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  • Second tallest of Oregon's stratovolcanoes, and one of the youngest (less than 100,00 years old) this remote mountain in Central Oregon is absolutely beautiful during sunset when viewed from the high desert plateau from the east!
    Mount Jefferson
  • Savannah sparrow patiently crept-up upon and photographed in Jefferson County, Florida next to the Gulf of Mexico. She is so tiny!
    Savannah Sparrow
  • Close-up of these beautiful delicate flowers in Jefferson County, near the Gulf Coast.
    Grass-leaved Ladies'-tresses (Spiran..lis)
  • Young alligator warming up in the fall sun by a pond in Jefferson County. This one was about four feet in length.
    American Alligator
  • A successful ambush - a green lynx spider eating a small green stink bug from inside a garden flower in Jefferson County, Florida.
    Green Lynx Spider
  • Unusual "double-stalked" woodland ladies'-tresses found in full flower in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson County, Florida.
    Woodland Ladies'-tresses (Spiranthes..ica)
  • Monarch Butterflies enjoying a last meal before heading across the Gulf of Mexico for Central America. These were seen along the coast in the thousands at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in Jefferson County.
    Monarch Migration
  • This tall, beautiful member of the mint family is found up and down the Western coast of North America from Mexico to Alaska, and is most often associated with coastal woodlands that receive a lot of rain. I almost always see them in flower with large numbers of bumblebees every summer. These were found growing alongside a cold mountain stream in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula on a hot summer day.
    Mexican Hedge Nettle
  • This tall, beautiful member of the mint family is found up and down the Western coast of North America from Mexico to Alaska, and is most often associated with coastal woodlands that receive a lot of rain. I almost always see them in flower with large numbers of bumblebees every summer. These were found growing alongside a cold mountain stream in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula on a hot summer day.
    Mexican Hedge Nettle
  • This tall, beautiful member of the mint family is found up and down the Western coast of North America from Mexico to Alaska, and is most often associated with coastal woodlands that receive a lot of rain. I almost always see them in flower with large numbers of bumblebees every summer. These were found growing alongside a cold mountain stream in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula on a hot summer day.
    Mexican Hedge Nettle
  • A male stella orangetip butterfly feeds on the nectar of blooming wax currants in Central Oregon near Bend. This is a subspecies of the in the sara orangetip complex, and is mostly found in the Pacific Northwest east of the Cascades where the habitat is much more arid and dry.
    Male Stella Orangetip
  • A fresh, beautiful example of these vibrant shelf mushrooms growing on a tree near La Push, Washington just into the trees on Rialto Beach.
    Western Sulphur Shelf
  • Glossy ibis in flight at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
    Glossy Ibis
  • A wild sun halo on a chilly winter day on the Gulf of Mexico, just south of Tallahassee, Florida.
    Sun Halo over the Gulf of Mexico
  • Also known as pinkladies, pink evening primrose and Mexican evening primrose, this wonderfully beautiful native to the Central United States and Northeastern Mexico is spreading across all of the lower half of the continental United States from coast to coast, mostly due to its use in gardens and hardy nature. These were photographed just a few feet from the beach in North Florida's St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf of Mexico.
    Showy Evening Primrose (Oenothera sp..osa)
  • Also known as pinkladies, pink evening primrose and Mexican evening primrose, this wonderfully beautiful native to the Central United States and Northeastern Mexico is spreading across all of the lower half of the continental United States from coast to coast, mostly due to its use in gardens and hardy nature. These were photographed just a few feet from the beach in North Florida's St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf of Mexico.
    Showy Evening Primrose (Oenothera sp..osa)
  • A trio of black-necked stilts wading through the salt marshes of North Florida's St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in search of juvenile fish and small crustaceans, just outside of Tallahassee on the Gulf Coast.
