Ghost Plant
Now that our outdoors are covered in white I thought it would be nice to post a splash of color to liven up the winter months. However, when looking through my plant images I noticed this picture of a clump of Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) in the mix. Somehow their lack of color seemed appropriate for the time of year – and fascinating too. Lack of color in plants translates into a lack of chlorophyl, the pigments and associated cellular complexes that allow green plants to photosynthesize & turn solar energy into living matter, thus fueling all other life on our planet. Indian...
Read MoreIpswich Savannah Sparrow
The Savannah Sparrow is a familiar bird to many of us, abundant in our farmlands, fields, grasslands, shrublands, shores, roadsides, and other open habitats. You can find them across the northern U.S. and Canada during the nesting and migration seasons, and you’ll spot them overwintering in the southern U.S. or Mexico. This particular individual looks a little different than your average Savannah Sparrow – notice anything unusual? It is somewhat larger and heavier that a typical Savannah Sparrow, and its brown shades and yellow eye spot are considerably paler. This is an...
Read MoreBack to Winter
And we are back to winter! It has certainly been a turbulent ride over the past few months, but January is returning to normal for us for now. Whatever your plans may be this weekend we hope you have a wonderful one while staying safe and warm. If you can find some time to play outside, please do! Enjoy the snow and take a break to soak in some nature.
Read MoreGreen-breasted Mangos
Since everyone loves these tails here is another shot of both male and female Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii) hummingbirds all lined up by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser. He will definitely be doing more of this photography during his next tropical research trip.
Read MoreBlue-winged Teal Hen
The hen Blue-winged Teal is rather skilled at going unnoticed with its drab colors and comparatively tiny size to some of the other ducks it may be spotted hanging out with. We do not get to see too many of them outside of the summer or migration, but this was a recent sighting thanks to the relatively warm weather keeping some water open. What intriguing waterfowl sightings have you had this winter?
Read MoreBlue-throated Sapphire
RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser remarks that gold seems to be a rare plumage in hummingbirds. This truly is a unique and special glimpse at the tail feathers of a Blue-throated Sapphire, previously known as the Blue-throated Goldentail.
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