70th posted Lichen Species...this is fun :-)

Just uploaded a photo of broad wrinkle-lichen (Tuckermannopsis platyphylla) to my Flickr set of lichens; this marks the 70th species identified via photographic record. It has been great fun. Lichens fill a slow time of the year for wildlife watching in Montana, late fall through winter. These organisms are beautiful, if you note them, as they are small and somewhat inconspicuous. Identifying can be a bear; many times chemical tests are required for a definitive answer. I have not gone there...yet. Have relied on my Canon T1i and 100 mm macro lens instead. Learning by trial and error the entire way...the best way to go, truly fulfilling and empowering. Here's a photo of the scree/rock slope of Kim Williams Nature Trail in Missoula, MT...it's all lichen habitat!

Kim Williams Nature Trail

Yep, rocks, soil, tree, shrub, bark, dead wood all substrate for lichen species. Discovery is everywhere...bring a camera on your next neighborhood hike/wildlife watching field trip :-)