Garden Visitors

[Silas_Sancona]

13 minutes ago, Reyes Vargas said:

I was removing a tree stump and this came out.  Does anyone know what kind of snake it is.

Gonna keep looking, just to be certain but,  my first glance guess?,  ...your " Snake in question " could be a Great Plains Rat Snake, Pantherophis emoryi:  https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/73884-Pantherophis-emoryi

Regardless,  casual look at the shape of the head rules out anything venomous..  Beautiful / very healthy specimen!  Looks about 5-7ft in length in the last picture?  ..Someone has been busy keeping un - wanted furry things in check.

[Rivera]

1 hour ago, Reyes Vargas said:

I was removing a tree stump and this came out.  Does anyone know what kind of snake it is.

Looks like a rat snake, but I couldn't say more specifically.

Edit: didn't see Nathan already answered this. I wouldn't mind a little rodent control myself!

Edited October 27, 2023 by Rivera

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Rivera said:

Looks like a rat snake, but I couldn't say more specifically.

Edit: didn't see Nathan already answered this. I wouldn't mind a little rodent control myself!

King Snake or two? ( If you can convince them to stay in just your yard, lol. I know Alligator Lizards will eat Mice / other baby fury things..

[Silas_Sancona]

One of the Saddlebag Gliders, Genus Tramea..  Could be Black Saddlebags, ..Tramea lacerata, but tough to tell when the darn things just dart around and won't land, lol.. Lucky to get ..even this low quality shot. 4 species occur here.



Hummingbirds ( ..likely Anna's ) letting me know it's time to get the feeders re hung





...and hunting for bugs among the Alamo Vine / sipping nectar from the Red Torch ( Sunflowers ) 

[Rivera]

Hummingbird visits California fuchsia. 

I can never really identify them. They're small and fast and I'm red-green colorblind.

Anna's is the most common in the area.

[Silas_Sancona]

4 hours ago, Rivera said:

Hummingbird visits California fuchsia. 

I can never really identify them. They're small and fast and I'm red-green colorblind.

Anna's is the most common in the area.

If you don't have any up already, you might try placing a feeder or two somewhere close to where you can easily view them from a patio when they visit and use their calls to ID since it might be tougher to visually make the coloration distinction(s) between Anna's and Allen's, which is also a common " Yard Hummer " there.

The one thing i'd notice between the two is Allen's will have more brown vs. green coloration ( Anna's ). Throat color on Allen's leans more Gold / Orange in light vs. leans bright Magenta Red ( Anna's )  Allen's -generally- also lacks a brightly colored crown, or, at the very least, it isn't as reflective - from as many angles- as it is on Anna's.

Anna's is also quite a talker, even while perched at a feeder..  Allen's, not quite as much, ...that i recall anyway. Pretty sure it's call is distinctively different than Anna's also.

[Silas_Sancona]

Some " October " Bees..

Honey tailed Striped Sweat Bee





Sonoran Bumble Bee, Bombus sonorus.   First observation of these in the yard, ..and a hanging around little later in the year than is suggested by the " Seasonality "  timeline on  iNat.
















One of the Leafcutters... 99% sure on this observation due to size ( Much bigger than the smaller bees in the yard w/ similar coloration ) and the fact that the Leaf Cutters are next to impossible to approach ( very nervous, ..hang out on an individual flower for ..maybe.. 3 seconds,  before darting off..  )

[Silas_Sancona]

On 10/30/2023 at 5:25 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Some " October " Bees..

Honey tailed Striped Sweat Bee





Sonoran Bumble Bee, Bombus sonorus.   First observation of these in the yard, ..and a hanging around little later in the year than is suggested by the " Seasonality "  timeline on  iNat.
















One of the Leafcutters... 99% sure on this observation due to size ( Much bigger than the smaller bees in the yard w/ similar coloration ) and the fact that the Leaf Cutters are next to impossible to approach ( very nervous, ..hang out on an individual flower for ..maybe.. 3 seconds,  before darting off..  )

The best possible " overhead view " of  a leafcutter  one can get..  Well, me anyway, lol.  Cooler morning must have slowed this one down just enough that it wasn't yet in " Flying Dart Mode "

[Silas_Sancona]

The perfect Animal- related story for Halloween night..

https://www.wired.com/story/the-vampire-bat-is-moving-closer-to-the-us-thats-a-problem/

[steve99]

 The King parrot is a good looking bird.   

