Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • The bright yellowish-green patch on the cypress trunk consists of Chrysothrix candelaris, a species of crustose lichen. The greyish-white lichen is Cryptothecia evergladensis, a different type of crutose lichen. This tree with both species is growing in the Fakahatchee Strand of the Northwestern Everglades.
    Two Lichens
  • A pair of baby gray squirrels peeks from their nest in the Florida Everglades. Gray squirrels are perhaps the most adaptable and hardy of all modern squirrel species, and can thrive in the most diverse kinds of habitat. Not only increasing their range in North America, but are beginning to spread into other continents too, wiping out or displacing native populations.
    Baby Eastern Gray Squirrels
  • A pair of baby Great Egrets standing on a branch with their nest deep in a Florida swamp.
    Baby Great Egrets with Nest
  • A pair of baby Great Egrets standing on a branch with their nest deep in a Florida swamp.
    Great White Egret Chicks
  • As far as moths go, most of the smaller ones are pretty much drab and forgettable. Not the the red-fringed emerald. With a beautiful emerald green coloration with ruby red highlights and details, This one-inch beauty caught my eye as I was it resting on some wood one afternoon in Tallahassee, Florida. This moth can be found across much of the eastern half of North America from Florida to New Brunswick in the Canadian Maritimes west to Ontario to Texas back down in the south.
    Red-fringed Emerald Moth
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-15.jpg
  • Close-up view of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-10.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-7.jpg
  • Close-up view of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-4.jpg
  • Common throughout most of North America, the variegated meadowhawk is a small-to medium dragonfly in the skimmer family that can be found near ponds and somewhat stagnant water where it actively hunts and devours large numbers of mosquitos, like this one was doing next to a recently dried-up pond in Pharr, Texas. This female is easy to identify by the two yellow spots at the bottom of the two whitish lines on either side of its body.
    Female Variegated Meadowhawk
  • Wind scorpions get their name because they are "fast like the wind". While related to scorpions, they fit into their own category or arachnids which also includes spiders. These highly aggressive solitary predators live in very dry, arid habitats where they hunt at night by actively zigzagging across across the ground or sand until they encounter and overpower an unfortunate insect, spider, scorpion or even the occasional lizard. Once pinned down with the two large front legs (pedipalps), the wind scorpion doesn't even wait to kill its prey. It will immediately start tearing into its meal with the two dark pincers near the mouth (they look like fangs) and devour it as quickly as possible, before the wind scorpion might in turn become the prey of some even larger predator. This one was stalked/chased and photographed in rural Cibola County, New Mexico, about 70 miles west of Albuquerque.
    Pale Windscorpion
  • Wind scorpions get their name because they are "fast like the wind". While related to scorpions, they fit into their own category or arachnids which also includes spiders. These highly aggressive solitary predators live in very dry, arid habitats where they hunt at night by actively zigzagging across across the ground or sand until they encounter and overpower an unfortunate insect, spider, scorpion or even the occasional lizard. Once pinned down with the two large front legs (pedipalps), the wind scorpion doesn't even wait to kill its prey. It will immediately start tearing into its meal with the two dark pincers near the mouth (they look like fangs) and devour it as quickly as possible, before the wind scorpion might in turn become the prey of some even larger predator. This one was stalked/chased and photographed in rural Cibola County, New Mexico, about 70 miles west of Albuquerque.
    Pale Windscorpion
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-17.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-16.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-18.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-14.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-13.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-12.jpg
  • Close-up view of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-11.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-9.jpg
  • Close-up view of the leaves of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-8.jpg
  • Close-up view of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-6.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-5.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-3.jpg
  • Close-up view of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-2.jpg
  • The cat-faced spider is a small member of the orb weaver family that rarely exceeds a centimeter in length and is harmless to humans. There are two "horns" on the abdomen that if looked at the right way, appear to be shaped like cats' ears with two small dimples exactly where you would expect to see the cat's eyes. Common in the Western United Staes and Canada, these spiders breed in the summer, lay an egg sac in the fall, and the spiderlings hatch and disperse in the wind via "web parachutes" in the spring to start the life cycle all over again.
