Woodland Skipper Butterfly

After getting encouragement from a couple of experienced nature bloggers, I’ve posted my first identified butterfly photo. Thanks to Michelle at Rambling Woods and Bill at The Tulsa Gentleman for guide book suggestions. Actually, I only helped a little in the ID of this. Karen found the species, and a great online butterfly resource, Butterflies and Moths of North America.

This is a Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides), which is common in grasses, gardens and woods throughout the west from British Columbia, south to California and east to Colorado. The larvae eat grasses and the adults eat nectar. This is a small butterfly, not much more than an inch long.

For more closeup photos, visit Lisa’s Chaos Macro Monday.

Baby Western toad on the shore of Anderson Lake

This week’s Leader had a story about a couple of million baby Western (or Boreal) toads that had come out of Anderson Lake and were hopping around the shore. Of course, I had to go out and take some photos. Right now they are around 1 in (2.5 cm) in length. Apparently they will grow to be 2 1/2 – 4 inches (5.6 – 13 cm) long. That’s pretty big, especially if many of them survive.

The things were all over the ground for about 50 feet out from the lake. In places the ground looked like it was moving. Then there were piles of thousands of toads that writhed, which was both fascinating and a bit unsettling.

Pile of wiggling toads

See Murietta 365 for more straight out of the camera photos.

Great Blue Heron flying overhead

I was walking in Kah Tai Lagoon Park and saw this heron flying toward me. Fortunately, I had a camera along. By the time I got the camera on and focused, the heron was directly overhead. I’m guessing that it flew over at 40-50 feet altitude.

Poppy seed pods

These oriental (bread seed) poppies are finally ready to harvest. The pods are quite clever. Notice the ring of holes just below the “crown” of the seed head? Those act like salt shaker holes, which open when the seeds are ripe.  Shake the head and the little seeds come out.

We’ve been trying to figure out what the fuzzy stuff is. If anyone knows, please tell us. I included it in the photo because it’s pretty.

For more closeup photos from all over the world, visit Lisa’s Chaos.

A bowl of poppy seed heads

Great Blue Heron in Kah Tai Nature Park Lagoon

This Great Blue Heron has been hanging out in the small lagoon in Kah Tai Park.

See Newton Area Photo for more Weekend Reflections.

Swallow contemplating its very first flight

We had a brood of  Violet-green swallows hatch in this house that was attached to our house. There were two babies. The first took off with its parents in the morning. This one stayed in the birdhouse hole yelling for food. Nobody fed the young bird because it was time to fly and catch its own. Making the leap took it a whole day.

Forest trail in Old Fort Townsend State Park

Fort Townsend State Park was on Washington’s closure list, a victim of the state’s budget woes. It survived this year, which I fully appreciate. The park has some of my favorite hiking trails close to Port Townsend. With the wealth of wonderful places nearby I know I shouldn’t complain if this is its last year in operation. Still, a favorite is a favorite.