cjackson's Favorites
Photos / Sounds
What
Yellow-headed Caracara (Daptrius chimachima)Observer
gothnatureDescription
Eating meat put out by nearby businesses. Natural, unedited background (exterior wall of a Target).
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Ash Meadows Amargosa Pupfish (Cyprinodon nevadensis ssp. mionectes)Observer
hsug1747Description
Kings pool
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Western Black Horse Fly (Tabanus punctifer)Observer
hsug1747Description
Cw human blood on slide 5
I was constantly bitten by these flies while photographing pupfish at salt creek. I would strongly recommend wearing thicker clothing if anyone plans to walk to the location, as they are more than capable of biting through fabric. Given that the road to salt creek is currently closed to vehicles and unmarked, prospective visitors will likely be the only available human host(s) for a radius of multiple miles.
Slide 5 shows spots where these bites bled through my t-shirt. I experienced no negative effects (aside from the immediate prick of flies’ mouthparts) from the 50 or so bites I experienced over the course of about 1.5 hours at the location. All things considered, well worth the opportunity to explore salt creek (and the ruins of the flood-destroyed boardwalk) uninterrupted.
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Bees (Epifamily Anthophila)Observer
naturephotosuzeDescription
Carrizo Plain
For the smaller bee
I'm assuming two different species as I don't think there would be this great dimorphism but I could be wrong
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Mushrooms, Bracket Fungi, Puffballs, and Allies (Class Agaricomycetes)Observer
hsug1747
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Fountain Grass (Cenchrus setaceus)Observer
hsug1747Description
Established population
Infrared (supposedly 750nm) on unmodified fujifilm XP 140
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Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)Observer
hsug1747Description
Infrared (supposedly 750nm) on unmodified fujifilm XP 140
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California Trapdoor Spider (Bothriocyrtum californicum)Observer
hsug1747Description
Field illustration scan
a field sketch which I "completed" later using my own photos of the subject as refrence
graphite and watercolor
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San Diego Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata ssp. webbii)Observer
hsug1747
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Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis)Observer
michellearnoldDescription
Chinese mantis eating a Ruby throated hummingbird in butterfly bush
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Rufous-backed Robin (Turdus rufopalliatus)Observer
moonglowDescription
Eating chicken food out of my bird feeder in Shelter Valley, CA
(Exact coordinates hidden because it’s all private property and my neighbors didn’t like people coming down the private road, sorry everyone)
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Monterey Ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii ssp. eschscholtzii)Observer
befuddledowl
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Hunnegbei (Apis mellifera)Observer
bmatsushitaDescription
Taking a picture of a northern mockingbird when the bee flew by. Observing a northern mockingbird, observing a western honey bee.
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Kennedyi-group Honeypot Ants (Complex Myrmecocystus kennedyi)Observer
dgrimmphdDescription
Palm Springs, Coachella Valley, Riverside County, California
Photos / Sounds
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Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis)Observer
dlm1965Description
Cold (immobile) & stuck in broken sand / mud or got caught up in flood waters. *Moved close by to sunny, warm rock with areas for escape, retreat.
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Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus)Observer
dalemeisterDescription
Photo 5 is the action shot!
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Western Threadsnake (Rena humilis)Observer
mhedinDescription
dry desert ravine, under small stones, no moon
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Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)Observer
kccardifDescription
Leucistic Red Tail Hawk
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Hexatoma albitarsisObserver
terrinorrisDescription
Update:
I found several of these at Cedar Bog again this year. The last one might be Hexatoma brevicornis, so if you have expertise, please D.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172420801
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172420799
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172420798
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/175243975
Note: I have photographed this Hexatomini at Cedar Bog in Champaign County, Ohio for at least 17 years. Always in the same area.
I've added two other observations; one from back in 2004.
Links to those observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88273567
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84762884
Here's an observation this year (2022) with better pics of wing venation. Same location.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124010854
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Golden Hairstreak (Habrodais grunus)Observer
alice_abelaDescription
Female golden hairstreak on its hostplant, tanbark oak (Lithocarpus densiflorus), in Santa Barbara County, California
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Leopard Tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis)Observer
pufferchungDescription
My African Leopard Tortoise laid an egg today!
I bought her from a pet store in Austin, when she was a newly hatched tortoise. She was the size of my palm. I think she is 14 or 16 years old now. She is so big and heavy, I could barely pick her up.
She lays eggs every summer, usually after a good soaking rain, when the soil is wet enough.
She lives in my backyard. Leopard Tortoise is good digger, she escaped 3 times by digging a hole by the fence. I had put out reward in our neighborhood to get her back. Now she is bigger and I secured the fence in my backyard so she couldn't escape.
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Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus ssp. helleri)Observer
patchouliknowledgeDescription
The lighter of the two snakes was the winner.
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California Scorpionfish (Scorpaena guttata)Observer
calliemackDescription
Between 60 - 75 ft depth
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California Toad (Anaxyrus boreas ssp. halophilus)Observer
cactuschicDescription
Juvenile California toads.
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Chaparral Monkey Grasshopper (Morsea californica)Observer
phytographerDescription
A red boi
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Harris' Three-Spot (Harrisimemna trisignata)Observer
pufferchungDescription
First time sighting, found it in my backyard, I can't believe it !
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Couch's Spadefoot (Scaphiopus couchii)Observer
with_alligatorsDescription
CNDDB
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Tailed Copper (Tharsalea arota)Observer
rschoedlDescription
Female on currant bush.
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El Segundo Blue (Euphilotes battoides ssp. allyni)Observer
sarahainsworthDescription
A pair of El Segundo Blue Butterflies mate while perched on their host plant, seacliff buckwheat. Photographed in July 2023 at Dockweiler State Beach, Los Angeles County, CA.
Photo by Sarah Ainsworth, contact via www.sarahaphotography.com for usage.
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Alkali Mariposa Lily (Calochortus striatus)Observer
mojavedonDescription
Brephidium exile; Western Pygmy-Blue butterfly on Calochortus striatus.