    Cat-faced Spider
  • The cat-faced spider is a small member of the orb weaver family that rarely exceeds a centimeter in length and is harmless to humans. There are two "horns" on the abdomen that if looked at the right way, appear to be shaped like cats' ears with two small dimples exactly where you would expect to see the cat's eyes. Common in the Western United Staes and Canada, these spiders breed in the summer, lay an egg sac in the fall, and the spiderlings hatch and disperse in the wind via "web parachutes" in the spring to start the life cycle all over again.
    Cat-faced Spider
  • Ripening Oregon-grapes deep in the forests in Western Washington - about 40 miles SE of Seattle. Of the two types of Mahonia that grow in the region, this species stays low to the ground, rarely reaching two feet in height. These berries will turn a dusty blue color when ripe. Not even remotely related to grapes, these berries have been used in making tasty jelly and wine. Historically this plant was very important to the native tribes of the area. The berries were an important food source, often made into dried cakes. A yellow dye was made from the roots, and a tea was made for sore throats and upset stomachs.
    Dwarf Oregon-Grape
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-1.jpg
  • An unusual hybrid find! Although kalanchoe succulents are known around the world as some of the most common houseplants in the world, this one goes by dozens if not more common names such as devil's backbone, alligator plant, Mexican hat plant, good luck plant, mother of thousands (should be mother of a thousand names), it is considered invasive and unwelcome outside of it's native Madagascar. It spreads very easily and even thrives in arid, dry environments because the little "baby" plants develop in the hundreds and thousands on the edges of the leaves, drop off and start new plants. What is unusual about this one is that it is actually a hybrid of two Kalanchoe species, both from Madagascar: Kalanchoe daigremontiana and Kalanchoe delagoensis. This one was one of literally thousands of them growing in a nature preserve in Harlingen, Texas in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
    Alligator Plant: "Houghton's Hybrid"..nii)
  • An unusual hybrid find! Although kalanchoe succulents are known around the world as some of the most common houseplants in the world, this one goes by dozens if not more common names such as devil's backbone, alligator plant, Mexican hat plant, good luck plant, mother of thousands (should be mother of a thousand names), it is considered invasive and unwelcome outside of it's native Madagascar. It spreads very easily and even thrives in arid, dry environments because the little "baby" plants develop in the hundreds and thousands on the edges of the leaves, drop off and start new plants. What is unusual about this one is that it is actually a hybrid of two Kalanchoe species, both from Madagascar: Kalanchoe daigremontiana and Kalanchoe delagoensis. This one was one of literally thousands of them growing in a nature preserve in Harlingen, Texas in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
    Alligator Plant: "Houghton's Hybrid"..nii)
  • A fantastic close-up of one of the many variable (and often hard to correctly identify) wolf spiders of North America, as it hunts during the daytime on a hot springtime afternoon in the Rio Grande Valley in the Southern tip of Texas. I'm pretty sure this is the species known as Hogna antelucana, but it also might be Tigrosa annexa. Both live in the area and have so much variation between individuals that it is hard to tell the two apart. Anyway, I took a few macro shots of this one and let it go on its merry way.
    Wolf Spider
  • A fantastic close-up of one of the many variable (and often hard to correctly identify) wolf spiders of North America, as it hunts during the daytime on a hot springtime afternoon in the Rio Grande Valley in the Southern tip of Texas. I'm pretty sure this is the species known as Hogna antelucana, but it also might be Tigrosa annexa. Both live in the area and have so much variation between individuals that it is hard to tell the two apart. Anyway, I took a few macro shots of this one and let it go on its merry way.