    A Trio of Black-necked Stilts
  • Distinct from other native phloxes, spreading phlox grows in often harsh environments such as rocky desert cliffs, open areas with little water and lots of exposure to heat, wind and bitter cold. As a result, these tough little perennials have hard woody stems, and sharp needle-like leaves that stay low to the ground and bloom in profuse mats in the spring. These beautiful examples were found at the top of a lava plateau called The Peninsula in Central Oregon above Deschutes Canyon.
    Spreading Phlox
  • Distinct from other native phloxes, spreading phlox grows in often harsh environments such as rocky desert cliffs, open areas with little water and lots of exposure to heat, wind and bitter cold. As a result, these tough little perennials have hard woody stems, and sharp needle-like leaves that stay low to the ground and bloom in profuse mats in the spring. These beautiful examples were found at the top of a lava plateau called The Peninsula in Central Oregon above Deschutes Canyon.
    Spreading Phlox
  • With a name that can't help but invite a second glance, the dog vomit slime mold (also known as the scrambled egg slime) is a common plasmodial slime mold found all over the world on both rotting wood and the leaves and stems of living plants. Slime molds are a bit different from other fungi because they begin their life as a protoplasm as opposed to the more common thread-like structure that begin underground and appear as a fruiting body - what we commonly know as a mushroom. In Scandinavian folklore, the particular species is often associated with witchcraft, and is said to be the vomit of a witch's familiar after one has slurped up and spoiled their neighbors' milk. This one was found growing on a decaying, fallen tree in Washington's Hoh Rainforest in the Western Olympic Mountains.
    Dog Vomit Slime Mold
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • Also sometimes called the purple sea star, this very common sea star and tide pool favorite is found all along the Pacific Northwest's rocky coastline. Ranging from bright orange to deep purple, they can reach a size of 16 inches, and live 20 years or more! This one was seen under a few inches of water in a tide pool on Cannon Beach, Oregon.
    Ochre Sea Star
  • A free-floating leafy bladderwort in flower as it floats in the swampy water of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the Florida Panhandle. This interesting carnivorous plant has tiny sensitive traps in its root-like strictures that capture tiny invertebrates as they seek shelter that it will ingest as a food source.
    Leafy Bladderwort
  • The zephyr lily - also known as the atamasco or rain lily, is a gorgeous springtime white native amaryllis found throughout the American Southeast. It range reaches from Maryland to Mississippi - including any state between that borders the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. They are usually found in coastal wetland areas with in or near swamps or bogs with acidic soils. This one was found growing in the Florida Panhandle just south of Tallahassee in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
    Zephyr Lily
  • Early morning and the sun is burning through the fog over the salt marshes of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in North Florida.
    Stillness and the Salt Marsh
  • A perfect combination of low tide, the last rays of sunlight, and a spectacular  location made for a very satisfying photograph with rippled sand and ultra-vivid colors as I waited out the sunset on Washington's Ruby Beach in the Olympic National Park on the Pacific Ocean.
    Ruby Beach at Last Light
  • This iconic North American hare in its summer brown coat is found in a vast range that covers most of Canada and stretches south into the United States in several locations. While these larger cousins of rabbits are known for having white coats in winter and brown coats in the summer, individuals in the Olympic National Park such as this one photographed in summer at Ruby Beach, Washington will retain their brown coat all throughout the winter.
    Snowshoe Hare
  • Another photo of my newfound buddy while shooting landscapes just before sunset on Washington's Pacific coastline. Townsend's chipmunks are unlike any other species of chipmunk I've seen all over North America. I don't like to personify wildlife, but these little critters are FULL of personality!
    Townsend's Chipmunk
  • Ganoderma oregonense, and other closely-related members of the Ganoderma genus are much-revered for their medicinal properties in the East, where they've been used for millennia by the Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. as a cure for a plethora of symptoms and diseases. Found in supporting habitats all over the world (excluding Antarctica) this one was found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Olympic Mountains.
    Ganoderma oregonense
  • This beautiful and delicate member of the oyster mushroom family is found throughout much of North America, most often found growing on rotting logs and stumps of hemlock trees and other conifers, such as this one growing in the Olympic National Park in the Hoh Rain Forest.
