Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • Close-up detail of a cabbage palm frond (also known as a sabal palm) in rural Eastern Lee County in Southwest Florida.
    Cabbage Palm Close-up
  • Close-up detail of a cabbage palm frond (also known as a sabal palm) in rural Eastern Lee County in Southwest Florida.
    Cabbage Palm Close-up
  • Close-up view of the beautiful fuzzy scarlet flowers of the leafless beaked orchid.
    Leafless Beaked Orchid Close-up (Sac..ata)
  • 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
  • Close-up of a squirrel treefrog as it clings to the thinnest of branches of a bald cypress tree in the Southwest Florida.
    Squirrel Treefrog
  • Close-up of a red-spotted toad, one of the few amphibians found in the deserts and plains of the American Southwest. Because water is scarce in these areas, they can be often heard after a heavy rain as a piercing high-pitched trill that means the males are calling for females, as breeding opportunities are few and far between. Eggs are laid singly and fertilized, and will hatch within hours. Six to eight weeks later, the tadpoles (if they survive and the water lasts long enough) will reach adulthood.
    Red-Spotted Toad
  • Close-up portrait of a Gila monster. This venomous lizard is only one of two venomous lizards in the world. This one was photographed in the Sonoran Desert just outside of Tucson, Arizona.
    Gila Monster
  • Close-up portrait of a Gila monster. This venomous lizard is only one of two venomous lizards in the world. This one was photographed in the Sonoran Desert just outside of Tucson, Arizona.
    Gila Monster
  • Close-up of a bald eagle.
    Bald Eagle Portrait
  • Close-up detail of a coconut palm frond on Florida's Sanibel Island.
    Coconut Palm
  • 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
  • This white-tailed deer was apparently used to people as it let me get this close to it just outside of Tallahassee on the Florida Panhandle. Extremely common all over the United States and Canada, its range extends from the Atlantic Ocean and west all the way to the Rocky Mountains (fantastic natural barrier), where its cousin - the black-tailed deer completes the range all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Somehow the white-tailed deer has nearly made it to the Pacific Ocean in Canada, and has a strong toehold in all of Central American and the northern part of South America. This is a huge native range for an ungulate (deer, elk, moose family) and it has been introduced in many other parts of the word such and the Caribbean Islands, Europe and even New Zealand.
    White-tailed Deer
  • 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
  • Not really a toad - it's a spadefoot (no poison glands), this Couch's spadefoot toad was one of many dozens found after a sudden flash-flood in Western Texas along and near the Rio Grande River. Because they are found only in very dry, desert-like habitats, these spadefoots spend a significant amount of their lives buried underground in a state of hibernation, only emerging after the first spring or summer rains. They will find water immediately and mate the first night. Because these sudden seasonal pools can dry up so quickly, emerging tadpoles can mature in as little as nine days after hatching from their eggs!
    Couch's Spadefoot
  • Not really a toad - it's a spadefoot (no poison glands), this Couch's spadefoot toad was one of many dozens found after a sudden flash-flood in Western Texas along and near the Rio Grande River. Because they are found only in very dry, desert-like habitats, these spadefoots spend a significant amount of their lives buried underground in a state of hibernation, only emerging after the first spring or summer rains. They will find water immediately and mate the first night. Because these sudden seasonal pools can dry up so quickly, emerging tadpoles can mature in as little as nine days after hatching from their eggs!
    Couch's Spadefoot
  • Not really a toad - it's a spadefoot (no poison glands), this Couch's spadefoot toad was one of many dozens found after a sudden flash-flood in Western Texas along and near the Rio Grande River. Because they are found only in very dry, desert-like habitats, these spadefoots spend a significant amount of their lives buried underground in a state of hibernation, only emerging after the first spring or summer rains. They will find water immediately and mate the first night. Because these sudden seasonal pools can dry up so quickly, emerging tadpoles can mature in as little as nine days after hatching from their eggs!
    Couch's Spadefoot
  • Not really a toad - it's a spadefoot (no poison glands), this Couch's spadefoot toad was one of many dozens found after a sudden flash-flood in Western Texas along and near the Rio Grande River. Because they are found only in very dry, desert-like habitats, these spadefoots spend a significant amount of their lives buried underground in a state of hibernation, only emerging after the first spring or summer rains. They will find water immediately and mate the first night. Because these sudden seasonal pools can dry up so quickly, emerging tadpoles can mature in as little as nine days after hatching from their eggs!