    Wolf Spider
  • Black-bellied whistling duck is one of the coolest and most beautiful southern dabbling ducks that visit the southern United States, with their tricolor black, tan and brown plumage and bright orange bills and feet.  Widespread from the southern tips of Texas and Arizona to nearly all of Central and South America, their range is creeping northward and they have been seen more and more frequently in more southern states including Florida and the Caribbean. This pair was just two of hundreds found and photographed in a pond near Weslaco, Texas on a late winter morning.
    Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (Dendr..lis)
  • Common throughout most of North America, the variegated meadowhawk is a small-to medium dragonfly in the skimmer family that can be found near ponds and somewhat stagnant water where it actively hunts and devours large numbers of mosquitos, like this one was doing next to a recently dried-up pond in Pharr, Texas. This brightly-colored red male was easy to identify by the two yellow spots on either side of its body.
    Male Variegated Meadowhawk
  • One of the smallest of the songbirds in the eastern half of North America, the highly charismatic and extremely voracious blue-gray gnatcatcher is also one of the hardest to see clearly. The fly at seemly reckless speeds through thick foliage, and rarely stop for more than a second or two before launching into the air for another round of acrobatic avian maneuvers fro tiny flying insects. This one was one of many seen perching among the bald cypress trees just log enough to swallow yet another insect before going off in search for the next victim in Southwest Florida's Corkscrew Swamp near Naples.
    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher-11
  • One of the smallest of the songbirds in the eastern half of North America, the highly charismatic and extremely voracious blue-gray gnatcatcher is also one of the hardest to see clearly. The fly at seemly reckless speeds through thick foliage, and rarely stop for more than a second or two before launching into the air for another round of acrobatic avian maneuvers fro tiny flying insects. This one was one of many seen perching among the bald cypress trees just log enough to swallow yet another insect before going off in search for the next victim in Southwest Florida's Corkscrew Swamp near Naples.
    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher-8
  • One of the smallest of the songbirds in the eastern half of North America, the highly charismatic and extremely voracious blue-gray gnatcatcher is also one of the hardest to see clearly. The fly at seemly reckless speeds through thick foliage, and rarely stop for more than a second or two before launching into the air for another round of acrobatic avian maneuvers fro tiny flying insects. This one was one of many seen perching among the bald cypress trees just log enough to swallow yet another insect before going off in search for the next victim in Southwest Florida's Corkscrew Swamp near Naples.
    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher-10
  • Recently, the western scrub jay was split into two distinct species: the California scrub jay (which is a brighter blue and is found in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest) and the Woodhouse's scrub jay (which is a duller blue and found in more interior regions away from the coast.) Much like any jay or other corvid, these often loud and very inquisitive birds will eat just about anything they can overpower or steal. These California scrub jays are easy to recognize from their neighboring cousins by the distinct blue "collar" around the neck. This one was found screeching in a maple tree in Southern King County, Washington on a chilly afternoon.
    California Scrub Jay
  • Recently, the western scrub jay was split into two distinct species: the California scrub jay (which is a brighter blue and is found in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest) and the Woodhouse's scrub jay (which is a duller blue and found in more interior regions away from the coast.) Much like any jay or other corvid, these often loud and very inquisitive birds will eat just about anything they can overpower or steal. These California scrub jays are easy to recognize from their neighboring cousins by the distinct blue "collar" around the neck. This one was found screeching in a maple tree in Southern King County, Washington on a chilly afternoon.
    California Scrub Jay
  • A very lucky find in Washington's Olympic Mountains! This tiny orchid was in full bloom up a narrow mountain goat trail overlooking the majestic glaciers and peaks found in Olympic National Park. Found only in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, this easily overlooked beauty is only one of two green-flowered Piperia species growing in the Pacific Northwest. How you tell this one apart from the somewhat similar Alaskan piperia is the length of the spur. This one (Piperia elongata) has a spur on the flower that greatly exceeds the length of the lip, while the closely related Alaskan piperia (Piperia unalascensis) has a spur that is equal to or slightly less than the length of the lip. The spur in this photo looks a bit like a horn growing underneath each flower, and the lip is the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower.
