The August edition of Challenge for Charity has come to a close and we have a winner! Joy Kidd of The Little House in the Not-So-Big Woods nailed every answer and scored the Bonus question as well. Joy has chosen Bat Conservation International as her charity, and the $15 donation in her name is on its way. Congrats, Joy!

Now, for the answers: Read the rest of this entry »

I recently visited Copper Breaks State Park in Quanah, Texas. This small town is located just southeast of the Texas Panhandle. I had hoped to photograph scads of roadrunners and at least a few snakes and other reptiles. While I did see two Greater Roadrunners (Geococcyx californianus), I was unable to capture their images (DANGit!). A small flock of greenish birds presented themselves rather readily, so I was grateful for the opportunity to get at least a few bird pics:

This would be my first “real-life” sighting of either a female Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) or a female Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria). The photo above shows what looks like the remaining gape of a young bird. If this is indeed a young bird, he or she may be another species altogether.  Read the rest of this entry »

I took this photo with my NEW MACRO LENS on a weekend trip to Copper Breaks State Park, in Quanah, Texas. This Tiger Beetle (the best I can guess on ID is that it may be one of the subgenus, Cicindelidia, or American Tiger Beetles) won my heart with his bold approach – almost walked right into my lens cover! When I spotted him (her?) on the sandy path, I dropped to the ground to photograph him at eye level. Over the course of 20 minutes, this individual went about his business, working his way closer and closer to me. He proved that the minimum focusing distance is less than Nikon’s listed 12 inches. I would say he got within 6-8 inches of my lens. I love this guy! Read the rest of this entry »

It’s no surprise that the middle of summer in Texas is not the best time of year for birding. Sure, there are birds – great birds, like Scissor-tailed Flycatchers and Painted Buntings. But for birdwatchers themselves -  a stroll in the woods, through a meadow, or even along a shoreline can be a dangerously hot outing. It is much easier to find and appreciate the abundant insect life in the summers, as well as the turtles, frogs, skinks,  and snakes.

Snakes have been high on my list this summer, and I have enjoyed a few sightings of the resident Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus) around my house. But my neighbors have told me about a much larger snake – several snakes, in fact: big and black, with a stripe. I’ve only caught one glimpse, as I pulled up into my driveway. I went right back outside in hopes of getting a good look, but to no avail.

What I did find, on the other side of my house, was this three-foot snake skin:

This photo shows the snake skin exactly how I found it. I only discovered this snake skin after removing several large shrubs from underneath a Crepe Myrtle tree (pre-100% Native plant days). The tiny baby Green Anole (Anolis carolinenesis) moved, which is the only way I would have seen him. Read the rest of this entry »

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No matter how little room there seems to be for luxuries like free time, I can always find a moment to marvel at Nature’s remarkable flair for color. I hope you’ll take 10 seconds to enjoy with me.

The August, 2010 edition of Challenge for Charity is here! Anyone who would like to win a $10 donation to their favorite wildlife/nature/conservation charity should give it a whirl. If the winner also answers the Bonus question correctly, the prize donation goes up to $15. Just a reminder – all photos are taken in the previous month, and the location will always be given. This month’s contest runs through August 27th. The first person to get the most correct answers wins. Good Luck!

Picture 1 | Fort Worth, TX

Picture 1 Question: What kind of duck is this?

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Challenge for Charity July 2010, Winner Patricia Huss, Beneficiary-Rio Grande Nature Center

[Updated with winning charity, 8-17-2010]

Our winner this month is Patricia Huss. I will go ahead and post the answers so that we can get started on this month’s Challenge. (Patricia, let me know which charity you choose!)

And now, without further delay – the answers: Read the rest of this entry »

It is my great and humble pleasure to host this August, 2010 edition of Circus of the Spineless! August is certainly a time when invertebrates, especially insects and arachnids, take center-stage. Largely undaunted by summertime heat, these numerous and variable species are out and about, in all of their spineless splendor.  These creatures play a major role in the food chain for other animal species, so it should come as no surprise that summertime is a veritable smorgasbord for insectivores. Though we all love our spineless brethren (why else would we be here?), we usually don’t think of them as food for ourselves. At least I don’t. Eeewwww.

Do you?

Ok, if you HAD to look at insects and their spineless ilk as food, what would your menu look like? Would it resemble the menus of birds, herps, mammals – even other insects?

While you ponder your own personal spineless “specials,” I’ll go ahead and play hostess to this playful presentation of this month’s contributions to Circus of the Spineless!

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ENTERTAINMENT & AMBIANCE

No meal is consumed in a vacuum, so it seems fitting to set the mood with a little entertainment. Today’s performers are brought to us by Mike Bok of Arthropoda. His jumping spiders will have you laughing and smiling – you simply must follow his link to the videos set to music.

