What I Saw Today

My objective with this blog is to have a record of the species I see, mostly on our East Texas farm, but also on our travels.  You can click on any picture to see it larger.

September 2, 2019, afternoon and evening, at home

I saw a robber fly snatch a grasshopper.  They were hard to distinguish in the grass, but I was carrying a package back to the house, so I used that as a backdrop to get some nice clear shots.

robber fly and grasshopper

Robber fly and grasshopper.

robber fly and grasshopper

robber fly and grasshopper

I also saw a Great Blue Heron in the pond today, and heard the young Great Horned Owl.

At sunset, I saw about 20 Black Vultures flying over, heading southwest, and at dark, I saw one of the little bats.

April 18, 2018, 7 pm, home

This was the day I finally saw a White-eyed Vireo.  Also, this damselfly that I have not yet identified.  But if I got to name it, I would call it the Bridal Veil Damselfly.

Dainty damselfly.

April 16, 2018, 5:30 pm, home

From this first shot, I might have thought I had a Swainson’s hawk, but the second shot clearly shows a red tail.

Red-tailed Hawk.

Red-tailed Hawk.

April 15, 2018, afternoon, home

Great Egret flying.
Carolina Chickadee.
Some sort of Lady Beetle.
Wild Onion close-up.
Wild Onion, Allium canadense v. canadense
Indian Blanket, Gaillardia pulchella
Alophia drummondii
Monarch butterfly.
Tiny unknown moth from the previous picture.
Sweet gum seed ball, with tiny moth in top right.

The purple wildflower, Alophia drummondii, has several common names, including Pinewoods Lily, Purple Pleat-leaf, and Propeller Flower.

October 2, 2016, home

I think this is a Common Green Darner eating a Blue Dasher.
I think this is a Common Green Darner eating a Blue Dasher.
I think this is a Common Green Darner eating a Blue Dasher.
I think this is a katydid too.
A stunning katydid.

June 12, 2016, home

Banded Pennant male
Blue Dasher male
Common Checkered Skipper, Pyrgus communis, I believe.
Maybe a click beetle? Still unidentified.
Widow Skimmer female.
Zinnias are about the only flower I have success with.

May 20, 2016, afternoon, home

  • 1 American Crow
  • I Black Swallowtail, new butterfly for my list
  • 1 Widow Skimmer
  • 1 Red-headed Woodpecker
  • 2 Summer Tanagers, male and female
  • 2 Northern Cardinals, male and female
  • 1 Ornate Box Turtle!
  • 2 Mississippi Kites
  • 2 Black Vultures
  • 1 Great-crested Flycatcher, I think – will have to go and look again
  • 2 Swamp Darners
  • 8 Carolina Chickadees, 4 in each of 2 spots
  • 6 Blue Jays
  • 8 Little Wood Satyrs
  • many wolf spiders, love bugs, wasps, tiny moths, grasshoppers of various kinds

May 12, 2016, throughout the day, home

Red-tailed Hawk
A monarda plant with a tiny visitor.
A Buckeye butterfly above the new leaves of a Chinese Tallow tree.
Trumpet vine, also with a tiny visitor.
An old nest in an Eastern Red Cedar tree.
Summer Tanager female.
The visitor on the monarda.

May 7, 2016, throughout the day, home

The grasshopper, close up.
Broad-winged Hawk, I think.
Well-camouflaged grasshopper.
Hawk feather.
Cedar Waxwing
Possibly an Eastern Amberwing.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, close up.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, at a feeder stuck to the window, allowing me a good look.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird female in flight.

May 6, 2016, 4 – 5:30 pm, home

  • 1 Eastern Hog-nosed snake
  • 2 Summer Tanagers, male and female
  • 2 Northern Mockingbirds
  • 4 – 6 Tufted Titmice – looked to be juveniles hopping around in the treetops with their parents
  • 4 turtles, probably Red-Eared Sliders
  • 1 Downy Woodpecker

 

May 5, 2016, 4 – 7 pm, home

In the order I saw each species, but totaled at the end of the walk:

    • 3 Black Vultures
    • 2 Turkey Vultures
    • 1 crawfish
    • 2 Northern Cricket frogs
    • 1 Ground Skink
    • 3 banded grasshoppers
    • 4 turtles, probably all Red-eared Sliders
    • 6 Northern Cardinals
    • 1 Blue Jay
    • 2 Northern Mockingbirds
    • 2 Tufted Titmice
    • 1 Great Blue Heron
    • 1 Ebony Jewelwing damselfly
    • 1 Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly, juvenile male
    • 1 Slaty Skimmer, female, not the best picture
    • 1 bee mimic insect of some sort, unidentified, pictures blurry
    • 1 hawk, probably Broad-winged
    • 3 small yellow damselflies, species unknown, pictures were blurry
    • 1 unidentified black beetle on path
    • 1 swallowtail butterfly, unable to see details for species ID
    • 1 Summer Tanager, male
    • 2 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
    • 30 Cattle Egrets
    • 1 small black/white bee or wasp insect
    • 1 Green Flower Scarab
    • 4 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
    • Love bugs
    • many Water Strider nymphs
    • 1 Whirligig beetle
    • 1 scorpion exoskeleton
    • mud dauber wasps