 

 

[Silas_Sancona]

A tough year for flutter butts  but alas, the Queens are back..

[steve99]

 The male Koel is a tough bird to photograph but managed a good one today.

 

[tropicbreeze]

Great photo. The female is very different. I get them around my place, they do like mangos. However, they need other animals like Flying Foxes and Magpie Geese to break through the outer skin first.

[Silas_Sancona]

Great story.. While they've wandered into the state since 2011, they are currently re-establishing territory in more areas. Noting the location, i wonder how much longer it may be before they're observed in the mountains near the Bay Area, or in S. Cal..

As far as i'm concerned, Wolves ..And Jaguar.. are welcome in the mountains here, and in all of California..

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/13/california-wildfire-wolves-ranchers-cattle

[Rivera]

On 10/30/2023 at 5:12 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Anna's is also quite a talker, even while perched at a feeder..  Allen's, not quite as much, ...that i recall anyway. Pretty sure it's call is distinctively different than Anna's also.

Definitely Anna's hummingbirds btw, they're very talkative and their noises allowed for easy ID contrasted to trying to trying to ID visually.

[Silas_Sancona]

16 minutes ago, Rivera said:

Definitely Anna's hummingbirds btw, they're very talkative and their noises allowed for easy ID contrasted to trying to trying to ID visually.

Talkative ...Arguing among themselves / at each other ..the other birds in he tree where the feeders are... without a doubt..

Put the feeders back up and the " Gang of 4 " ( ..or 5, lol ) returned within a couple hours, and have been screeching at one another ...when not chasing each other from the feeders since then. Have been in the path of acrobatic, " Hummingbird Mortal Combat " about half a dozen times already when anywhere near the Ficus where the feeders are hung.  lol

Pictures soon.

[tropicbreeze]

Last night was a "Termite Night" here. It was a hot humid night and it was Mastotermes darwiniensis, Giant Darwin Termites, turn to swarm. The winged males and females went on their honeymoon flight. Don't know whether they technically make it into the "Mile High Club", although they gave it their best shot. The majority don't end up well off. But they contribute to the important function of recycling plant cellulose into a form that's very important for many other animals, namely themselves.

Mastotermes darwiniensis is an oddity amongst termites, being the only surviving species in its termite family. There were a number of other Mastotermes species around the world but they died out a few million years ago. Some people consider them a "primitive termite" as they have many characteristics shared with cockroaches (the closest relatives of termites). If you take away the termite head (and wings) you have a cockroach body. However, scientists say they aren't primitive, that they evolved with those characteristics to this day.

Some Green Tree Ants, Oecophylla smaragdina, getting ready to enjoy some recycled cellulose.

Edited November 17, 2023 by tropicbreeze

[Looking Glass]

2 minutes ago, tropicbreeze said:

Last night was a "Termite Night" here. It was a hot humid night and it was Mastotermes darwiniensis, Giant Darwin Termites, turn to swarm. The winged males and females went on their honeymoon flight. Don't know whether they technically make it into the "Mile High Club", although they gave it their best shot. The majority don't end up well off. But they contribute to the important function of recycling plant cellulose into a form that's very important for many other animals, namely themselves.

Mastotermes darwiniensis is an oddity amongst termites, being the only surviving species in its termite family. There were a number of other Mastotermes species around the world but they died out a few million years ago. Some people consider them a "primitive termite" as they have many characteristics shared with cockroaches (the closest relatives of termites). If you take away the termite head (and wings) you have a cockroach body. However, scientists say they aren't primitive, that they evolved with those characteristics to this day.

Some Green Tree Ants, Oecophylla smaragdina, getting ready to enjoy some recycled cellulose.

Jesus, a roach-termite….   I’ve noticed here that ants attack the alates when they swarm also….   Though everyone involved is a bit smaller.  

[Silas_Sancona]

....So ya' like watchin' da' Boids,'  eh'? 

I' Got some boids  fo' ya  right here..


Elusive?, sly?, ...or just anti-social, most of the time..  Easily heard, but tougher to spot while creepin' through the brush, pickin' bugs off leaves and tiny branches.. ..Maybe interactin' wit' da' humans isn't your thing.. I got a guy if ya' need to talk to someone..     Orange - Crowned Warbler, Leiothlypis celata.