    Couch's Spadefoot
  • Not really a toad - it's a spadefoot (no poison glands), this Couch's spadefoot toad was one of many dozens found after a sudden flash-flood in Western Texas along and near the Rio Grande River. Because they are found only in very dry, desert-like habitats, these spadefoots spend a significant amount of their lives buried underground in a state of hibernation, only emerging after the first spring or summer rains. They will find water immediately and mate the first night. Because these sudden seasonal pools can dry up so quickly, emerging tadpoles can mature in as little as nine days after hatching from their eggs!
    Couch's Spadefoot
  • Sometimes also called icicle moss, cat-tail moss is a very common tree moss found all over the Pacific Northwest on the western side of the Cascade Mountains. In fact, the Pacific Northwest's rainy, wet forests would look very different without it!
    Cat-tail Moss
  • The artist's fungus is a common species of very large polypore mushroom found on every continent except Antarctica. It gets its name from a very interesting style of art where the  mushroom is picked and the white pores of the fruiting body are scratched away to reveal the brown woody inside, creating a sort of natural canvas. This is where the artist can scrape away just enough to create scenes, images of people or nature, or anything else he or she can imagine. A simple search on the web can give you plenty of examples of artwork created with these mushrooms. These were photographed close to the edge of Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington on an early autumn afternoon.
    Artist's Conk
  • The artist's fungus is a common species of very large polypore mushroom found on every continent except Antarctica. It gets its name from a very interesting style of art where the  mushroom is picked and the white pores of the fruiting body are scratched away to reveal the brown woody inside, creating a sort of natural canvas. This is where the artist can scrape away just enough to create scenes, images of people or nature, or anything else he or she can imagine. A simple search on the web can give you plenty of examples of artwork created with these mushrooms. These were photographed close to the edge of Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington on an early autumn afternoon.
    Artist's Conk
  • Not really a toad - it's a spadefoot (no poison glands), this Couch's spadefoot toad was one of many dozens found after a sudden flash-flood in Western Texas along and near the Rio Grande River. Because they are found only in very dry, desert-like habitats, these spadefoots spend a significant amount of their lives buried underground in a state of hibernation, only emerging after the first spring or summer rains. They will find water immediately and mate the first night. Because these sudden seasonal pools can dry up so quickly, emerging tadpoles can mature in as little as nine days after hatching from their eggs!
    Couch's Spadefoot
  • Not really a toad - it's a spadefoot (no poison glands), this Couch's spadefoot toad was one of many dozens found after a sudden flash-flood in Western Texas along and near the Rio Grande River. Because they are found only in very dry, desert-like habitats, these spadefoots spend a significant amount of their lives buried underground in a state of hibernation, only emerging after the first spring or summer rains. They will find water immediately and mate the first night. Because these sudden seasonal pools can dry up so quickly, emerging tadpoles can mature in as little as nine days after hatching from their eggs!
    Couch's Spadefoot
  • Not really a toad - it's a spadefoot (no poison glands), this Couch's spadefoot toad was one of many dozens found after a sudden flash-flood in Western Texas along and near the Rio Grande River. Because they are found only in very dry, desert-like habitats, these spadefoots spend a significant amount of their lives buried underground in a state of hibernation, only emerging after the first spring or summer rains. They will find water immediately and mate the first night. Because these sudden seasonal pools can dry up so quickly, emerging tadpoles can mature in as little as nine days after hatching from their eggs!
    Couch's Spadefoot
  • A white-tailed deer pauses for a second among the fall foliage above Chatcolet Lake in Northwestern Idaho.
    White-tailed Deer with Fall Colors
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • The long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) is an attractive medium-sized dark-colored salamander with a yellow, gold or green stripe down its back, that is covered with tiny white speckles along the sides of its body and face. It gets its name for its long fourth toe on its hind feet. Native to the Pacific Northwest , it can be found in all of Washington, and parts of Oregon, Northern California, Northern Idaho, Western Montana, Most of British Columbia and the southwestern edge of Alberta. This one was found hiding under a log in Maple Valley, Washington on a warm early spring afternoon.