    Angel Wings
  • This is a fantastic example of a nursery log. Many large trees start off at a disadvantage, and some trees seem to do best when they start off as a tiny sapling on top of a fallen log. As these saplings grow with more access to sunlight, the strongest outcompete the weakest and eventually the roots will reach the soil, resulting in a line of trees with exposed roots. In this example, a line of growing Sitka spruce trees flourish on what once was a huge fallen log, but is now decomposed by time and decay.
    Nursery Log
  • One of the more interesting and unique lichens found in the forests of the Pacific Northwest is the frog pelt lichen. It is rather common here, and can range in color from bluish green to olive brown, and is found growing on both rocks and dead wood, in shady, open forests at varying altitudes.
    Frog Pelt Lichen
  • The dragon cladonia is an upright, scaly lichen that is found in wet, dark forests around much of North America and Europe, usually growing on rotting logs. This one was photographed near the Hoh River in the Olympic Mountains in Western Washington.
    Dragon Cladonia
  • Cat-tail moss is a very attractive true moss most often associated with in wet forests. This one was photographed on an ancient bigleaf maple in the Olympic National Park in the Hoh Rain Forest.
    Cat-tail Moss
  • Banana slugs are very common in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. This one was photographed climbing over a 100+ foot tree that had recently fallen over in the Hoh Rain Forest in the Olympic National Park.
    Pacific Banana Slug
  • The Hoh Rain Forest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula is one of the most amazing places in North America to see enormous masses of ferns and mosses. Deer ferns are common throughout the Pacific Northwest and these were found growing in an old-growth part of the forest that is untouched by the logging industry. Native American hunters traditionally used these as a hunger suppressant, and are an important food source for elk in winter.
    Deer Fern
  • A beautiful blue sky over Florida's St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge where the salt marshes and freshwater marshes meet.
    Clouds over St. Marks
  • It was a rare morning where the temperature dipped a few degrees below freezing, and the frost on the ground looked a lot like snow in my car’s headlights. It was so worth it, as I was rewarded with the most stunning sunrise I’ve seen in a long time! Winter often offers interesting colors and hues with the first hints of light, but this was something special….. just pure beauty in all its glory!
    Dawn Over the Salt Marsh
  • St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
    St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
  • A catbird! These are so frustratingly difficult to photograph, that I gave up years ago trying to get one. This one popped up right in front of me as I was walking through a stand of palmettos.
    Catbird
  • Eastern towhee in St. Marks Wildife Management Area on the panhandle coast. This particular bird was peculiar for this species as it was not shy posed for us instead of dashing off.
    Eastern Towhee
  • Waterlily photographed in St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. There were literally hundreds of them.
    Fragrant Waterlily
  • A great blue heron at dawn looking over the salt marshes of the St. Marks National Wildlife refuge in North Florida ona cold winter morning.
    Great Blue Heron
  • This secretive member of the heron family blends in with its environment so well that it is usually overlooked.
    American Bittern
  • An osprey with a fresh mullet photographed while landing in a pine tree in St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
    Osprey with Fresh Mullet
  • Also known as pinkladies, pink evening primrose and Mexican evening primrose, this wonderfully beautiful native to the Central United States and Northeastern Mexico is spreading across all of the lower half of the continental United States from coast to coast, mostly due to its use in gardens and hardy nature. These were photographed just a few feet from the beach in North Florida's St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf of Mexico.
    Showy Evening Primrose (Oenothera sp..osa)
  • Distinct from other native phloxes, spreading phlox grows in often harsh environments such as rocky desert cliffs, open areas with little water and lots of exposure to heat, wind and bitter cold. As a result, these tough little perennials have hard woody stems, and sharp needle-like leaves that stay low to the ground and bloom in profuse mats in the spring. These beautiful examples were found at the top of a lava plateau called The Peninsula in Central Oregon above Deschutes Canyon.
