Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Hello!

Happened to be in the area, so stopped by today to see a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher found earlier this week at Luther Marsh.  This bird is a vagrant from the southern US (or further south), so is a rare treat to see in Ontario. It is particularly notable for the long tail-streamers that give the bird its name.  I didn't have my camera, but had a camcorder that I use for work with me and took a few shabby stills:

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)

A pretty cool bird in an unexpected place, and a definite Ontario first for me!

Kyle

Different but the same...

Hello!

The photos have changed, but the quarry remains the same.  Here's a bevy of Meadowhawks:

White-faced Meadowhawk female (Sympetrum obtrusum)

Yellow-legged Meadowhawk female (Sympetrum vicinum)

Cherry-faced/Ruby Meadowhawk male (Sympetrum internum/rubicundulum)

White-faced Meadowhawk female (Sympetrum obtrusum)

Can I make an entire post without a frog photo?  Apparently not...

Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans)

And for variety, who doesn't like a Honey Bee?

European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

That's all for now.  Maybe someday I'll photograph something different...

Kyle

Odonate ID

Hello,

So I spent 5 minutes reading this evening (yes, I can read) - something I maybe should have endeavoured to do prior to my earlier post.  It's amazing how reading can really teach you things.  It has been good (read challenging) to catch up on some long-forgotten damselflies.

So to that effect, the third "bluet" in my series is actually a Violet Dancer - a damsel that I knew to be a riverine species but found some distance from the nearest river.  I'm quite doubtful of the first "bluet" as well, but I guess I didn't get that far in my reading.  The unknown pruinose (fuzzy) damsel is a Powdered Dancer (I believe).

As usual, if I'm wrong and you'd like to correct me please feel free.  Otherwise I'll never learn :).

Kyle

Odes!

Hello!

Where does the time go between blog posts?  I guess I have been a bit busy working on some big developments (more on this later).  At any rate, I have finally pulled a post together.

I spent some time this weekend chasing Odonates (or just Odes, if you want to throw some lingo around and sound cool at a party).  Dragonflies and Damselflies are amazing creatures, and there are tons around if you just take the time to look!  I have spent some intimate time with dragonflies in the past, but have been focussed a bit more on damsels recently.  Which is frustrating cause they're so difficult to ID!  Damselfly experts prepare - there will be a lot of question marks in the post (not the butterfly!).

Here goes:

Oh bluets, how I despise thee.  Here are three bluets which may or may not be the same species.  Actually they may or may not be bluets...

Bluet #1

Bluet #2

Bluet #3

Here's a few that I know (I think)!

Ebony Jewelwing

Eastern Forktail

Here's one I haven't the faintest clue about...

Who am I??

Here's a damselfly that looks a lot like a frog (couldn't help myself).

Northern Leopard Frog

And to finish off, a few dragonflies (soo much easier!).

Widow Skimmer

Yellow-legged Meadowhawk

Calico Pennant

And sure enough, just when you think you know something, doubts begin to creep back in.  I'm going to take a leap at this one and say...

Red-waisted Whiteface?

Alright all you Odonate experts - go ahead, make me look silly.  Seriously, I would love it if anyone could ID the unknowns or correct the knowns :).  The field guide is on the way, but until then it's a bit of a guessing game!

That's all for now.  Until next time...

Kyle

A Great Day in the Woods!

Hello!

Spent my Canada Day in the woods (the Canadian woods).  Herps were the target, and I was back to my favourite amphibian spot with a couple of friends.  The herp scene started off a bit slow, but there were lots of other things to occupy me.

Red Mushrooms

A Cool Slug...

Hairstreak (Satyrium sp.)

Eventually we started to turn up some herps, much to my enjoyment.

Red-spotted Newt (Red Eft) (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens)

Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)

Undoubtedly the find of the day (and not made by me) was this picture-perfect (no pun intended) Four-toed Salamander.

Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum)

That's all for now!

Kyle

Read Me!

Hello!

Having a bit of spare time the other day, I decided to write a short article for a free-content website.  You may view it here http://ezinearticles.com/?Digital-Macro-Photography-in-Nature---A-World-Unseen&id=4471076. You know you want to...

Not entirely sure why I decided to do it, but I like it.  I may do some more.  Maybe someday someone will even pay me to write something.  If you would like to pay me to write something, I may be contacted at...nah, just kidding...or am I?

Cheers!
Kyle

Website Updates and ID Trivia

Hello!

I have spent some time with the field guide and updated some labels on the photos in my Costa Rica Gallery (http://www.kylehorner.com/costarica.php).  I have used common names, but can provide latin names upon request for all you taxonomy nerds (if there are any besides me).

If anyone fancies a taxonomic challenge, I have some still-unidentified species.  For each correct ID, I will commend you highly (sorry, no material or financial prizes are available at this time).  Here they are:

Some type of Norops anole...

A nifty butterfly...

A cool damselfly

A wicked caterpillar...

Also, if anyone fancies themselves an expert on Costa Rican spiders, we should talk.  I'd be happy if they could be identified to family.  Check them out in the gallery.

Cheers!
Kyle