apteryxrowi's Favorites

Amblypygids!
Identified as Charinus pescotti on Bowerbird by Matthew Connors: "I was so excited to see these guys in the wild - they're so tiny! They're apparently somewhat common but they're rarely seen due to their size and speed. Two individuals were hiding under rotting logs but only this one posed for a photo. (And now I get to add in another order above Araneae!)"

I went down to my swimming spot with the aim of removing some branches from a tree which had fallen across the river. As I arrived I disturbed a young Fish Eagle who was sitting on this tree. Rustling in the undergrowth on the opposite bank alerted Dog and me that we were not alone and soon an otter popped up its head, sending the dog into a fit (she probably thought it was a swimming honey badger). Another otter also started popping up and down and doing a sort of long moan-growl. To my surprise the closer otter started making a bee-line for us and was probably only 3m away from the dog when I called her back. After a while they settled down so I entered the water to commence my pruning task, keeping a close eye on the nearest otter. Dog was sensibly sticking to the bank. After a few minutes I noticed the otter had moved closer, was staring at me intently and again moan-growling. Being waist-deep in water with nothing for protection but a swimming costume and a folding saw, I decided to calmly retreat and the otter immediately snaked over and claimed the territory I had just vacated. Video here:

https://youtu.be/GHbui1YX31k

Yay! It's official - Spring has finally arrived in NJ! Most folks consider the lovely American Robin as the herald of Springtime, but for any Herpetologist worth his/her "scalation" - it's undoubtedly the first Snake of the season, no matter the species, haha! Observed basking (uncharacteristically for Storeria) along an abandoned railroad bed in a local industrial park. Vicinity of Perth Amboy, New Jersey.

Date: 2 April 2020

Time: 1030

Location: Yelm, WA.

Weather:
Temp: 40
Wind: Calm to 5 MPH
Precipitation: None
Cloud Cover: 75%

Group Size: Individual

About the area: This is a rural agricultural neighborhood made up of three to twenty acre lots.

Habitat: Mix of open fields, dense shrubs, and mixed deciduous and coniferous forests.

Observation Point

Location: 15904 148th AVE SE Yelm, WA. 98597
GPS: 46°52'22.6"N 122°36'17.7"W
Lat 46.872937, Long -122.604914
Habitat:
This open area is surrounded by forests. The forest is Primarily second growth Douglas fir but mixed with Alder, Ash, and Cotton Wood trees.

Notes:

The weather at the time of this observation was mostly cloudy and it had just rained. This female Western Blue bird was collected grass to take back to the bird house.
SIZE: Sparrow
COLORS: Blue, chestnut and grey.
ACTIVITY: On the ground collecting material to take back to the bird house.

Species Identified:
COMMON NAME: Western Bluebird
LATIN NAME: Sialia mexicana
GENUS: Sialia
FAMILY: Turdidae
ORDER: Passeriformes
CLASS: Aves
PHYLUM: Chordata