    Piperia elongata-3.jpg
  • Easily distinguishable from the other four native species of piperia orchids in the Pacific Northwest, the slender white piperia (Piperia candida) is the only one with a spur (a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower) that is equal to or shorter than the lip (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal"), and also  has white flowers. Two other species fit this description, but both of those have green to yellowish-green flowers. It is also one of the westernmost species, found growing geographically near the Pacific Ocean in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. This one was found growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, just west of Mount Rainier in Washington State.
    Piperia candida-3.jpg
  • Close-up view of the slender white piperia orchids, easily distinguished from the other four native species of piperia orchids in the Pacific Northwest, the slender white piperia (Piperia candida) is the only one with a spur (a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower) that is equal to or shorter than the lip (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal"), and also  has white flowers. Two other species fit this description, but both of those have green to yellowish-green flowers. It is also one of the westernmost species, found growing geographically near the Pacific Ocean in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. This one was found growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, just west of Mount Rainier in Washington State.
    Piperia candida-2.jpg
  • A very lucky find in Washington's Olympic Mountains! This tiny orchid was in full bloom up a narrow mountain goat trail overlooking the majestic glaciers and peaks found in Olympic National Park. Found only in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, this easily overlooked beauty is only one of two green-flowered Piperia species growing in the Pacific Northwest. How you tell this one apart from the somewhat similar Alaskan piperia is the length of the spur. This one (Piperia elongata) has a spur on the flower that greatly exceeds the length of the lip, while the closely related Alaskan piperia (Piperia unalascensis) has a spur that is equal to or slightly less than the length of the lip. The spur in this photo looks a bit like a horn growing underneath each flower, and the lip is the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower.
    Piperia elongata-2.jpg
  • A very lucky find in Washington's Olympic Mountains! This tiny orchid was in full bloom up a narrow mountain goat trail overlooking the majestic glaciers and peaks found in Olympic National Park. Found only in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, this easily overlooked beauty is only one of two green-flowered Piperia species growing in the Pacific Northwest. How you tell this one apart from the somewhat similar Alaskan piperia is the length of the spur. This one (Piperia elongata) has a spur on the flower that greatly exceeds the length of the lip, while the closely related Alaskan piperia (Piperia unalascensis) has a spur that is equal to or slightly less than the length of the lip. The spur in this photo looks a bit like a horn growing underneath each flower, and the lip is the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower.
    Piperia elongata-1.jpg
  • Easily distinguishable from the other four native species of piperia orchids in the Pacific Northwest, the slender white piperia (Piperia candida) is the only one with a spur (a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower) that is equal to or shorter than the lip (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal"), and also  has white flowers. Two other species fit this description, but both of those have green to yellowish-green flowers. It is also one of the westernmost species, found growing geographically near the Pacific Ocean in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. This one was found growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, just west of Mount Rainier in Washington State.
    Piperia candida-1.jpg
  • Despite the unusual name, the western rattlesnake plantain orchid has nothing to do with rattlesnakes other than that some of the leaves of orchids in the Goodyera genus can sometimes have such elaborate white-veined patterns on their dark green leaves, especially around mid-rib that they appear to resemble snake skin. As in many naming cases, once an old common or folk name gets established, then is often here to stay. These immature plants in Northern Montana will most likely put out their first flower stalks in the next year or two.
    Western Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid
  • Despite the unusual name, the western rattlesnake plantain orchid has nothing to do with rattlesnakes other than that some of the leaves of orchids in the Goodyera genus can sometimes have such elaborate white-veined patterns on their dark green leaves, especially around mid-rib that they appear to resemble snake skin. As in many naming cases, once an old common or folk name gets established, then is often here to stay. These immature plants in Northern Montana will most likely put out their first flower stalks in the next year or two.