    Spreading Phlox
  • This tall, beautiful member of the mint family is found up and down the Western coast of North America from Mexico to Alaska, and is most often associated with coastal woodlands that receive a lot of rain. I almost always see them in flower with large numbers of bumblebees every summer. These were found growing alongside a cold mountain stream in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula on a hot summer day.
    Mexican Hedge Nettle
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • A spectacular sunset at Washington's Ruby Beach. These wild formations in the sand are what remains when Cedar Creek empties directly onto the beach, and the freshwater runoff washes the softer sand and silt into the surf creating these amazing miniature canyons and washes. Next low tide, a whole new micro-landscape will be created.
    Low Tide on Ruby Beach
  • Also sometimes called the purple sea star, this very common sea star and tidepool favorite is found all along the Pacific Northwest's rocky coastline. Ranging from bright orange to deep purple, they can reach a size of 16 inches, and live 20 years or more! These were spotted in a tidepool on Cannon Beach, Oregon.
    Ochre Sea Stars
  • A solidly yellow Pacific banana slug slowly makes its way through the Hoh Rainforest on the western side of the Olympic Mountains.
    Pacific Banana Slug
  • Close-up of a very curious glaucous-winged gull photographed above Ruby Beach on Washington's Pacific Coast, just south from Forks.
    Glaucous-winged Gull
  • Often referred to as a weed, the very common yellow woodsorrel is found almost all over North America, with the exception of Labrador, Alberta, California, Oregon, Nevada and Utah. Commonly found growing in flowerbeds, lawns, etc. - all parts of this native beauty is edible. I grew up chewing on this plant because I love the intensely citrusy tanginess of it.
    Common Yellow Woodsorrel
  • The St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the Florida Panhandle is a sanctuary for a very delicate ecosystem comprised of freshwater ponds and rivers, salt marsh and a large portion of the Gulf of Mexico coast. Just above the brackish water region, thousands of these fragrant waterlilies can be found in full bloom, all at the same time!
    Fragrant Waterlily
  • A spectacular male red-winged blackbird shows off his shoulder patches in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on North Florida's Gulf Coast.
    Male Red-Winged Blackbird
  • The zephyr lily - also known as the atamasco or rain lily, is a gorgeous springtime white native amaryllis found throughout the American Southeast. It range reaches from Maryland to Mississippi - including any state between that borders the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. They are usually found in coastal wetland areas with in or near swamps or bogs with acidic soils. This one was found growing in the Florida Panhandle just south of Tallahassee in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
    Zephyr Lily
  • North Florida's salt marshes around St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is full of alligators, where there is plenty to eat and lots of cover. You can easily see how this one left the water to cross into the next marsh… check out that tail drag!
    Gator Tracks!
  • St. Marks Lighthouse on Florida's North Gulf Coast.
    St. Marks Lighthouse
  • St. Marks Lighthouse on Florida's North Gulf Coast.
    St. Marks Lighthouse
  • St. Marks Lighthouse on Florida's North Gulf Coast.
    St. Marks Lighthouse
  • From a distance, I watched this pair of Townsend's chipmunks scurry back and forth, over and under the bleached logs along the beach on the coast of Washington State's Olympic National Park. This jumble of logs provides more than adequate protection from eagles, foxes, bobcats, and other predators.
    Townsend's Chipmunks
  • One of the largest species of chipmunk in North America, the Townsend's chipmunk  is found only in the Pacific Northwest, from most of the Oregon coast area, all of Washington west of the Cascade Mountains, and just the southern tip of British Columbia in Canada. This curious individual posed for me for about ten minutes at Ruby Beach, Washington.
    Townsend's Chipmunk
  • A cautious Townsend's chipmunk peers out of a pile of driftwood on Ruby Beach on Washington's Pacific Coast. Unlike many forest-dwelling species, Townsend's chipmunks tend to thrive in disturbed locations, and can adapt quickly to major changes in their environment.
