Bryan Pfeiffer, a writer and field naturalist at the University of Vermont, graces us today with some great plant and animal photos. His notes and IDs are indented:
Here are seven images from nature largely in black, white and many shades of gray. I’ve included three birds, one dragonfly, one butterfly and two plants, one of which (Monotropa uniflora) lacks chlorophyll.In alphabetical order (by common name):Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) – Montpelier, Vermont, 2 May 2015:
Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) – Victory, Vermont, 2 Feb 2005:
Great Egret (Ardea alba) – Everglades National Park, Flamingo, Florida, 19 Apr 2009:
Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) – Montpelier, Vermont, 7 Aug 2011:
Laviana White-Skipper (Heliopetes laviana) – Mission, TX, 4 Jan 2016:
Ross’s Goose (Chen rossii) – Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, NM, 30 Nov 2014:
Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) – Colorado, 11 Jul 2011:
That Gray Jay is amazing!
The skipper is better!
Outstanding photography!
These are outstanding! Thank you, Bryan.
Those are first class! Especially happy to see some indian pipe plants. These are parasitic plants that lack chlorophyl. I came across a nice patch of them last summer, and that was a big thrill for me.
Great shots!
Hi, Bryan. Always a great treat to see your photos. I went to Victory a couple times to see the jay but never did. BTW , I am suspecting a snowy owl in Barton. Crossing fingers.. . . 🙃
I love the (mostly) black and white!
Great photos, all of them! I frequently see Indian Pipe in woods near here. Fascinating how they get their sugars from trees via fungal intermediates. Not the only plant to do so. I read recently (can’t remember source) that trees themselves may share food via mycorrhizal fungi. Soil fungi are underappreciated.
The first time I came across these, in Northern Idaho, I was perplexed! Were they a flower? A fungi? And then a bee alighted and entered one, and I was stunned. Truly beautiful and amazing.
Wonderful! Thank you.