Verdin, Auriparus flaviceps... Ya' know,  ya' talk too much.. ..Sittin' there on ya' favorite perch, or da' other one,  ..or at the hummin' bird feeder, ...ramblin on about somethin'..   I see you and ya' girl might be makin' a nest up in the Ficus this year...  That's niice' ..Just don't steal any twigs from the White Wing Dove's place  ..They might get mad atcha' when they return in tha' spring.





















Inca doves,  pickin' at some seed in the y'aahd.. Don't forget the Sunflower seed guys ( ..and ladies )..





Gila ..i see you up there..



That time of year when tha' " 'Hood Ravens " return to scare the overly superstitious, esp. those visitin' the Hospital  ..since they like to hang out on top of the buildings durin' tha' day over there.. Dun Dun Dun..






Some Neotropical or Double Crested Cormorants ( Genus Nannopterum )  passin' through,  Flyin in a " V "  .. Aint' that niice?  ..Hey where ya' goin'? ..Any frogs over there?

  Hoping one of these dayz' to catch Ibis ( White - Faced, ..or the occasional Glossy  ..or < even rarer > White ),  the local, neighborhood creepin' Spoonbill,  ...or a pack of Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks tourin' the hood on days where it is easy ( -er ) to spot them passing overhead against high cloud cover..



" 'Hood Mocker "  Northern Mockingbird  ..and a bud  doin' some sort of territorial dance competition thang' a couple days ago.. Or maybe it's a mating dance? ..Don't let me disturb ya' two if so..

  A lot of dat' " territory markin' " stuff  happinin' around here lately..  I get it, Everyone gets a little frisky when it's niice out, right?





......>>>>>

[Silas_Sancona]

Finally some decent shots of  ..." Da' Hood Parrot Mob ", Peach / Rosy - Faced Lovebirds, Agapornis roseicollis  A long time established escapee from living room jail cells that just happened to find the desert, around Phoenix at least, suitable for hangin' out over the last few decades.. Say what.. Parrots, in the Desert?  Naahh maan!    ..Just up der' in da' neighbor's tree,  ..hangin out' ..squawkin'    Great Tailed Grackle joining in the conversation at times..  Range has started to expand beyond Phoenix in recent years..   Go there guy,  ..You'll like Tucson..  ...'Real niice..

































Get a room ya' two...



Now that they are starting to settle in around town, -East Valley so far at least- ( Can i get a few up in da' neighborhood already, 🤷‍♂️ lol ),   will be interesting to see how the newly arriving Monk Parakeets ( Myiopsitta monachus ) will do here..  let alone which " Gang of Psittaciformes mobsters "  steals all tha' sunflower seeds from ya' grandma's feeders each week..




Ladder - Backed Woodpecker, Dryobates scalaris   ... Peckin' at da' hole,  ...for da' bugs..   How do ya' not get a headache from all that head bangin' there Sir?





















......>>>>>

[Xerarch]

5 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Say what.. Parrots, in the Desert?  Naahh maan!   

I've long been aware of the Rosy faced lovebirds in the Phoenix area, and when I lived there I would tell everyone about it, and nobody ever believed me unless I was finally in a position to point one out.  I swear people live their lives with their eyes closed.  Even in neighborhoods where they were fairly prevalent, I would get a lot of pushback, like I was the crazy one.

Similar thing here in Corpus, locals are so down about what we have here, oh no those don't live here/we can't grow that, I hear it all the time.  But when I look around I see angelfish and butterfly fish, damselfish, all kinds of beautiful and colorful tropical things at the jetties.  I see green jays in abundance in Corpus (if you know where to look) while locals have never even heard of them at all or if they have they tell me they only live in the RGV.  Also there are no parrots here, never mind that I see them in my neighborhood all the time (monk parakeet).  The green parakeet that is arguably native to the Valley has also been spotted here historically.

The local boy band of monk parakeets at the back yard camera feeder

 

This golden-fronted woodpecker likes to drink out of the hummingbird feeder

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Xerarch said:

I've long been aware of the Rosy faced lovebirds in the Phoenix area, and when I lived there I would tell everyone about it, and nobody ever believed me unless I was finally in a position to point one out.  I swear people live their lives with their eyes closed.  Even in neighborhoods where they were fairly prevalent, I would get a lot of pushback, like I was the crazy one.