    Long-toed Salamander
  • This medium-sized, common and true toad is found in southeastern Arizona, western Oklahoma, most of Texas and nearly all of the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila. It is most often found in desert and grassland habitats, where it feeds on ants, beetles and other arthropods it can overpower, and makes use of many different types of structures for its protection from predation, such as under logs, animal burrows or simply burying itself in mud. This one was found and photographed after a flash flood near the Rio Grande, near the Mexican border in West Texas' Big Bend National Park.
    Texas Toad (Anaxyrus speciosus)
  • A fantastically camouflaged western toad comes out from under cover on a rainy summer day on Washington's Rattlesnake Mountain.
    Western Toad
  • Very similar to its cousin, the green treefrog, the squirrel treefrog is a very common inhabitant of wetlands across the Southeastern United States.
    Squirrel Treefrog
  • The Cascades frog is a high altitude-loving frog found in both theCascade and Olympic mountains of the Pacific Northwest. This one was seen in August in Washington's Stevens Pass near the edge of a beautiful and remote subalpine mountain lake.
    Cascades Frog
  • This emerging Leucocoprinus birnbaumii (more commonly known as the plantpot dapperling or flowerpot parasol) is an tropical to subtropical common mushroom that is more widely known for popping up in cultivated flowerpots in hothouses far north of its natural range. While considered to be toxic and nearly impossible to get rid of, it's best to just learn to enjoy their delicate beauty and try not to accidentally eat them. This one was found growing on some old wood in a hardwood hammock on Key Largo, Florida.
    Plantpot Dapperling (Leucocoprinus b..mii)
  • Looking very much like it's cousin, the infamous fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria), the peach-colored fly agaric (Amanita persicina) looks virtually the same, except for instead of the vibrant red color with scaly cap it has a somewhat softer, light orange, or peach hue. Found only in the Southeastern United States stretching up to coastal New England, this forest fungus develops these beautiful large mushrooms in the fall and winter. This one was in the process of emerging from the soil on a November morning in Pensacola, Florida on the side of a nature trail.
    Peach-colored Fly Agaric
  • Looking very much like it's cousin, the infamous fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria), the peach-colored fly agaric (Amanita persicina) looks virtually the same, except for instead of the vibrant red color with scaly cap it has a somewhat softer, light orange, or peach hue. Found only in the Southeastern United States stretching up to coastal New England, this forest fungus develops these beautiful large mushrooms in the fall and winter. This one was in the process of emerging from the soil on a November morning in Pensacola, Florida on the side of a nature trail.
    Peach-colored Fly Agaric
  • Looking very much like it's cousin, the infamous fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria), the peach-colored fly agaric (Amanita persicina) looks virtually the same, except for instead of the vibrant red color with scaly cap it has a somewhat softer, light orange, or peach hue. Found only in the Southeastern United States stretching up to coastal New England, this forest fungus develops these beautiful large mushrooms in the fall and winter. This fully developed mushroom was spotted on a November morning in Pensacola, Florida on the side of a nature trail.
    Peach-colored Fly Agaric
  • The Pacific banana slug (Ariolimax columbianus) is the world's second-largest terrestrial slug in the world and can grow up to 9.8 inches (25 cm) long. They live on the forest floors in the Pacific Northwest, and are most often seen cruising along the leaf litter or on decaying wood at a maximum speed of  6 1⁄2 inches (17 cm) per minute. Because they get moisture through their skin, banana slugs need a moist environment in order to survive, and the wet, mild climate of western Washington, Oregon and British Columbia meets that need perfectly. This one was found in a disturbed suburban park in Kent, Washington.
    Pacific Banana Slug
  • The massive rufous garden slug (Arion rufus) photographed here in the West Hylebos Wetlands in Federal Way, Washington.
    Rufous Garden Slug
  • This medium-sized, common and true toad is found in southeastern Arizona, western Oklahoma, most of Texas and nearly all of the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila. It is most often found in desert and grassland habitats, where it feeds on ants, beetles and other arthropods it can overpower, and makes use of many different types of structures for its protection from predation, such as under logs, animal burrows or simply burying itself in mud. This one was found and photographed after a flash flood near the Rio Grande, near the Mexican border in West Texas' Big Bend National Park.
    Texas Toad (Anaxyrus speciosus)
  • This medium-sized, common and true toad is found in southeastern Arizona, western Oklahoma, most of Texas and nearly all of the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila. It is most often found in desert and grassland habitats, where it feeds on ants, beetles and other arthropods it can overpower, and makes use of many different types of structures for its protection from predation, such as under logs, animal burrows or simply burying itself in mud. This one was found and photographed after a flash flood near the Rio Grande, near the Mexican border in West Texas' Big Bend National Park.
