Candy Lichen...Harder to find than Easter Eggs

Candy Lichen (Icmadophila ericetorum) is considered common in Montana (McCune et al 2014) on rotting wood or soil of low to mid-elevation sites. However, finding/photographing this species (at Lolo Creek Campground if you would like to find it too!) is a first for me. Colors and form (mint and pink, what a combination) are distinct...so it should not be hard to miss or misidentify. Size, about 2.5"" in diameter, may be a factor. But that is the beauty of all doing, one never gets it "all" without putting in time (lots usually :-)

Candy Lichen

In fact, finding this plant was Plan B. Originally stopped here to find Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca); that did not happen. Temperature of 41 F and snow may have been the cause of this result. Video below gives some context:

Winter Wildlife Watching

Weather was beautiful on December 23, 2012 for a wildlife watching field trip. Lolo Creek Campground west of Lolo, MT by 15 miles along Highway 12 was the destination. Target species for the trip were: chestnut-backed chickadee (Poecile rufescens), gray jay (Perisoreus canadensis), Steller's jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), and a host of macrolichen using bark as a substrate. Habitat here somewhat described in previous blog posting. Found the forest quiet for most of field trip...only few common raven (Corvus corax) calling. However, did find and photograph three life lichen species, small and beautiful:

Pacific Bloodspot (Ophioparma rubricosa)

Double-rim Saucer Lichen (Ochrolechia oregonensis)

Green Stubble Lichen (Calicium viride)

To get a flavor of the conditions and experience, below is a video...a multimedia field notebook. Field Notes on Science and Nature is a book to motivate you to record your own wildlife sightings in the more traditional format. Most importantly, get outside and find something great!