    Western Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid
  • 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
  • These native beauties are very common in the springtime in the Pacific Northwest and can be found in California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia anywhere with moist soil and lots of shade. One interesting feature of the Pacific bleeding heart is how it is spread. The one to two inch pod contains large black seeds with a bit of white fat attached to each one. Ants love this fat, and carry the seeds away. When the seed is discarded, it has a chance to grow in a new location! These were found growing in an old coniferous forest near Deep Lake in Enumclaw, Washington.
    Pacific Bleeding Hearts
  • 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
  • Double Arch is found in Arches National Park in Eastern Utah and is part of the amazing red alien sandstone landscape that is called the Moab Desert. This area has the largest number of natural stone arches than anywhere else in the world, but what makes this rock formation so unique is that they were both eroded from the very same piece of stone. Most arches are formed from water erosion flowing either within or from the sides of the rock over the millennia, but these two arches were formed from water eroding from the top of the stone, downwards. For this reason they are called pothole arches. Because this photograph was made at the beginning of a sudden storm, you can see the rainwater running down the rock from the top of the arch, and this is the very process that carved these arches to begin with, and that will also eventually one day cause this magnificent national treasure to collapse.
    Double Arch, Moab Desert, Utah
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • The spiny-fruited prickly pear (Opuntia x spinosibacca) is a naturally occurring hybrid between two overlapping Opuntia species (O. aureispina and O. phaeacantha) found in the Big-Bend Region of Texas and is believed to be reproducing with others of the same hybrid in the wild, which is a common way over time we end up with distinct new species. In some circles, it is already being referred to as a unique species: Opuntia spinosibacca. Although they are considered rare in the wild, I happened to find many hundreds of them in bloom like this one spread out in the lowland region north of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park in West Texas near the Rio Grande.
    Spiny-Fruited Prickly Pear
  • This natural hybrid (Opuntia engelmannii x phaecantha) of two common and local prickly pear cacti - the Engelmann's Prickly Pear (Opuntia engelmannii) and the brown-spined prickly pear (Opuntia phaecantha),  shows characteristics of both and have resulted in a large, mature beautiful cactus growing at some elevation in the Ajo Mountains in Southern Arizona. Since so many of our native members of the Opuntia genus are so closely related and have overlapping natural ranges, hybridization is common among many species, and is the source of much confusion and frustration for biologist and naturalist alike! This particular plant has the beautiful silvery white spines and flower petal shape of O. engelmannii and the flower coloration and growth pattern of O. phaecantha.
    Natural Prickly Pear Hybrid
  • This natural hybrid (Opuntia engelmannii x phaecantha) of two common and local prickly pear cacti - the Engelmann's Prickly Pear (Opuntia engelmannii) and the brown-spined prickly pear (Opuntia phaecantha),  shows characteristics of both and have resulted in a large, mature beautiful cactus growing at some elevation in the Ajo Mountains in Southern Arizona. Since so many of our native members of the Opuntia genus are so closely related and have overlapping natural ranges, hybridization is common among many species, and is the source of much confusion and frustration for biologist and naturalist alike! This particular plant has the beautiful silvery white spines and flower petal shape of O. engelmannii and the flower coloration and growth pattern of O. phaecantha.
    Natural Prickly Pear Hybrid
  • This natural hybrid (Opuntia engelmannii x phaecantha) of two common and local prickly pear cacti - the Engelmann's Prickly Pear (Opuntia engelmannii) and the brown-spined prickly pear (Opuntia phaecantha),  shows characteristics of both and have resulted in a large, mature beautiful cactus growing at some elevation in the Ajo Mountains in Southern Arizona. Since so many of our native members of the Opuntia genus are so closely related and have overlapping natural ranges, hybridization is common among many species, and is the source of much confusion and frustration for biologist and naturalist alike! This particular plant has the beautiful silvery white spines and flower petal shape of O. engelmannii and the flower coloration and growth pattern of O. phaecantha.