Similar thing here in Corpus, locals are so down about what we have here, oh no those don't live here/we can't grow that, I hear it all the time.  But when I look around I see angelfish and butterfly fish, damselfish, all kinds of beautiful and colorful tropical things at the jetties.  I see green jays in abundance in Corpus (if you know where to look) while locals have never even heard of them at all or if they have they tell me they only live in the RGV.  Also there are no parrots here, never mind that I see them in my neighborhood all the time (monk parakeet).  The green parakeet that is arguably native to the Valley has also been spotted here historically.

The local boy band of monk parakeets at the back yard camera feeder

 

This golden-fronted woodpecker likes to drink out of the hummingbird feeder

 Posing for the camera, lol ..Nice!..

I hear ya in regards too many people being very oblivious to what critters live where..  Have heard people question whether or not the Love Birds actually live here, even though they're pretty common, esp. where ever there are tall palms. Have even heard them screechin'  and squawking in the back ground during various news stories.  One of the other Love Bird sp ..Yellow Collared i believe may be settling in in some of the neighborhoods directly north of Downtown ( Phoenix )

We supposedly have a group of Nanday and Rose Ringed Parakeets roaming this side of town ..not too far from the house actually.. but have yet to see any passing through. 

 In some cases, i think some folks are just stuck on the " belief "  that various animals are incapable of living outside of an " assumed " boundary, especially anything that looks " tropical "  yet, many of those animals are capable of doing so, ..as long as they can find food ..and / or shelter -when / if needed.  Yea, there's a limit to adaptability of course, but, there are many critters that exhibit a pretty decent amount of flexibility vs. those that are restricted to very specific conditions / habitats, etc..

As temps continue to warm, ..esp a majority  of winters in the future,  as it appears right now anyway,  it will be harder and harder to deny the presence of more and more " tropical looking things " hanging out in more back yards ...or on a beach far outside the " tropics " 


 

[Silas_Sancona]

...And then, there's the smallest, boid' mobster of them' all..

After harassin' me over the past couple months, i finally re-hung the Hummingbird feeders to quiet the complainers( Quitcha' screechin' will ya' ). I guess flower nectar just aint' good enough.  Within a couple hours,  the neighborhood Anna's were sippin' away. Still waitin' for some Broad billed Hummers to show up..

By the next morning, i'd walk out to the re-hashin' of a turf war of sorts..  Seems one of the older guys thinks both feeders are his and will sit up in the Ficus, or one of two trees in neighboring yards waitin' and watchin' for another guy,  a younger guy, and a girl who also drop by the nectar bar for some nectar -tinis..  I get it,  keepin the other dudes away but, harassin' da'  girls?  Not tha' best way to get a date guy.

Day after day,  it's been nothin' but " Pretty Boy "  sees the other guy  ..or other ( younger ) guy  ..or girl  and chases them all off,  sometimes knocking them off the feeder ( What an Az$ ) ..What's up wit' dat huh?  ..ziggin' and zaggin' all over the yard ..and neighborhood..   He'll then return back to a favored perch somewhere up in the Ficus ...sittin' there, ...slyly watchin for the other birds to return,  ramblin on about something as he waits..

Regardless, at least " Pretty Boy " has been pretty cooperative when it comes to pictures..  Same with the others   ..when they're able to sneak up to the bar. lol.  Crazy boids'..

Young guy..



Tha' lady..



Otter' guy



" Pretty Boy ",  Da' little mobsta'















One of the otter' guys







Daytime flight shots...









More,  ..wit' a sunset,  ...an' some fluffy clouds in da' baak'   ...Aint' dat' niice..






















A couple Budda' fliez'  ..Also so niice..

Fiery Skipper, hylephila phyleus  ..Sittin' on da' Mexican Sunflowa' ..in da' mornin' Sun...



One of da' Painted Ladies, Vanessa sp.  bein' sketchy    ...Ayh you  ...Why ya' gotta go flitterin' all ova' da' place like dat'    Settle down a' bit ..Enjoy some of dat' sun on da' wings for a minute..  Ahh,  ...feels so niice..







Ornate Tree Lizard,  ...just loungin' in da' mornin' sun..    So niice..

[tropicbreeze]

Bit camera shy

 

[greysrigging]

Butterfly in the garden yesterday......
 

[tropicbreeze]

1 hour ago, greysrigging said:

Butterfly in the garden yesterday......
 

