Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • Wheatgrass closeup with morning dew water droplets.
    Wheatgrass
  • Stone statue closeup of a cherub.
    American Gothic
  • 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 of a squirrel treefrog as it clings to the thinnest of branches of a bald cypress tree in the Southwest Florida.
    Squirrel Treefrog
  • 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
  • A gorgeous and incredibly vivid rooster close-up on a Florida farm.
    Barnyard Rooster
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • These fascinating bird's nest fungi found near the base of a huge waterfall in Oregon's Marion County, just east of Salem are one of the many natural curiosities found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not look like it, these are actually an unusual type of mushroom, rather than a type of lichen. These still have their spores (they look like eggs in a nest) but will expel them with raindrops during a rainstorm, spreading their DNA on the forest floor for the next generation to spread and prosper.
    Bird's Nest Fungi
  • These fascinating bird's nest fungi found near the base of a huge waterfall in Oregon's Marion County, just east of Salem are one of the many natural curiosities found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not look like it, these are actually an unusual type of mushroom, rather than a type of lichen. These still have their spores (they look like eggs in a nest) but will expel them with raindrops during a rainstorm, spreading their DNA on the forest floor for the next generation to spread and prosper.
    Bird's Nest Fungi
  • These fascinating bird's nest fungi found near the base of a huge waterfall in Oregon's Marion County, just east of Salem are one of the many natural curiosities found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not look like it, these are actually an unusual type of mushroom, rather than a type of lichen. These still have their spores (they look like eggs in a nest) but will expel them with raindrops during a rainstorm, spreading their DNA on the forest floor for the next generation to spread and prosper.
    Bird's Nest Fungi
  • 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)
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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-5.jpg
  • 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-3.jpg
  • 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
  • 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)
  • 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
  • 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)
  • A white-tailed deer pauses for a second among the fall foliage above Chatcolet Lake in Northwestern Idaho.
    White-tailed Deer with Fall Colors
  • 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
  • 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
  • A scarlet fairy helmet sprouts in the forest near Cascade Pass in Northern Washington's North Cascades National Park at about 4000 feet in elevation.
    Scarlet Fairy Helmet
  • 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, 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
  • 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.
    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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 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
  • This is a fully formed and mature Cortinarius vanduzerensis.  At the base of the stalk, it can (and usually does) develop a light purplish or lilac coloration. It is found along the Pacific Northwest's coastal coniferous forests in the late fall.
    Cortinarius vanduzerensis
  • A very common polypore mushroom found all over North America, I've found these beautiful fungi from the hot sandy pine scrubs of Central Florida to the wet forests of the Pacific Northwest. This one was photographed near the Florida-Georgia border in Chattahoochee, Florida.
    Turkey-Tail
  • A pair of short-stocked suillus mushrooms beginning to emerge from the damp forested area near Silver Falls on Mount Rainier.
    Short-Stocked Suillus
  • 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 common mushroom is usually found growing with or among lichens on rotting logs, decaying wood, or in organically-rich soil. While regularly seen across most of the northern hemisphere, it is found most frequently closer to the Arctic. This one was found on Rattlesnake Mountain in Washington's Cascade Mountains.
    Lichen Agaric
  • The odd little bright yellowish-orange cone-shaped mushrooms can be found growing out of the cracks on coniferous deadwood, stumps, logs from the Rocky Mountains and West, often found in spring when the snow is melting. This colony was photographed next to a waterfall on West Tiger Mountain  in Western Washington.
    Golden Jelly Cone
  • This cluster of brittle and slightly aged mushrooms was found on the side of a hiking trail on West Tiger Mountain in Western Washington.
    Common Stump Brittlestem
  • These inconspicuous little mushrooms get a very cool name from the fact that if you break the stems, they bleed a dark blood-red fluid. I found these growing inside of a dead tree (photographed here after pulling away some dead growth) on West Tiger Mountain - just twenty miles southeast of Seattle, Washington.
    Bleeding Fairy Helmet
  • This common mushroom is usually found growing with or among lichens on rotting logs, decaying wood, or in organically-rich soil. While regularly seen across most of the northern hemisphere, it is found most frequently closer to the Arctic. This one was found on West Tiger Mountain in Washington State.
    Lichen Agaric
  • The yellow-tipped coral is one of those odd and irregular-shaped mushrooms occasionally found in the wild. As many things in nature that are delicately beautiful, this is is known to be poisonous. This one was photographed in the fall on Mount Rainier.
    Yellow-Tipped Coral
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • I once heard a joke about this mushroom: "A very bad song by Madonna is improved immeasurably if you walk through the woods singing:<br />
'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
  • 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
  • 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 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)
  • 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
  • This great little oddball of the mushroom world looks just like a birds nest filled with eggs, even though it is only about half an inch wide. It is often found in groups on old berry canes, rotten wood, or rich soil, mostly in the Pacific Northwest, north to Alaska. This one was found past-season (November 2015) in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in mid-November near the Greenwater River in Washington's Cascade Mountains. In this photo you can see one "egg" (or peridiole) left in the nest - these spore-ladden reproductive structures are ejected by raindrops hitting the cup.
    Bird's Nest Fungus
  • 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
  • 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
  • A freshly emerging fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) just popping out of the forest floor along Bellevue, Washington's Coal Creek on an early fall afternoon. In a couple of days, its distinctive bright red cap will be highly visible against the bright greens and dark browns of this part of the forest. 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.
    Emerging Fly Agaric Mushroom
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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.) growing near the summit of the heavily forested Little Mt. Si in North Bend, Washington, showing three distinctive phases of cap growth. 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 Mushrooms (Armillaria sp.)
  • These fascinating bird's nest fungi found along a coastal trail in Oregon's Tillamook County on a winter hike are one of the many natural curiosities found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not look like it, these are actually a mushrooms rather than lichens. These have already fruited and cast off their spores during a rainstorm, dropping their DNA on the forest floor for the next generation to spread and prosper.
    Bird's Nest Fungi
  • 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
  • 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
  • Sometimes called the red-tinged lepiota, this attractive little mushroom is one of the first of the fall mushrooms found in the wet forests of the Pacific Northwest. This pair was found growing partially under a log near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington.
    Leucoagaricus rubrotinctoides
  • 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-10.jpg
  • 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-9.jpg
  • 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-8.jpg
  • 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-6.jpg
  • 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-4.jpg
  • 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-2.jpg
  • One of the most surprising and unusual fungi species to find in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, this worm-like/coral-like white-to-yellow club fungus was only noticed as I stopped to re-tie a boot's laces in Mercer Slough in Bellevue, Washington. It is reportedly edible, yet also reported to be completely tasteless.
    Fairy Fingers
  • 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-1.jpg
  • 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
  • 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)
  • 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
  • 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)
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