birdgal5's Favorites

Eight days after the last one, I made it back to poke around some more and found this female hovering around and roosting in the lodgepoles south of the pond. Eventually she came down within netting distance, so I scooped her up for some close-ups before releasing.

I was amazed to find this Sierran Treefrog trying to make a meal of a juvenile Taricha.

When I flipped the log the newt was upside down and in the frog's mouth, but was soon let go. The frog's tongue stuck out for a few seconds afterwards, I'd like to think due to awesome tetrodotoxin.

Pepperwood Preserve. Santa Rosa, California.

Great day for larvae on the creek trail: most of the stages(or instars if you will) were easily found.

I've always better luck finding these lovely caterpillars at the end of the season; a nice reminder that the fading California summer will soon brighten into our long spring.