Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

4/11/2012
Got a visit from a couple as well. These two cardinals were all over my mother's 'water feature'.

^^ the female takes a drink. She sort of blends in with the rock but once you notice her bill, right above that leaf, you can see her pretty distinctly.

^^ the male sitting on the rock next to a statue of St. Francis of Assissi

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10294748

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

4/11/2012
Another bird spotted at the feeder. This is either the Downy or Hairy Woodpecker. Apparently the Downy is about 6 inches long versus the Hairy 9 inches. This guy was closer to 6 inches than 9 inches so he must have been a Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens). But on second thought, this is a female bird (lack of red crown) so I should call HER a HER.

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10294746

Indigo Bunting (Passarina cyanea)

4/11/2012
Sat inside this afternoon and positioned the blinds so that I could see and take pictures but any creatures outside could not see me moving and get startled. I paid specific attention to the birdfeeder and spotted a few different colorful creatures. This, I believe, is an Indigo Bunting, (Passerina cyanea). Beautiful little bird whom I was very happy to have visit me.

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10289800

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

4/4/2012
Saw an American Robin hopping around the yard this afternoon, tried to get some shots. They were from far away so the quality is not fabulous, but still. You can tell.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/id

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10277892

Flat-Backed Millipede (Oxidus gracilis) II

4/4/2012
I had a nice little experience with the Flat Backed millipede previously this year. I blogged about it, here, and that was that. Until now... I saw the most ridiculous thing I may have ever seen. A colony of them? I have no explanation of what they could be doing all clustered together like I found them at the base of an oak tree. The tree forks apart like V and right at the fork, we have two landscaping lights for emphasis that my parents placed there. Here I found MILLIONS OF MILLIPEDES. Obviously exaggerating but seriously there were so many of them, all in this one spot. It makes me itch to think about. I tried to find something online about why they would do this, maybe proximity at birth or something I could not find anything.

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10277887

Amaryllis belladonna

4/4/2012

 My grandmother was very big into flowers. At her home in Live Oak, Florida, she grew many different flowering plants including Magnolia, Camelia, and Amaryllis. Her passion was Camelias. These Amaryllis Belladonna were originally planted by, and cared for by her. My mother, after my grandmother passed away, transplanted many of her plants into our garden. Many of these Amaryllis are directly from my grandmother's garden and grow every year, reminding us of her and her green thumb. They have been blooming for a few days now and are absolutely breath taking and fabulous. Thought I would share a few photos.
 Those green circular things are seed pods, which dry out and break open later into the season. They release a number of flat, circular seeds that seem to be a dried film of some sort.

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10281795

Brown Anole (Anolis sagrei)

4/4/2012

Spotted a scurrying little lizard in the garden and finally had enough contrast and planing to actually get a shot. Usually these little guys are against backgrounds in which they blend in flawlessly or I don't see them in time to snap a photo. Lucked out today and say this guy sunbathing. Apparently there are several types of lizards in florida so all I have to do is browse some photos and descriptions to ID this little reptile. I've settled with the decision that this specimen, is a Brown Anole (Anolis sagrei). Apparently originally from Cuba then introduced to Florida, they have a bright orangish frill they expose to impress mates. This guy was actually doing exactly that but I wasn't able to capture a picture of the frill, in time.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10279834

Tiny orange cap

4/4/2012

Funny how on 4/4 I found 4 separate specimens? Not reading into it haha
stumbled upon this guy during the chickadee incident. Snatched him up and saved him for later. He seems a little old and dried up though...
ID?

Cap:

1.2 cm diameter

orangish red scales and a reddish brown point at the center

Gills:

free

zigzaggy (unsure if because of dried up or actually that way.  

yellowish tan colored

Stipe:

straight

3 cm

slightly tapering with thin tip and larger base

cut it open and it was full of larva

Other:

no sign of lactating or bruising

Spores:
no spore print. Layed out on paper but without result. possibly white? possibly too old.

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10221137

Scaly caps

4/4/2012

grouping of tiny gilled caps located in the yard underneath a huge oak overrun with poison Ivy. scaly/ striped caps were what caught my attention and so I took a few samples. I took 6 separate caps, from what I could find as youngest to oldest. going to list similarities and differences of each.
ID?

Cap:

3.5 cm diameter for (F)

2 cm diameter for (A)

all exhibit gray scales with white undertone. 

younger specimens look as if the stripes are just from stretching the cap out. (E/B/A/C)

Gills:

free

color ranges from dark grey brown (D/F) to pinkish gray (E)

crowded but symmetrical

Stipe:

tannish colored exterior

unsymmetrically shaped

veil present

very visible on (E) see picture

a bit of yellowish tint at the base

hollow interior, 

(B/D/F) seem to be older and more decayed

Other:

no sign of lactating

Spores:
greyish brown

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10127165

Psathyrella (candolleana / incerta)

4/4/2012

Another of the caps from my backyard. Showed signs of being similar to the white dunce cap I found earlier in the month.
ID?
Psathyrella
Psathyrella candolleana

^^ I really think it is that but I will continue to look
Psathyrella incerta
^^ almost identical to P. candolleana except for microscopic features. So almost no way to discern which it is, for I am fairly certain it is one of the two.

Cap:

5.8 cm diameter

cracked edges like stretched too far open

convex/ shield shaped

gradient color from center of cap to edges of cap very light tan brown changes to off white

Gills:

attached

brown

crowded but symmetrical

Stipe:

straight

8 cm long

possible vulva but definately bulbous right at root base

root base very intact

hollow

1 cm thick

Other:

no sign of lactating

possible bruising on stipe

Spores:
grey-brown like gill color

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/10222129