Mushroom/Fungi Season Not Over...Huh?

After the recent cold snap (single digits) in western Montana thought the mushroom/fungi season was over. Well, went out looking for lichen this afternoon, Cladonia specifically, and found at least three different shrooms (club, spine, and gilled) growing.

This was a northeast facing slope (Blue Mountain, Missoula MT) with a mature Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) overstory. Have had ample moisture (above normal) for November.

What a pleasant surprise (hint: good reason to get outside); mushrooms are great subjects for the camera. I'm a rookie/novice at mushrooms and fungi, having a difficult time identifying along with their natural history. From my readings I believed the season was finished, NOT :-) Using a sports metaphor, we are still in the playoff picture (dumb huh?). The fun is in the doing, so my set-up is: Canon 70D with 100mm macro, natural light, mirror lockup, Manfrotto 190 tripod. Photos were processed in Photoshop (cropped 16:9, auto tone, contrast and color).

Hatch Year Trumpeter Swan

Got some pretty decent photos of a large group of Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) today in clouds and sunshine. Several were juvenile/immature. Note the sooty gray body coloration (top photo, clouded conditions) and especially the bill color...black color for the base and bill fringe with pink coloration for the balance (middle and bottom pics in sunshine). Matches up very well with the plates in The Sibley Guide.

The experience was a reminder again of the importance of light in identification. Though Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) does not typically flock with Trumpeters, lone birds can be a bear without good looks and lighting.

As always, get outside and find something good :-)

Damselfly & Dragonfly Season Heats Up in Western Montana

The odonate season has been slow; June conditions in western Montana were cool and cloudy, yes a bit rainy too. Today ode watching improved significantly. Found the first meadowhawks for the year, Cherry-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum internum). Good numbers were found along a Clark Fork River oxbow (Frenchtown, Montana) hanging out in Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus). Located an immature male Boreal Bluet (Enallagma boreale) in another patch of snowberry resulting in my best diagnostic photo of this species cerci shape. Another great photo opportunity cropped up in nearby wet meadow habitat; a pruinose Northern Spreadwing (Lestes disjunctus) cooperatively perched. Exiting to more drier habitat detected the only Western Red Damsel (Amphiagrion abbreviatum), a female, for the day. It was fun discovering these colorful animals! Find something good in your own neighborhood.

Cherry-faced Meadowhawk

Boreal Bluet

Northern Spreadwing

Western Red Damsel

 

March Butterfly Emergence...4 Species Day



Milbert's Tortoiseshell

Stopped in at Kootenai Creek for a possible look see at the Canyon Wren. No wren, but did find four species of butterfly somewhat easily along a short distance of the trail. No wonder as it reached the lower 60's for temps with sunny skies...great day to be outside. Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), Hoary Comma (Polygonia gracilis), Compton Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum) and Milbert's Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti) were flying and perching close enough for photographs:


Compton Tortoiseshell

Hoary Comma

Mourning Cloak

Field Trip to Pattee Canyon

For two days in a row have visited Crazy Canyon (part of US Forest Service Pattee Canyon Recreation Area [USFS-Pattee Canyon webpage]). Another review of site from the Missoulian Newspaper Hiking guide.

Target today being lichen discovery. However, this area is also excellent for birds, butterflies, and wildflowers (photos below) in other seasons. The paved road going into the area is usually well maintained even during winter. This allows wildlife watchers to find 'higher elevation' species almost year round.

Green Comma

Common Camas

Gray Jay

Today heard one/two pine grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) calling (courtesy of xeno-canto webpage):
Clouds prevailed on both days, but temps were above freezing. Time flies by when intensely focused on the ground, especially moss on downed timber. Below are three photos of lichen (Cladonia genus) photographed today. You can do this too, give it a try :-)