APPETIZERS

• Fried Ants» Lightly seasoned with a blend of dried southwestern herbs, fried to perfection. Chef: Roberta Gibson of Wild About Ants. From Roberta’s personal recipe, “Do Ants Drink Water?“
• Roasted Dragonflies» Oven-roasted dragonflies served with honey-mustard dipping sauce. Chef: Joan Knapp of Anybody Seen My Focus?. Recipe from Joan’s life list, “Dragonfly: Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina).”
• Worm Soup» A light broth soup featuring delicate horsetail worms and diced hosts from which they emerged. Chef: Joy K of The Little House in the Not-So-Big-Woods. Recipe is Joy’s own creation, “Squirm.”
• Spineless Surprise» Bowl of mixed smoked arthropods including insects and arachnids. This Icelandic recipe, “Other Icelandic Animals,” is brought to you by Chef Matthew Wills of Backyard and Beyond.
• Hover-fly Hummus» Chick-pea hummus blended with these delightfully deceitful bee-mimics. Served with your choice of white or wheat pita bread, hot and fresh from our ovens. Chef : David Winter of The Atavism. Recipe, “Sunday Spineless – Love and deception in Vancouver.“

CIRCUS SPECIALTIES

• Nematode Soup» Fresh from the Gulf Coast, steeped in natural petroleum crude. Served with a healthy side of social commentary. Chef: Dr. Holly Bik, from her visit to Deep Sea News. Recipe, “Invisible But Not Forgotten.”
• Honeybee Croquets» Baked mixture of whole honey bees, flower petals, sunflower seeds, honey, and pollen. Served with a wedge of dried honeycomb. Chef: Melliferax of Melliferax. Recipe, a Swedish favorite, “Honeybee Trivia: Queens.”
• Pasta & Click Beetles» Wheat pasta tossed with sauteed Click Beetles, blanketed in our white wine asiago cheese sauce. Garnished with a Really Pretty Click Beetle. Chef: Dragonflywoman of The Dragonfly Woman. Recipe, “Click! Click! Click!” from Arizona’s historical archives.
• Spider Spring Rolls» Small green spiders and roasted red bell peppers with sticky rice , rolled in Agapanthus leaves. Chef: David Winter of The Atavism. Recipe, “Sunday Spineless – A Missed Opportunity,” from his home town in New Zealand.
• Amphipod Jambalaya» Classic Cajun jambalaya featuring Amphipods, sometimes mistaken for shrimp, prawns, or other crustaceans. Stock is rich with media sensationalism. Chef: Zen Faulkes of NeuroDojo. Recipe, “Drugs in the water affecting crustaceans’ precious bodily fluids?“
• Ambush Bug and Butterfly Salad Sandwich» On toasted rye bread, served with a dill pickle. Another favorite receipe, “It’s a trap!“,  from Chef Mike Bok, of Arthropoda.
• Boxelder Bug and Venus Flytrap Enchiladas» Venus Flytrap heads, complete with captured insects and attendant Boxelder Bugs. Mixed with rice and three cheeses, topped with tomatillo sauce. Chef: Mike Bezner of Slugyard. Recipe made with ingredients from his own backyard, “Venus Flytrap Helping a Boxelder Bug.”
• Bell Pepper stuffed with Aged Scarab Beetle» Yellow bell pepper, stuffed with aged Scarab Beetles and polenta. Chef: Susanah of Wanderin’ Weeta. Recipe, “Ancient Mystery Beetle,” from an antique cookbook.
• Cicada Shishkabobs» Annual and periodic cicadas skewered with cherry tomatoes, onion, and pineapple. Grilled over an open flame and served with a baked potato. Chef: Matthew Wills of Backyard and Beyond. Recipe, “Cicadas, Part I,” from his new cookbook, Grillin’ It, Cicada-style!
• Praying Mantis Quesadillas» Two home-made flour tortillas loaded with Praying Mantises, onion, and cheese. Pan-fried in olive oil until slightly crisp. Served with pico de gallo and guacamole. Another masterpiece by Chef Zen Faulkes of NeuroDojo. Recipe “Life and death and sex choices in mantids.“

DESERT

• Glazed Dragonflies» Honey-glazed dragonflies dusted in our special blend of powdered sugar and local pollen. Chef: Jill Wussow of Count Your Chicken! We’re Taking Over! Her own secret recipe, “Early Morning Ode.”
• Fresh Honeycomb» Flown in direct from Berlin. This Beekeepers’ Special, “Hooked on Bees – 1,”  is brought to you by Kerstin, a filmmaker at More than Honey.

AFTER-HOURS NIGHT-CAP

For those of you who have something a little racy in mind, Chef Hectocotyli of hectocotyli has something for you. Must be 18 or older to imbibe!

• Take a Shot» “A deep sea squid’s parting money shot to the world“

NOT-SO-SPINELESS

For those of you who prefer something a little less spineless, Katie of Tripbase has provided us with her selection of the “6 Most Unusual Sea Creatures in the world.”

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I hope you have enjoyed browsing the menu!

Next month’s Circus of the Spineless will be hosted by Hectocotyli, so be sure to get your submissions to him by the end of August!

What can you do in 95 minutes?

Run errands. Go out to eat. Watch a TV show or two. Play a game of cards or even Scrabble.

or…

Do a load of laundry. Clean the kitchen AND the bathroom. Run to the grocery store.

or…

Go outside and walk around with your camera. Don’t have 95 minutes? I’ll share mine. I took these photos around my home between 5:34pm and 7:09pm. 95 minutes well spent!

rough green snake in flame acanthus

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