wsweet321's Favorites

This bear knocked over my bird feeders a few nights ago. I've been taking them in at night and haven't had a problem. Just before dusk I spotted the bear out back and after taking a few pictures I went out and took the feeders inside.

Found deep in the swamp. Small and hard to spot, this variety is very rare in Massachusetts, though all varieties are state-listed as endangered. This one has a lovely sweet scent, like a fine and delicate perfume.

Found this cocoon mid February and have been keeping it safe in a jar with air since then, it finally decided to hatch!! Checked on the jar and it was already out of the cocoon ready to spread its wings - sat for a while to get its bearings then I transferred it to a Sweetgum tree right next to where it hatched. Took 3 hours total to chill out, walk up the tree, move its wings on a high branch and then fly off at night (around 10:30pm it finally flew away). Such a special experience!

This observation is for the salamander in the pitcher. I was surprised to find this salamander in a Sarracenia purpurea pitcher plant. It was alive. Shortly after I took the photograph, it dove deep into the pitcher where I could not see it. Although I could've missed it, I went back to this spot a week after taking this photo and could not find the salamander.

Evidently, salamanders can be prey for pitcher plants. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ecy.2770

Observation for the plant is here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/141415049

Отпечатки лап тигра.
В вечернее время предыдущего дня (24 июня) проводили наблюдения за глухими кукушками и услышали несколько раз рык. На следующее утро (25 июня) на дороге, по которой мы возвращались вечером, увидели следы проследовавшего за нами тигра (протяженность следовой дорожки 0.5 км).
З июля снова встретились с тигром и записали рык на диктофон. Зверь был встречен в том же месте, где рычал в прошлый раз. Во время записи звук удаляется, так как зверь стал перемещаться вверх по склону.

Rescued this goanna from a discarded beer can on the side of the highway. It appeared to be in good condition afterwards but there was a lot of litter on this section of the highway, particularly drink cans. Just north of Wycliffe Well, NT.