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Sun through the plague seeds
Jan. 1st, 2016 07:58 pm
Like most invasive species, Japanese knotweed has its moments of beauty.
Like most invasive species, Japanese knotweed has its moments of beauty.
Unidentified boxing day amphibian
Jan. 1st, 2016 07:45 pm
When I first encountered salamanders in the swampy seep at the edge of Ward's Pond, I misidentified them as northern dusky salamanders; a fried suggested it might be the leadback phase of the red-backed salamander; then, more recently, it was suggested that this is the two-lined salamander. This picture was taken on an uncommonly warm December 26. I think I'll return to the pond in spring, with my more knowledgable friends, to settle this amphibian mystery.
Despite the dry conditions, there was a bloom of reishi mushrooms coming from subterranean roots
Urban Nature Walk returns to the Riverway, on a quest to reach Ward's Pond, the spring that gives it water. I quickly got over doing an UNW on a Saturday (I have a mushroom class tomorrow) and met up with the group by the Longwood T stop. The first three to show up all brought gigantic cameras, so I will look forward to seeing their pictures, and linking you to them as well.
( Read more... )
3:00 snapshot #758
May. 27th, 2011 09:09 pm
It looks like I'm pulling Charlie by the collar here to talk to him like a mean gangster, but I was just trying to get him into frame for the snapshot.
We had just come from Ward's Pond, where we hadn't been for months. It was Charlie's first time swimming this season! I took some pictures and found a fun monster.
( come see )
3:00 snapshot #727
Apr. 2nd, 2011 08:32 am
I took Charlie to Ward's Pond for the first time in ages. It isn't frozen over, but it isn't warm. I played in the stream, moving leaves and sticks around, and my hand was aching afterward.
Urban Nature Pictures 12/30
Dec. 30th, 2010 08:49 pm
Babbling Brook (the water that leaves Ward's Pond).
( The sun goes down over Jamaica Plain and Brookline )
Urban Nature Pictures 12/26
Dec. 26th, 2010 07:06 pm
Olmsted Woods. One of the things I will miss when we move is this patch of forest, walking distance from our home. Our new house has other woods in walking distance, and I will grow to love them as well, but Olmsted Woods will always be special.
( More Olmsted Park )
Urban Nature Pictures 9/25
Sep. 27th, 2010 07:53 pm
Bullfrog, Ward's Pond.
It was a very small bullfrog, so I assumed it was a green frog. A green frog has an eardrum larger than the eye, and the line that runs around the eardrum on this from would run along the frog's back if it was a green frog.
Urban wildlife mystery maybe
Aug. 11th, 2010 04:46 pm
This was one of maybe a dozen winged insects, of different sizes and apparent stages of development, adhered to a rock in Babbling Brook (the stream that leaves Ward's Pond and becomes the Muddy River). I thought maybe they were very slowly emerging imagos (adult insects) and pupae. I sent this picture to an insect id community and mostly they were stumped too. The best explanation I got was that these were female caddisflies which had died shortly after laying eggs in the water. The white growth (someone supposed) was a fungus consuming the dead insects' bodies. It seems plausible to me.
I tried to figure out if this was a normal part of the caddisfly life cycle, but I couldn't tell. Interestingly, there's a lot of information about caddisflies online from the perspective of people who make pretend insects with which to catch fish. They had some good things to say, but I didn't get my questions answered. The log cabin caddsfly entry I did for the 365 project (click above link) included pictures of caddisfly larvae collected a short distance downstream from the mystery insects.
Anyone else have any bright ideas?
Urban Nature Pictures 7/18
Aug. 1st, 2010 10:15 am
Back in Boston, a few of my favorite things: my beautiful wife, her crazy little dog, and Ward's Pond, my favorite Urban Nature spot.
Urban aquatic wildlife
Jun. 27th, 2010 05:47 pm
Black-crowned night-heron* in the Muddy.
Turtle in Ward's Pond. I'm uncertain if this is a painted turtle or a pond slider. Seems a bit big for a painted.
*The BCNH is one of my top 8 "what the hell is that?" urban animals.
Urban Nature Pictures 6/22
Jun. 22nd, 2010 09:12 pm
I know I ask a lot of my entomologist friends but: HEY? what gives? This water strider has mites! I've never seen that before, and now all of a sudden about 3/4 of the water striders on Ward's Pond have mites clinging to them. Most around their eyes, but some on their backs.
Urban Nature Pictures 5/16
May. 16th, 2010 08:14 pm
Lily pads on my favorite non-moving urban body of water, Ward's Pond.
( click for EPIC Charlie pic and rock balance )
