Sunday, 4-30-17: Ottawa NWR

Canada Geese

Trumpeter Swans 

These birds are native to the US and Canada and prefer inland wetlands and marine ecosystems.

They are the largest waterfowl species native to North America (Weight: 23 lbs; Wingspan: 6-7 feet; Length: 5 feet)

Solitary Sandpiper

Killdeer

Although technically shorebirds, they are unusual in this group because they often nest and live far from water.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Parasitic fungus on Eastern Red Cedar

This baseball-sized lesion is a parasitic fungus or rust, known as Gymnosporangium rust (G. juniper virginianae) which requires two hosts and two years for its life cycle.  Many thanks to John Kipping, Arborist, Botanist, First Mate Naturalist on the Delphinus, great longtime friend and husband to the beautiful EJ!

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Friday, 4-28-17: Hocking Hills State Park, OH

Handsome Male Eastern Towhee

We like its former name, the more aptly called Rufous-sided Towhee

Weedon Island, St Petersburg, FL

Common Violets

American Robin

Robins eat a lot of fruit in fall and winter.  When they eat honeysuckle berries exclusively, they often become intoxicated and inadvertently fly into windows or trees.

Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly

Shelf Fungi

Umbrella Magnolia

 Thanks Dear Tullochs!

Eastern Swallowtail Butterflies in Daniel Boone National Forest

An Eastern Whip-poor-will serenaded us to sleep tonight.

Eastern Swallowtail Butterfly

Arguably Florida's largest butterfly

Named for its bold yellow and black tiger-like pattern

Males are always yellow: females may either be yellow like the mail or black (dark form)

Multiple generations are produced each year.

Larvae utilize a variety of trees as hosts, including tulip tree, black cherry, and sweet bay.

A strikingly beautiful butterfly!

Mark Twain-isms

Thursday, 4-27-17: Daniel Boone National Forest, KY

Canada Goose Family

Comforting sign next to our campsite

Patch of Dwarf Crested Irises

Male Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly

The hindwing has two rows of large orange dots.

Their adult food is nectar and puddling where this butterfly was consuming nutrients like salts and amino acids crucial to their physiology..

The larval food is sassafras and spicebush.

Silver-spotted Skipper

Adult food is nectar and puddling.

Black Locust is the larval food of this skipper

Pearl Crescent