Been getting a lot of those around my place too. For some reason, maybe the odd weather pattern, they seem to be around in much larger numbers than usual.

Hypolimnas bolina ssp. nerina

[Silas_Sancona]

Mour' Boids...

Hood' Raven



 Chatta' Box  ..Still complainin about somethin..











American Kestral, lookin for lunch..  Psst,  Hey guy ..Tell your Hawk and Owl buddies there's some cats that need harassin'





Incas takin a nap..



Lady Anna's ..actually able to hang out at the Bar w/ out being harasssed..





Pretty Boi  ..Being Pretty boi















Mr Gila, hangin out on da' Washingtonia





..Then deciding to stop in for a drink..  Aye' buddy,  yer' spillin the merchandise.. Can you scoot over a bit.. 

[happypalms]

On 10/5/2016 at 3:34 AM, Cindy Adair said:

Yesterday I saw this Boa on a pretty remote part of my farm more than a year after seeing the first one and far from the first’s location.

I will find the first pictures eventually and try to see if it’s the same snake.

 Hard to describe the size especially coiled up. My hat I tried to use for scale (pun intended) was maybe 10-12 feet away. 

My best guess is that her widest diameter was 4-5 inches, but no idea of length.

 I chose not to include my hand in the photo and was most appreciative that she was not in the waist high grass I had just walked through.

Very beautiful, but I hope she will pick a general area as her domain and not reproduce wildly like has happened in the Everglades.

 I actually haven’t seen any rats recently so she may be helping with rodent control.

 Much more impressive than being behind glass in a zoo.

Today I saw a baby Boa! 

 

However I decided my porch area was not an ideal snake nursery and could intimidate human visitors.

 

I read on the internet that if a Boa bites to spray vinegar to get it to release and I ignored the bite photos, but did get my bottle of vinegar handy just in case.

 

 I texted a neighbor and we were in agreement as to where to release it.  I put my cell phone in my pocket just in case, but this snakelet was was more cute than intimidating. 

You can get an idea as to size from the chain links.

 

 

So I gathered a big empty trash can and stick and if you look closely you can see the little snake clearly dwarfed by the size of my now official snake capturing equipment.

 

 It was simple and now if I get too many Boas I will be ready for the big ones! 

Try using a broken branch with leaves they feel more relaxed that way in amongst the growth 

[greysrigging]

This brightly coloured fella came flying in like a 747 !I think these guys are the culprits responsible for those big fat grubs in my pot plants .
The larvae of these beetles feed on decaying plant material such as under piles of grass clipping, old tree stumps and compost. Potting mix is also pretty much perfect for them, the female beetles are attracted to it and lay about 30 eggs in the one place - unfortunately having 30 fat larvae bulldozing around in the confined space of a pot isn't healthy for the plant. The larvae can be relocated to a well mulched area of a garden and repotting the pot plant should help its recovery. These beetle larvae are important for breaking down dead wood in the natural environment and the adults are a beautiful attraction in any location.
 

[greysrigging]

Green Tree Frog  tadpoles i have rescued from the dog's pond and the bird bath.

[tropicbreeze]

On 11/30/2023 at 5:58 PM, greysrigging said:

This brightly coloured fella came flying in like a 747 !I think these guys are the culprits responsible for those big fat grubs in my pot plants .
The larvae of these beetles feed on decaying plant material such as under piles of grass clipping, old tree stumps and compost. Potting mix is also pretty much perfect for them, the female beetles are attracted to it and lay about 30 eggs in the one place - unfortunately having 30 fat larvae bulldozing around in the confined space of a pot isn't healthy for the plant. The larvae can be relocated to a well mulched area of a garden and repotting the pot plant should help its recovery. These beetle larvae are important for breaking down dead wood in the natural environment and the adults are a beautiful attraction in any location.
 

 

 

That's Hemipharis insularis, get them around here feeding on Eucalypt flowers. The adults are flower feeders but I don't know anything about their larvae. A lot of beetle larvae are at cross purposed with people when it comes to plants.

 

 

[Silas_Sancona]

An excellent article regarding one aspect of life in the Sonoran Desert, and living with / respecting the living beings who were here first,  before human beings.

