird comes and lands right beside it, stays for a while, then flits away. This is not like the wren which will scream bloody murder to harass any predator that should chance to land in its territory. Nor is it like the gazelle that will sidle up to the lion to show the ladies how fast he can run when the lion gives chase (there were no mockingbirds to watch this feat of daring-do, and there was none of that sidling). From All About Birds,
Red-shouldered hawks occasionally eat birds, sometimes from bird feeders; recorded prey include sparrows, starlings, and doves.
This scene could have ended very differently.
2021-11-21 NIH pond, Bethesda, MD
More November botanicals, this time a flower from the arugula that we planted as ground cover. It's native to the Mediterranean with a long history of cultivation (it was used as an aphrodisiac in ancient Rome). I hope it doesn't self-seed too aggressively since I planted it with the natives.
2021-11-21 Bethesda, MD
I replanted pansies for the season. It is nice having a little colour throughout the winter. Last year they survived until mid-July and even spread themselves, but they didn't pop up again in October. Too hot for them around here.
2021-11-21 Bethesda, MD
Lots of ghost crabs on the beach at Chincoteague, but you have to be looking for them because they hide in plain sight. They also move pretty fast and disappear into burrows that they've built.
2021-09-19 Assateague Beach, Chincoteague, VA
A pair of stilt bugs on a bee blossom. Probably Jalysus wickhami, but maybe J. spinosus. Anyway, they seemed happily oblivious of the camera.
2021-08-28 McKee-Beshers WMA, Poolesville, MD
Here's a ruby-throated hummingbird, as you can clearly tell from her ruby coloured throat…or not. At least she gets to keep the lovely green on her head and back.
2021-08-28 McKee-Beshers WMA, Poolesville, MD
2021-11-06 Bethesda, MD
Lots of animals to be seen on my daily walk to the local pond.
2021-11-20 NIH field, Bethesda, MD
For those of you who didn't stay up late enough/wake up early enough, a picture of the near total lunar eclipse from this morning.
2021-11-19 Bethesda, MD
An eastern tiger swallowtail on joe-pye weed. Unlike her yellow sistren (e.g., #156) she is one of the dark morph females that sometimes appear. They are more common in the south where they mimic the awful tasting pipevine swallowtails according to this site. The pipevine swallowtail poison comes from pipevine flowers (Aristolochia), a strange looking flower that I haven't yet seen (they aren't common around here).
2021-08-15 Cabin John (powerline), Bethesda, MD
According to wikipedia the trashline (bits of plant and old meals) woven into the web allow the spider to hide from wasps.
2021-10-13 NIH field, Bethesda, MD
A not-camouflaged duskywing hiding in the joe-pye weed. Here is a photo where it is not so hidden. The caterpillars like wild indigo (Baptisia) and lupins, hence the name.
Scratch and sniff: "Male has a costal fold containing yellow scent scales; female has a patch of scent scales on the 7th abdominal segment." Bug Guide has pictures identified as male and female. Let me know if you can spot the difference. It's much too subtle for me.
2021-08-15 Cabin John (powerline), Bethesda, MD
Cabbage white on thistle. Wikipedia says he* is native to the Eastern Mediterranean but followed brassica crops around the world.
Looking at the pictures on iNaturalist, the adults seem to like any sort of flower (including thistle).
* "She"s have two spots.
2021-07-28
Another impressionist light painting—same pond, different tree—showing a bit of fall colour. Maybe a white oak? It's kind hard to guess the leaf shape from this photo 8-)
2021-11-07
The crown of the sycamore reflected off the water of the canal. There was a light breeze tickling the surface giving rise to fine ripples. No need to twiddle anything in post.
Branches. Yes, that's it: It is a photo of branches.
2021-11-07 C&O Canal, Bethesda, MD
I selected the photo more for the camouflaged bark of the sycamore than for the woodpecker.
2021-11-07 C&O Canal, Bethesda, MD
Yet another skipper, this one smaller than most.
According to one website they will counter-rotate their antennae when sitting. Clearly I need to spend more time staring at butterflies to notice this sort of thing.
2021-08-31 Blue Mash, Gaithersburg, MD
The hidden crown on a ruby-crowned kinglet. He was moving his head, so a bit blurry, but you can still see the hints of red. I've never seen them with crest up, but there's a photo at All About Birds.
2021-11-07 NIH pond, Bethesda, MD
A couple of widgeons swimming in the canal, taking a bit of a break from their travels. Breeding range is west of Hudson's Bay and north of Colorado. Maybe some will stick around for the winter, but most are headed south.
2021-11-07 C&O Canal, Bethesda, MD
A bit of fall colour, this is some variety of goldenrod with blurry sumac in the background.
2021-11-07 NIH pond, Bethesda, MD
A cucumber beetle on our sunflowers. Not the nicest visitor. From bug guide: "major pest of many field crops including cucumbers and other squashes, corn, soy. Beetles also transmit crop diseases such as bacterial wilt. Adults also reported damaging to garden plants including hibiscus, roses."
2021-08-26 Bethesda, MD
2021-09-18 Assateague Beach, Chincoteague, VA
One swallowtail, slightly nipped.
Alternatively: one swallowtail with one tail swallowed.
He* is snacking on joe pye weed by the looks of it. Not uncommon since it is a great butterfly attractor.
* Females have pretty blue bars at the end of their wings.
2021-08-15 Cabin John (powerline), Bethesda, MD
Classic pose. I like the orange feet. The "ruby crown" is a crest of orange-red feathers that males extend when excited. I've seen a few hints of red on some of the photos so there is a male in the area, but I don't know about this one.
2021-10-31 NIH pond, Bethesda, MD
Part of nature's recycling program, this sow bug helps turn cellose back into soil. They are outdoor creatures, but will sometimes come inside. They don't do well when it is too dry. Internet care sheets say 50-80% humidity. This one was photographed while getting a ride back to a suitable environment on an Indian fast food container.
2021-10-24 Bethesda, MD
Peck's skipper, topside view, on one of our New England asters. The pattern on the leading edge of the top wing indicates that it is a male, particularly the orange spot at the end.
2021-08-31 Bethesda, MD
Pick a pair of Peck's skippers and put them on a thistle… though in this case the lady by the crab spider is a sachem. I'm not sure who is hiding under the petals.
2021-08-31 Blue Mash, Gaithersburg, MD