imladris's Favorites

Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Athens-Clarke County, GA. ©williamwisephoto.com

• Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
• Sunrise 6:27 am; sunset 8:48 pm
• Daylight Hours: 14 hours, 20 minutes (-35s)
• Moon: 66.6%, Waning Gibbous

Great-crested Flycatcher. Athens-Clarke County, GA.

• Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
• Sunrise 6:27 am; sunset 8:48 pm
• Daylight Hours: 14 hours, 20 minutes (-35s)
• Moon: 66.6%, Waning Gibbous

Red-bellied Woodpecker. Athens-Clarke County, GA.

• Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
• Sunrise 6:27 am; sunset 8:48 pm
• Daylight Hours: 14 hours, 20 minutes (-35s)
• Moon: 66.6%, Waning Gibbous

I have a 100 gallon tub of water near my house so wildlife can drink. Just as it was getting dark a short while ago something caught my eye and this small White-tailed buck came to drink. Somehow this fella got a plastic jug caught up in his velvet antlers...I hope he can get it off. I had to chuckle at this sight, however, something I had certainly never seen before. Anyway, he drank some water then trotted away. Hope he will be OK!

A REQUEST:
When recommending an identification, please adhere to current standards of taxonomy as deployed by iNaturalist at this time — as opposed to identifying and classifying organisms based on personal beliefs about what taxonomy can, should, or of right ought to be in opposition to iNaturalist’s current taxonomy. Comments noting such taxonomic disagreements, however, are welcomed and encouraged. I prefer my observations to be inline with current taxonomic standards as deployed by iNaturalist (as opposed to my personal beliefs) so that this and other observations are readily accessible to iNaturalist users with greater efficiency and usability. Thanks!

If you have any questions regarding this observation, feel free to contact me or leave a comment below!

Janson Jones,
http://floridensis.com.

Photo 1:
More Faces Than I Expected
Yesterday morning I stepped outside before sunrise and saw movement. Turned on a porch light & saw this. I'd been wanting to see this for years. She had 2 babies on her back with a 3rd climbing on. The mama froze as I ran back inside and scrambled to get my camera assembled. I was very lucky, she was still standing frozen when I got back. So dark I had to use flash. I was about 10 feet from her.
Photo 2:
There Is Always One
After my first shot, I stood still & mama finally relaxed and turned sideways. That is when I saw there were 4 babies, not 3. Number 4 was struggling to find a handhold on the other side from it's siblings. Every big family has that one kid that marches to a different drummer.
Photo 3:
Mom Checks Me Out Again
When my flash went off for my 2nd shot, it got mom's attention again. With 3 little sets of eyes also looking my way. Number 4 was still trying to hang on and facing the wrong direction.
Photo 4:
Mom Decides I'm No Threat
Mama ignored me and the camera flashes and wandered around the deck sniffing and exploring for a minute or so. Baby # 4 finally seemed secure. Babies stay in mom's pouch until they are about 2 1/2 months old when they emerge and climb on her back. They stay with her until they are about 4 to 5 months old.

N30.82908° W82.37228°
Billy's Lake; Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.

~ Want to make a virtual exploration of the Okefenokee Swamp? Every few days receive a blog featuring nature journals, articles, book excerpts and natural history of the alligators, reptiles, birds, insects, flora and other fauna of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Subscribe at https://okefenokee.photography/. You can also join the Okefenokee Photography Project here on iNaturalist to add your own observations. Thanks! William

Had spotted a white bundle of fur in a tree and after a time spent studying determined it was a Raccoon with either Albinism or Leucism. It shifted a few times over a couple of hours and finally when I had nearly given up, it briefly opened it's eyes. Which confirmed this as an Albino, as Leucism does not impact eye pigment.

@sambiology @mchlfx @wildcarrot I went looking for @jblinde Siren's but got distracted obviously. Has anyone mentioned seeing this animal at LLELA?

I managed just a few quick shots from the car as an Osprey flew by with a fish over the Pedernales River in Johnson City, Texas. This was the only shot of the 4 or 5 that was in decent focus. This fish has been identified as:
American Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum)
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/4870751

Yep, that's me, quite a long time ago! Alligator capture-tag-release program on Bear Island, 1996. See the online journal at www.williamwisephoto.com.

That's me (not a sasquatch) on an alligator capture-tag-release program on Bear Island WMA, SC in the spring/summer of 1996. I loved gators before this day, but was totally hooked after holding my first juvenile and feeling the growl of an adult as I sat on her to be tagged (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/18369794). That weekend started my alligator addiction. See the online journal at www.williamwisephoto.com.