Written by Ron Parker, Creator and moderator of the Succulent- centric Agaveville Forum for the Tucson Herp. Society's newsletter,  " Sonoran Herpetologist ":

Parker_2023.pdf

Edited December 8, 2023 by Silas_Sancona
Edit: PDF link inclusion

[Silas_Sancona]

Da Beez,  Enjoyin' some " Winter " Sunflowerz





Red Tailed hawk, crusin' the hood  for Starlings, Grackle babies ..and maybe a Feral Kitten or two..






Pretty Boi ..bein' Pretty Boi..














Mex. Cactus Fly, Copestylum mexicanum / Complex Copestylum violaceum. One One of the largest species of " Hover " Flies, that could be mistaken for either a bee, or a Horse Fly.. Harmless, unless you're a dead n' rottin' Cactus ..Then you're Fly Food, Capiche?..  Don't recall seeing one so late in the year ( Usually making appearances in the yard during the warmer months )









Man, those Hummingbirds, so afraid of humans that they won't even approach a feeder ...being held  ..by a human....   Maybe Pretty Boi ....is a reincarnated Human 😱🤣

  ...That or Hummingbirds just instinctively know which humans are trustworthy.

[Silas_Sancona]

Say's Phobe,  makin' an appearance.



Gila, waiting for me to leave the area so it can grab a drink at the " bar "



Great Tailed Grackles, waiting to raid the trash cans after one of the neighbors left the lids open..




How 'bout that.. the guys gettin' along at the " Nectar Bar "  Ain't that niice..







..At least for a minute, lol..

[Paradise Found]

How often do you change hummingbird feeders food per month in winter? Once a month; twice a month; every week to keep it fresh. 

[Silas_Sancona]

25 minutes ago, Paradise Found said:

How often do you change hummingbird feeders food per month in winter? Once a month; twice a month; every week to keep it fresh. 

Lately, it has been drained within a week..  If not, as soon as i see the slightest bit of haze in the sugar water.  Sometimes, that occurs after 3 or 4 days. Chillier mornings lately have helped it last longer.

I'll usually scrub the feeders once every two weeks ..right now anyway..  Scrubbed each time i change / refill in summer ...when i have them up.  Once it is above 95F / nights above about 60F every day, Feeders come down. Until it cools off again.

Hummingbirds / Verdins will have more of a natural summer nectar source this coming year once i get some stuff planted.

 

[Paradise Found]

Thanks I’m only cleaning and refilling once a week in my chilly winter sometime foggy weather.  It’s been mild here most of December above average hummers are loving the new feeder.  

[Silas_Sancona]

34 minutes ago, Paradise Found said:

Thanks I’m only cleaning and refilling once a week in my chilly winter sometime foggy weather.  It’s been mild here most of December above average hummers are loving the new feeder.  

Just enough cool mornings atm to help their food last longer.. I also try to fill the main feeder only about half way since i've learned the birds have a pattern.. Using the feeders more this time of year than the rest of the year.. If i keep it half full instead of topped off each time they're refilled, barely anything gets wasted when it's time to change out.

Saucer shaped feeder is filled, but i'll lose x amount of food in it when the heavier birds that visit take a seat..  Design on that one isn't the best, imo.  Need to order more of the tank type feeders, which don't leak when i'm hanging it lol.


Aside from the usual suspects you probably see up there, keep an eye out of either of these 3 sps.. Broad - Billed esp..  Seems to be gradually extending it's range further and further north and west from S.E. AZ over the past couple decades. Becoming a regular sight in parts of California.

Other two would be very rare sightings of course, ..but may also be exploring new areas. Generally considered " mountain " species, but,  both can turn up in yards with lots of vegetation at lower elevations, at least in this part of the country.  I don't doubt one or both would find the Pac. N.W. an ideal place to hang out, at least in summer.

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/6141-Cynanthus-latirostris

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/6369-Selasphorus-platycercus

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/559084-Eugenes-fulgens

[Silas_Sancona]

Some interesting, critter-related stories making the rounds this month.. 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/south-american-bird-makes-rare-appearance-in-texas-thousands-of-miles-from-home-180983373/

https://www.chron.com/life/wildlife/article/rare-bird-texas-becard-18520113.php

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/nation/2023/12/22/blue-land-crab-georgia-invasive-species/72009361007/


 

[Daryl]

Seeing as I don't really have a garden anymore, it's hard to contribute 'Garden visitor' photos, so I'm posting some photos from the park down the end of my street...close enough... 😀