    Texas Toad (Anaxyrus speciosus)
  • This medium-sized, common and true toad is found in southeastern Arizona, western Oklahoma, most of Texas and nearly all of the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila. It is most often found in desert and grassland habitats, where it feeds on ants, beetles and other arthropods it can overpower, and makes use of many different types of structures for its protection from predation, such as under logs, animal burrows or simply burying itself in mud. This one was found and photographed after a flash flood near the Rio Grande, near the Mexican border in West Texas' Big Bend National Park.
    Texas Toad (Anaxyrus speciosus)
  • An adult Cuban treefrog actively hunting late at night for prey among the foliage in Fort Myers, Florida. These aggressive and voracious natives to Cuba, the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas are wreaking havoc among Florida's native species of treefrogs, and are outcompeting them in terms of resources and habitat.
    Cuban Treefrog
  • An adult Cuban treefrog actively hunting late at night for prey among the foliage in Fort Myers, Florida. These aggressive and voracious natives to Cuba, the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas are wreaking havoc among Florida's native species of treefrogs, and are outcompeting them in terms of resources and habitat.
    Cuban Treefrog
  • Working alongside mushrooms and other fungi, banana slugs are detritivores that help turn decaying matter into soil humus. They eat leaves, dead plant materials, moss, fungi, and animal droppings and help in the movement of nutrients throughout the forest and prefer mushrooms over other foods, much to the detriment of human mushroom foragers. Because slugs do not have teeth, food is broken down using its ribbon-like radula, which works like a millstone to grind food into smaller and smaller particles that are then ingested. This one was found in a disturbed suburban park in Kent, Washington.
    Pacific Banana Slug
  • Banana slugs are highly variable in appearance, but most tend to be either a solid light to bright yellow (hence the name banana slug) or yellow with brown spots. Sometimes brown, green or even white ones are seen, and color can often an indicator of the slug's age, health, how moist or dry it is, or even can be a clue as to what it's been eating. The body structure of the banana slug is very simple. It has a "foot" that is used for locomotion in the same way terrestrial or aquatic snails move about. The "hump" part of the back is called the mantle, and has an opening on its right called a pneumostome that is a simple airway for the single lung that it uses for respiration. Their entire body is covered in a thick slime helps it retain moisture and aids in "sliding" through the forest. This one was found in a disturbed suburban park in Kent, Washington.
    Pacific Banana Slug-9.jpg
  • This medium-sized, common and true toad is found in southeastern Arizona, western Oklahoma, most of Texas and nearly all of the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Coahuila. It is most often found in desert and grassland habitats, where it feeds on ants, beetles and other arthropods it can overpower, and makes use of many different types of structures for its protection from predation, such as under logs, animal burrows or simply burying itself in mud. This one was found and photographed after a flash flood near the Rio Grande, near the Mexican border in West Texas' Big Bend National Park.
    Texas Toad (Anaxyrus speciosus)
  • Unusual as it sounds, this Pacific treefrog was found under a rock in a sagebrush desert in Central Washington as I was looking for snakes and scorpions. While normally associated with damp forests, this highly adaptable amphibian can be found from sea level to alpine mountain habitats, and is very common in the Pacific Northwest. Considered a keystone species, their abundance in the wild is important to many other species that rely on the Pacific treefrog as a food source.
    Pacific Treefrog
  • At home in the heat of the American Southwest, this red-spotted toad slumbers throughout the driest parts of the year, and emerges with the rains that come in spring and summer. This one was photographed in the Moab Desert in Eastern Utah.
    Red-Spotted Toad
  • A red-spotted toad is reflected in a rare pool of water - a leftover from a massive storm that passed through the Moab Desert the night before. The brilliant blue sky reflected beautifully from this angle.
    Red-Spotted Toad
  • This southern cricket frog (probably the subspecies called Florida cricket frog) is nearly perfectly camouflaged in the thick, humid undergrowth of South Florida's inland wetlands near Immokalee, Florida where there are plenty of insects and plenty of cover from the numerous snakes, birds and alligators that share its habitat.
    Southern Cricket Frog
  • Native and endemic to the Southeastern United States, this squirrel treefrog clings to cypress twigs on a cool autumn day in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Southwest Florida.