    Natural Prickly Pear Hybrid
  • This natural hybrid (Opuntia engelmannii x phaecantha) of two common and local prickly pear cacti - the Engelmann's Prickly Pear (Opuntia engelmannii) and the brown-spined prickly pear (Opuntia phaecantha),  shows characteristics of both and have resulted in a large, mature beautiful cactus growing at some elevation in the Ajo Mountains in Southern Arizona. Since so many of our native members of the Opuntia genus are so closely related and have overlapping natural ranges, hybridization is common among many species, and is the source of much confusion and frustration for biologist and naturalist alike! This particular plant has the beautiful silvery white spines and flower petal shape of O. engelmannii and the flower coloration and growth pattern of O. phaecantha.
    Natural Prickly Pear Hybrid
  • This natural hybrid (Opuntia engelmannii x phaecantha) of two common and local prickly pear cacti - the Engelmann's Prickly Pear (Opuntia engelmannii) and the brown-spined prickly pear (Opuntia phaecantha),  shows characteristics of both and have resulted in a large, mature beautiful cactus growing at some elevation in the Ajo Mountains in Southern Arizona. Since so many of our native members of the Opuntia genus are so closely related and have overlapping natural ranges, hybridization is common among many species, and is the source of much confusion and frustration for biologist and naturalist alike! This particular plant has the beautiful silvery white spines and flower petal shape of O. engelmannii and the flower coloration and growth pattern of O. phaecantha.
    Natural Prickly Pear Hybrid
  • This very common spider found throughout the woodlands of the American Southeast is often confused with two very similar but not closely related species - the mabel orchard spider (Leucange mabelae) and the venusta orchard spider (Leucange venusta). The easiest identification tool is the pattern on the back of the abdomen: it has three lines on the abdomen that run parallel only about halfway across the abdomen. Completely harmless to humans, it is most often encountered in gardens, woodlands and wetlands. This one was photographed in the Corkscrew Swamp outside of Naples, Florida.
    Orchard Spider (Leucauge argyra)
  • This striking yellow fungus seen here in Eastern Washington near the Idaho border  is a type of lichenized fungus found growing on trees. The bright yellow color comes from pinastric and vulpinic acids - two substances only found in lichens that are believed to repel the insects and other wildlife that might eat it. According to Swedish peasant folklore, this lichen will kill foxes, but is completely safe for wolves and dogs.
    Brown-Eyed Sunshine (Vulpicida canad..sis)
  • Old Port Boca Grande Lighthouse - Now a museum, this Gasparilla Island Lighthouse on Florida's West Coast is said to be haunted by not one, but two ghosts!
    Old Port Boca Grande Lighthouse
  • Mouse-like in appearance, the American pika is a relative of rabbits and hares and is not a rodent. This one on Mount Rainier remained alert with the occasional surprisingly loud bark that is meant as an "intruder alert" alarm for other members of the colony. At least two different individuals were taking turns as I wound my way through the rocky trail across their home territory.
    American Pika
  • This stocky female black bear was photographed above Spray Falls above Mount Rainier's Lake Mowich on one of the final days of summer. Although she had two large cubs with her, she was so preoccupied with the wild blueberries she was gorging on that she didn't seem to mind me nearby. I had a hard time figuring out if she was a grizzly, mainly because of the large shoulder hump, but the size of the ears and flat facial profile prove that she is the common black bear (yes - they are often brown!) and is probably better described as the subspecies known as a cinnamon bear (Ursus americanus cinnamomum) found in the Pacific Northwest.
    Black Bear
  • 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
  • Mount Spry and East Temple are two of the landmark rock formations of Zion National Park in southwestern Utah. On this warm late spring afternoon, the snow is gone and the sun is shining on a spectacularly clear day.
    Mount Spry and East Temple
  • As close as I dare in front of an angry  four-foot kingsnake. I dropped to my belly about two feet in front of it and got this shot as it was just about to strike. This was my first snake of the day on this outing to Southern California.
    California Kingsnake
  • At least two types of crustose lichens cover this rock near Lake Wenatchee in Washington's Cascade Mountains.
