Lots of bird activity this morning in the backyard!
Selys' Sundragon
Helocordulia selysii
male
Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area,
Anderson Co., Texas
31.9817 -095.8884
first county record
12 March 2011
2 shots posted
Male Sympetrum ambiguum transferring sperm from gonopores to secondary genitalia
Less than 30 seconds after disengaging from the wheel position with a female this male perched nearby above her, periodically flying off to guard her, then returning to this perch to replenish his secondary genitalia with sperm.
Continuing bird...
Check out this beauty!
Leucistic Red-Tailed Hawk
Newly emerged Desert Firetail drying his wings
Fall Socially Distant BioBlitz 2021
Another tree which made a scenic choice of where to germinate and grow.
Scanned from 35mm Ektachrome slide.
I had been in awe of beetles like this ever since I saw them in a museum tray many years ago, but suffice it to say that when I encountered this one in the field for the first time, it was..."glorious"!
Scanned from 35mm Ektachrome slide.
It looks like the larger fish has a second, smaller fish, in its mouth. The GBH made several attempts to swallow this fish before finally succeeding.
Alysa caught a baby possum.
Male Argia fumipennis being predated by male Erythemis simplicicollis
I was taking photos of the Attenuated Bluet and these flew right up next to me.
Quick trip to a friends Bosque County ranch to see if the GCW's had arrived. They were there and singing in force. Along with quiet a few BW Warblers and Chipping Sparrows.
Yes, I went birding in the below freezing weather- it wasn't too bad as long as the wind wasn't blowing. The birds were quite active although they didn't necessarily want to stand still and pose. LLELA- Cottonwood Trail
Seems to be large prey for such a small Green lynx spider
Two male Calopteryx maculata sparring over territory
I took 30-40 shots absolutely certain I would have at least one stunning shot out of the sequence but this heavy crop was the only shot that looked like it was taken on purpose...
These sprang from the eggs laid on the wall that my moth lights shine on 9 days ago:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49849985
@greglasley this was on the side of the building that @jwn and I was staying at. Thinking it's G. ozarkensis. Thoughts?
Varied Bunting
Passerina versicolor
male
(rare record in this area)
Las Colmenas Ranch
near McCook,
Hidalgo Co., Texas
5 May 2006
male Golden-fronted Woodpecker enjoying a bath.
This bird flew over, headed back in the direction of its nest on the other side of the dam. As seen in the second picture, there were crows in hot pursuit.
Loads of bugs showed up at the black lights tonight! Lots of diversity and abundance. :)
Teneral female Celithemis elisa below exuviae
Took at daytrip out of DFW to get away.
What a nice morning -- big time thanks to Taylor for letting me check out the black-throated blue warbler that's sticking around his place. Stopped briefly at Harry Moss Park too.
Tandem pair of Anax junius attempt to escape interaction with Trachemys scripta elegans
If you look closely it is possible to see the turtle has the just near or above the tarsus of the right hindleg in its mouth. The darners ended up escaping.
this obs for the scorpion. The moth is posted separately.
Male Enallagma basidens with hydrachnid mites
This male appeared out of place, as did its behavior. I watched him for a minute and he was not translocating sperm or engaging in typical grooming with his legs. He seemed to move slower than normal, almost as though the ambient temperature was much lower.
Cannot say for sure that there was an intentionality to remove the mites though it did seem the motion was there.
Though it seems obvious, I'm not sure what was going on or what the root of the behavior was.
This observation for the top damsel. The bottom one will be reported separately.
I love this image because it shows a Smoky Rubyspot male at the top and an Ebony Jewelwing male at the bottom. Great illustration of wing shape differences. I see many reports of one reported as the other and try to explain the wing shape differences to folks...this shot is a great illustration.
This is Texas, after all....
I am not one to be startled by scorpions, rattlesnakes and the like when I come across one unexpectedly, but just had a rather startling experience. I was driving a truck along a ranch road near where I am staying when suddenly a Giant Redheaded Centipede, 6+ inches long, came scampering across the dashboard right in front of me. Not a clue how it got in the vehicle but I must admit to a sudden expletive uttered. I got the vehicle stopped and opened the door and the centipede got on the inside of the driver's door while I took a few cell phone shots. I knocked him off the door and he fell to the ground and took off like a centipede out of Hell. I then continued my trip, but found myself checking the floor, the doors, the seats etc. as I drove.
I have seen lots of these but never in my car. I have never been stung but they reportedly have a very bad sting.
https://texashillcountry.com/3-facts-texas-centipedes/
Male Ischnura ramburii with Toxomerus sp. prey