    Squirrel Treefrog
  • A large squirrel treefrog rests during the day on the trunk of a bald cypress tree in Florida's Big Cypress National Preserve.
    Squirrel Treefrog
  • One of the most common wetland treefrogs of the American Southeast, these brilliantly green predators are found (and most often heard) among the aquatic plants such as cat-tails and arrowheads on the edges of swamps, lakes, creeks and ponds.
    Green Treefrog
  • Huge streaked sphinx moth found on a stucco wall at night in Fort Myers, Fl.
    Streaked Sphinx
  • A squirrel treefrog (individuals can change their color from green to brown based on their environment) found among the cypress knees in the Fakahatchee Strand in SW Florida. These frogs are most active at night.
    Squirrel Treefrog
  • A well-fed green treefrog perfectly camouflaged among the cattails in a wetland in Sarasota County, Florida.
    Green Treefrog
  • The Oregon forestsnail (not forest snail) is a long-lived, slow-moving animal that is food for many other animals and is found in the western part of Oregon and Washington states, north into extreme southwestern British Columbia - where it is listed as an endangered species (and is listed as vulnerable for the US). This one was found just on the western side of the Cascade Mountains in King County, Washington.
    Oregon Forestsnail (Allogona townsen..ana)
  • Witch's butter (Tremella mesenterica) is a very interesting jelly fungus found most frequently on recently dead wood in wet habitats, such as this one found on a wet winter day in Kent, Washington next to Soos Creek. Considered edible but flavorless, I can't imagine being the person who would be the first to try this slimy and slippery fungus in the first place!
    Witches' Butter-1
  • Witch's butter (Tremella mesenterica) is a very interesting jelly fungus found most frequently on recently dead wood in wet habitats, such as this one found on a wet winter day in Kent, Washington next to Soos Creek. Considered edible but flavorless, I can't imagine being the person who would be the first to try this slimy and slippery fungus in the first place!
    Witches' Butter-2
  • All banana slugs have two pairs of tentacles. The upper pair is the largest, and they are used to detect light intensity or lack of light, much in the way our eyes do. The smaller pair is used to detect and differentiate smells., much in the way our noses do. For protection, both pairs of tentacles can be retracted inside the slug's body in case of danger. This one was found in a disturbed suburban park in Kent, Washington.
    Pacific Banana Slug
  • Talk about species specificity in fungi, Strobilurus conigenoides mushrooms grow only on decaying magnolia cones! These tiny little collybioid mushrooms were found on an old, decaying magnolia cone in Goethe State Forest in rural Levy County, Florida.
    Magnolia Cone Mushrooms
  • Usually a pale to semi-bright yellow, this small forest-loving mushroom is sometimes a grey-brown to a dark brown when it is found in conifer forests. These pale brown Mycena citrinomarginata mushrooms (no common name) were found growing in a clump about halfway up Washington's Rattlesnake Mountain on a damp and almost sunny Valentine's Day.
    Mycena citrinomarginata
  • Usually a pale to semi-bright yellow, this small forest-loving mushroom is sometimes a grey-brown to a dark brown when it is found in conifer forests. These pale brown Mycena citrinomarginata mushrooms (no common name) were found growing in a clump about halfway up Washington's Rattlesnake Mountain on a damp and almost sunny Valentine's Day.
    Mycena citrinomarginata
  • A mature orange form of perhaps the world's most famous mushroom - the fly agaric -  growing halfway up the north face of Mount Rainier on one of the last days of summer. Normally bright red, this highly toxic mushroom can make anyone ingesting it extremely sick (and possibly fatally). This psychoactive fungus has had such an impact on most major cultures in the history of humans that it is mentioned in just about every culture's folklore and religious texts where it is found in the northern hemisphere.
    Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)
  • Mushrooms can be truly strange and weird-looking, but when it comes to the group known as elfin saddles, strange takes on a whole new meaning. Found across much of Northern Europe and parts of North America, this completely irregular white elfin saddle mushroom was one of many found in the heavily wooded Cascade Mountains in Washington State just southeast of Enumclaw on a chilly, rainy, November afternoon at mid-elevation.
    White Elfin Saddle (Helvella crispa)
  • This commonly-encountered, weird cup-shaped mushroom is a type of cup-fungus. Like whenever looking at mushrooms - what you are actually seeing is the above-ground fruiting bodies of the year-round fibrous strands that are actually the real mushroom. These were found growing near the summit of Little Mount Si in North Bend, Washington, and are edible, but may have little to no taste.