    Crustose Lichens
  • About 26 miles east of Seattle, the South Fork Snoqualmie River squeezes and thunders through rocky canyons and over the two spectacular waterfalls known as Twin Falls. This is the smaller upper falls after which the river continues for about a half mile to the 150-foot drop to the lower falls.
    Upper of the Twin Falls
  • A trio of green-winged teals (two males and a female) seen swimming at the base of the Nisqually River. These smallest of the Pacific Northwest's ducks were photographed in the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge at the southern tip of the Puget Sound.
    Green-winged Teals
  • Two color versions of the western coralroot orchid growing high in the mountains of Stevens Pass near where the dense forest meets the edge of a clear blue subalpine lake. To the left is the typical fuchsia-purple coloring, and to the right is the paler version (forma pallida). I found it unusual to see these growing together like this, but in my first summer in Washington, I plan to expect the unexpected!
    Western Coralroot (Corallorhiza mert..ana)
  • The lower of the two Twin Falls, this massive 150-foot cascade on the South Fork Snoqualmie River is located 35 miles east of Seattle, Wa.
    Twin Falls on the South Fork Snoqual..iver
  • The lower of the two Twin Falls, this massive 150-foot cascade on the South Fork Snoqualmie River is located 35 miles east of Seattle, Wa.
    Twin Falls on the South Fork Snoqual..iver
  • A location in Lee County has well over a hundred of these unusual tall orchids growing in two distinct colonies. The location will remain undisclosed as these orchids are becoming very rare at an alarming rate.
    Crestless Plume Orchid (Orthochilus ..tus)
  • This orchid always eludes me, but this evening I found two, but I was too early by about a week to see it in flower. There is always next year ....
    Spurred Neottia (Eltroplectris neottia)
  • Long-lipped ladies'-tresses orchid found in the Picayune State Forest in South Florida.  An easy identification tip is if you find it and it is winter, the sepals are spread out wide, and you are in a dry pine forest, you are probably looking at the long lipped ladies'-tresses! This one was found between two palmettos at night.
    Long-Lipped Ladies'-tresses (Spirant..ris)
  • A very curious raccoon on Sanibel Island. This mother had two youngsters with her and was trying to determine if I was a threat.
    Raccoon
  • White pelican competing for space with two cormorants on a submerged branch on Sanibel Island. As you can imagine... the pelican won!
    White Pelican with Cormorants
  • A massive specimen of the Chapman's fringed orchid in the Apalachicola National Forest growing next to a small water pool in the edge of a pine stand. These are quite difficult to find, and I've only found them in two locations so far. Luckily you can see the bright orange from a long distance!
    Chapman's Fringed Orchid (Plantanthe..nii)
  • One of the two small grass-pink species, the bearded grass-pink is among the first to appear in the springtime in Florida wetlands.
    Bearded Grass-Pink (Calopogon barbatus)
  • Two varieties of crane-fly orchids found in Gadsden County, Florida in their fall "leaf" phase. The normal spotted version (Tipularia discolor) is growing here with the green version without spots (Tipularia discolor forma viridifolia).
    Cranefly Orchid
  • Two varieties of crane-fly orchids found in Gadsden County, Florida in their fall "leaf" phase. The normal spotted version (Tipularia discolor) is growing here with the green version without spots (Tipularia discolor forma viridifolia).
    Cranefly Orchid
  • Sometimes if there are two similar orchids growing in the same region and habitat, hybrids can be found. In this case, a cross between the common and pale grass-pink.
    Grass-Pink Orchid Hybrid (Calopogon ..dus)
  • One of the smallest of the songbirds in the eastern half of North America, the highly charismatic and extremely voracious blue-gray gnatcatcher is also one of the hardest to see clearly. The fly at seemly reckless speeds through thick foliage, and rarely stop for more than a second or two before launching into the air for another round of acrobatic avian maneuvers fro tiny flying insects. This one was one of many seen perching among the bald cypress trees just log enough to swallow yet another insect before going off in search for the next victim in Southwest Florida's Corkscrew Swamp near Naples.
