What April Was For Me

   Hi all! I forgot to make a post last month. I was too excited about going outside again, I guess. Uploads to iNat and sorting through all the photos take a lot of time. Plus, chasing around an almost one year old crawling, and falling all over the place is a full time job in itself! Anyway, for my late April post I'm going to show you some of my favorite photos I took that month! 

Note: I always love finding tracks! Some sort of river bird, maybe ducks? Want to get better at learning tracks this year. 

Note: Canada goose (Branta canadensis) I forgot my lens at home so I couldn't get good pictures but I'm including them because they made my day. 

Note: I always find lichen so pretty!! But, it's hard to get an identification. My guess is common greenshield lichen (Flavoparmelia caperata).

Note: Dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) These chubby little birds were in our yard one morning and they haven't left yet. They chirp a lot, a noise I find myself missing in the cold months. The top photo is of the male (back) and female (front). The bottom photo is one of a particularly round male.

Note: I'm trying to get better at bird photography and was proud of this chickadee shot. Pretty sure it's a black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus).

Note: Asian Lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) Invasive but beautiful. 

Note: Northern Red Belt (Fomitopsis mounceae). I see these all the time but I still find beauty in each one!

Note: The beginnings of some sort of fungi. Looks like a heart though, it made me smile out on a walk with Joe and Ike. 

Note: Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). He was telling me to leave him alone while he tried to find a female. Message received, feathered friend. Thanks for the photo! 

Note: Hammock spider (Pityohyphantes costatus). A tiny little guy, found him under some bark on a tree. The top is a front facing photo and I took the second one to focus on the beautiful pattern on his abdomen!

   So, there you have it! That was the month of April in a nutshell for me and my family. I have many other sightings since then and I think May's post is going to be bird themed. Stay tuned for that! As always, I hope you discovered something new. Until next time! 

Yours, 

Jade