    Orange-Peel Fungus
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) in a wet forested area near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushroom
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) in a wet forested area near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushroom
  • One of the world's most common mushrooms, the turkey tail mushroom is also one of the most beautiful. Typically found on rotting stumps, branches and decaying wood, these polypore mushrooms can be found in quite an amazing array of colors and hues. It has a long history of use by people, such as making blue and green dyes for clothing, being used to make a tasty tea and for a variety of medicinal uses. Recent clinical research shows that it may be useful for a variety of cancer treatments. This vibrant green colony was found growing alongside Mercer Slough in Bellevue, Washington.
    Turkey Tail
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-7.jpg
  • The culinary delicacy known as the black morel is found in many places throughout the Pacific Northwest. This one was one of a few found near the top of the heavily forested Larch Mountain - just outside of Portland, Oregon.
    Black Morel
  • The tiny Mycena clavicularis growing on a moss covered log on a chilly autumn morning on the forested slopes of Mount Rainier.
    Mycena clavicularis
  • This beautiful and inconspicuous small brown mushroom was found in a very wet morning on Mount Rainier.
    Inocybe mixtilis
  • A red belt conk (a type of shelf polypore mushroom) grows at the base of a dead tree in Montana's Glacier National Park on a wet summer morning. These very common mushrooms in forests can be found around the northern hemisphere mostly on dead conifers, and very occasionally deciduous or even sometimes on live trees. These mushrooms do play a vital role in breaking down old wood and helping recycle those nutrients for the forest to reuse.
    Red Belt Conk
  • A perfect specimen of the "old man of the woods" bolete mushroom (Strobilomyces strobilaceus) growing in Goethe State Forest in Central Florida. While edible, many say this native fungus to Europe and North America is delicious, while others say it tastes too much like the forest floor.
    Old Man of the Woods
  • I once heard a joke about this mushroom: "A very bad song by Madonna is improved immeasurably if you walk through the woods singing:'Lycoperdon, puffed for the very first time . . .'" I found this beauty growing in the forest just outside of Buckley, Washington.
    Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum)
  • Unique to the Pacific Northwest, this attractive pale peach-colored member of the Amanita genus (a relative of the infamous fly agaric) is mostly associated with Douglas firs and other pines. This one was found in a heavily forested area near Lake Cushman in the Olympic National Forest.
    Amanita aprica
  • Deadly poisonous and sometimes fatal if eaten raw, and possibly containing carcinogens when cooked, this false morel can often be found growing alongside the highly sought after and edible true morels, proving once again we all need to be 100% certain what we are picking in the wild. This one was found in a heavily forested area near Lake Cushman in the Olympic National Forest.
    Gyromitra esculenta.jpg
  • Found throughout the mountainous forests of Asia, North America and Europe, these unusual mushrooms look a lot like human teeth growing out of the rich humus of the forest floor. These particular mushrooms were found growing under a massive western red cedar next to the Greenwater River in Washington's Cascade Mountains.
    Strap Coral
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Mushrooms can be truly strange and weird-looking, but when it comes to the group known as elfin saddles, strange takes on a whole new meaning. Found across much of Northern Europe and parts of North America, this pair of completely irregular white elfin saddle mushrooms were found in the heavily wooded Cascade Mountains in Washington State just southeast of Enumclaw on a chilly, rainy, November afternoon at mid-elevation.
    White Elfin Saddles (Helvella crispa)
  • Mushrooms can be truly strange and weird-looking, but when it comes to the group known as elfin saddles, strange takes on a whole new meaning. Found across much of Northern Europe and parts of North America, this completely irregular white elfin saddle mushroom was one of many found in the heavily wooded Cascade Mountains in Washington State just southeast of Enumclaw on a chilly, rainy, November afternoon at mid-elevation.
    White Elfin Saddle (Helvella crispa)
  • I found these cool little jelly mushrooms yesterday while looking for bigger Pacific Northwest fungus species to photograph. This unique and very interesting toothed jelly mushroom is found throughout the world and grows mostly on decaying coniferous wood. Although it is considered edible, it is reported to have almost no taste, and is often "candied" with sugar and sometimes other ingredients. This one was found in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest near the Greenwater River, in the Cascade Mountains in Pierce County, Washington.
    Cat's Tongue
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