    Townsend's Chipmunk
  • A fresh, new western shelf mushroom growing on a moss-covered stump in an virgin forest area in the Hoh Rain Forest. Sometimes known as chicken-of-the-woods, this mushroom is edible and eaten by many.
    Western Sulphur Shelf
  • A massive bunch of western shelf mushrooms growing on the stump of a dead tree near the Hoh River in the Hoh Rainforest. This is by far the largest growth I've seen, and even though it was a bit beat and old, it was still worth taking this shot, for just the scope and size if nothing else.
    Western Sulphur Shelf
  • This beautiful and delicate member of the oyster mushroom family is found throughout much of North America, most often found growing on rotting logs and stumps of hemlock trees and other conifers, such as this one growing in the Olympic National Park in the Hoh Rain Forest. Although sometimes expressed as edible, caution is advised because of a string of recent deaths as a result of angel wings mushrooms.
    Angel Wings
  • In all of the Pacific Northwest, there is perhaps no better place for finding wild mushrooms than in the Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula. This olive wax cap was growing near the Hoh River at the edge of the forest.
    Olive Wax Cap
  • A member of one of the most fascinating moths with the most ornate caterpillars, the spotted tussock moth in its larval stage is quite common throughout most of North America. This one was found in a grove of alders busily feeding on a fallen leaf in the Hoh Rain Forest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula.
    Spotted Tussock Moth Caterpillar
  • This strange and seaweed-looking lichen is very common in the dark wet forests on the Pacific Northwest. It grows in old-growth conifers, then eventually falls to the forest floor where it is often eaten by elk and deer.
    Lettuce Lichen
  • The Hoh Rain Forest is a fantastic place for finding huge ferns growing under optimal conditions, such as this massive sword fern growing in the middle of this ancient virgin forest.
    Western Sword Fern
  • Probably the most common tree moss in the Pacific Northwest, the cat-tail moss can be found from sea level to very high elevations in the mountains. This close up was photographed in the Hoh Rain Forest on the Olympic Peninsula.
    Cat-tail Moss
  • Step moss is a very distinctive and attractive moss found throughout most of the Pacific Northwest. This lush soft moss grows in carpets on rocks, logs, and trees, such as this growth on the side of a bigleaf maple in the Hoh Rain Forest.
    Step Moss
  • A close-up of a Pacific banana slug in the Hoh Rain Forest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula on a chilly, yet rare sunny day.
    Pacific Banana Slug
  • Deep into the Hoh Rain Forest, ancient trees - Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, western hemlock, bigleaf maple, red alder and western red cedar stand tall and solemn. Many of them 500 years old or more!
    Hoh Rain Forest
  • This spectacularly wild and unique part of the Pacific Northwest is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the United States, receiving 140 to 170 inches (12 to 14 feet!) of precipitation per year! Located on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, it remains protected from the logging industry by being part of the Olympic National Park.
    Hoh Rain Forest
  • The Mexican hedge nettle, contrary to its name, is a native member of the mint family found all along the west coast of North America from the California-Mexico border all the way north to Alaska. This one was photographed in the Hoh Rain Forest of Washington's Olympic Peninsula on a rare sunny late-August afternoon.
    Mexican Hedge Nettle
  • A carpet of large western sword ferns covers the understory of the Hoh Rain Forest on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, where the air is always cool and dark, and the forest floor is nearly always wet. Historically and importantly, the original native peoples of this part of the world could rely and survive off of the roasted roots (rhizomes) of these ferns during lean times.
    Western Sword Ferns
  • Licorice ferns growing high up in a huge bigleaf maple in an ancient old-growth section of the Hoh Rain Forest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Found primarily in the Pacific Northwest, the roots of these evergreen ferns have been used medicinally for millennia by local native tribes, and can be found from Southern Alaska to parts of Arizona.
    Licorice Fern
  • An amazing late afternoon on Ruby Beach on Washington's Olympic Peninsula during the golden hour, when the light is warm and radiant while the evening cools and colors can appear both warm and cool at the same time.
    Ruby Beach
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