    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher-7
  • One of the smallest of the songbirds in the eastern half of North America, the highly charismatic and extremely voracious blue-gray gnatcatcher is also one of the hardest to see clearly. The fly at seemly reckless speeds through thick foliage, and rarely stop for more than a second or two before launching into the air for another round of acrobatic avian maneuvers fro tiny flying insects. This one was one of many seen perching among the bald cypress trees just log enough to swallow yet another insect before going off in search for the next victim in Southwest Florida's Corkscrew Swamp near Naples.
    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher-9
  • These native beauties are very common in the springtime in the Pacific Northwest and can be found in California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia anywhere with moist soil and lots of shade. One interesting feature of the Pacific bleeding heart is how it is spread. The one to two inch pod contains large black seeds with a bit of white fat attached to each one. Ants love this fat, and carry the seeds away. When the seed is discarded, it has a chance to grow in a new location! These were found growing in an old coniferous forest near Deep Lake in Enumclaw, Washington.
    Pacific Bleeding Hearts
  • This unknown subspecies of Lactarius deliciosus was found growing in the Olympic National Forest in Washington state about 100 meters from Lake Ozette on a cold mid-November afternoon. During a short hike through the woods I encountered at least two dozen of them. The prominent feature is the green "stains" on the cap.
    Orange-Latex Milky
  • Lime Spring is one of the many beautiful tributaries to the Suwanne River in North Florida. This isolated view just blew me away and inspired this image - two photographs joined together to create a very detailed panorama with dazzling reflections and mysterious shadows - deep in the real Florida!
    Lime Spring
  • A single flower of the three birds orchid singled out, showing the other two wilted flowers still on the stalk.
    Three Birds Orchid (Triphora trianth..ora)
  • The night-fragrant orchid is easy to find, just due to its huge size. It is not uncommon to find these plants reaching two or three feet from the tree it is attached to.
    Night-Fragrant Epidendrum (Epidendru..num)
  • These images were photographed over a period of two weeks.  This one shows the leaf completely unfurled, and the flowers are blooming from the bottom of the spike to the top.
    Green Adder's-Mouth (Malaxis unifolia)
  • Caracara seen in Hendry County, , Florida on the side of the road. It was defending its meal - half a rabbit - from two turkey vultures.
    Crested Caracara
  • A close-up image of the very rare Cascade Red Fox, a subspecies found in the alpine and subalpine regions of many of the volcanic mountains of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest. This beautiful subspecies is often nearly all black with silver or gray, and once flourished over much of Northwestern North America and is facing increasing pressure from climate change, invasive species like coyotes and humans, high-elevation logging and winter recreation sports such as snowmobiling and skiing. Not long before I got this shot, I spent part of a previous evening watching two pure-black kits (baby foxes) stalking and pouncing on each other in the snow in pure delight up in near the tree line on Mount Rainier.
    Cascade Red Fox
  • An important food crop of the tropics and the symbol a beach vacation in paradise, these palms are not native to Florida and the United States, but do grow easily from coconuts that often wash ashore. These two coconut palms were loaded with ripening fruit. Be careful when walking under them on a windy day!
    Coconut Palms
  • Ice is forming around the edges of Gold Creek Pond at the top of Washington's Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade Mountains. A full size print is sized at 5.2 feet x 2.2 feet (1.58m x 0.68m) and was created from two images. The final image can be enlarged significantly with little to no distortion up to 800%.
    Gold Creek Pond with First Ice
  • Spectacular view of the trees acrtoss Gold Creek Pond at the top of Snoqualmie Pass in Washington's Cascade Mountains during a snow flurry. A full size this print is sized at 8.68 feet x 3.7 feet (2.65m x 1.13m) and was created from two images.
    Across the Alpine Lake Panorama
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