On Rubus, I think a bristle-berry sp. On an old (and beaver maintained) dike, wet soil
I arrived at the Mother Lake Overlook area (26th Ave S) to get some plant and, hopefully, bird observations for CNC. As soon as I arrived, someone leaving said 'Are you here to see the Cattle Egret?" I had no clue one had been sighted here but lots of other birds had! Someone let me look through their scope and this is my very distant picture from a modest Canon camera.
There was also a Great Egret present in another portion of the marsh and the size difference between the two (even with different distances) was distinct.
There has been at least one other observation of this bird uploaded to iNat (more may come) and numerous eBird reports. Originally found by Steve Metzger
On Gumbo Limbo (Bursera). See ref: https://journals.flvc.org/fshs/article/download/87687/84488
Excerpt:
" The product was sequenced directly
using automated equipment at the University of Florida’s Core
Genomics Laboratory. Comparison of the resulting sequence with
the GenBank nucleotide database by blast analysis determined
the sequence to share 100% identity with the aster yellow sub
group phytoplasma subgroup 16S1-B strains rDNA sequences
archived in the database."
Probably a relic of the old tree nursery.
On December 1, I finally looked at the spores from the spore print (tape mount off the black vinyl). I measured one at about 22 µm long and a bit over 6 µm at the widest part. spore print was brown.
Larva and pupae found inside cones of white spruce Picea glauca
Surprising find on Park Point! First briefly seen roughly 1.25 miles to the southeast nearer the end of Minnesota Point, then relocated in a grassy area between buildings at the airport (photographed from the other side of the fence as the airport is private property). Few records of this vagrant in Minnesota, and most/all of these are from the southern half of the state; perhaps came north as a result of the record-high early October temperatures and southerly winds.
Was so lucky! It walked right in front of me, and a second one startled and flew away.
aka white worm coral - an odd little fungus I found growing at the base of an immense dead tree. There were tons of these all over the ground as well. Used a 6mm extension tube with my 35-100mm and got in nice and close. Just look at that moss!
I haven't seen the species in this county in about two years! This one is in my yard!!!! First time I've seen it in my yard!!! This is the 11th (maybe 12th) species of bumble I photographed in my average suburban yard.
Growing out of a birch tree.
Galls of the sexual generation of N. niger (formerly Neuroterus vernus)
Also posted to Bumble Bee Watch:
https://www.bumblebeewatch.org/app/#/bees/view/137815
originally found by Jeremy Cushman
A Mycologist identified white fungi as Suillus spectabilis.
It was a little dry when I found it so I didn’t try a spore print. I chopped up some gills and water and got a picture of spores. I measured one spore at about 5 µm long by 3 µm wide. It doesn’t show very well in the picture, but I think there’s a pore on the spore, or some tiny knob.
On Beech. Fruiting bodies thin with smooth underside.
or sometimes called Galerina autumalis, but whatever you call it, it's deadly poisonous and loaded with phallo and amatoxins. Cute little things though. A stack of about 10 shots.
Continuing rarity and lifer!
Scale insect on Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Why? How? I saw two of these caterpillars cruising around during the snowstorm.
Located in sandy area with pines, growing gregariously; caps up to 4cm, convex, finely hairy, purplish/tan; gills attached, nearly distant, dark purple; stems up to 6cm, enlarged base, scurfy, color like the cap; purplish basal mycelium; flesh pale purplish; spore print white.
See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/140793477 for gill images and rosecomb malformation.
aka blue-pored polypore - found under hemlocks and boy was it ever...tons of them dotting the mossy side of the trail mixed in with boletes and other little mushrooms. A lovely blue-gray color. Less than 1 inch high - one of the biggest in the group. OM 90mm at f8 or so
On red oak
Alder is the host
Woolly aphids? Woolly adelgids? Not sure which these are.
On Northern Pin Oak,
Q. ellipsoidallus, on stem
In a small Bur Oak branch.
Very striking looking, and the largest orbweaver I've ever seen.
I've never seen a bee as rotund as this one, including some large affinis queens. Her abdomen was huge, and very round.
Every time I walk down to the Co-op, I walk by this large patch of old rugosa roses. I always circle it slowly a could times, checking out the bees. Today it paid off.
Mega top tier lifer of the trip!!!!!
On Swamp White Oak, Q.bicolor.
Larva was removed from a gall.
About 2mm.
This is what's it can be like to photograph an Eastern-Whip-Will...
Not really sure on the ID. There were about 1000 swallows in the general area. Probably about half tree swallows and half barn swallows (and maybe others?)
Appears newly hatched on soffits of porch.
At sugar bait or blacklight after dark post-storm. Did not record weather. In bluff prairie/savanna.