Brush footed butterflies Nymphalidae & Arctiidae

Two Lorquin's Admiral butterflies were seen around Thurston county this week, flying towards the East in the direction of the Nisqually River. You may see more butterflies of Thurston county here.

Also spotted flitting through was a beautiful Cinnabar moth, Tyria jacobaeae. Arctiidae Family of moths. Thurston county moths.

"Unfortunately, many of the uncommon and rare species in the Pacific Northwest have not been photographed. In fact, the caterpillar and its foodplant are not known for some of the species." BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS OF PACIFIC NORTHWEST FORESTS AND WOODLANDS: RARE, ENDANGERED, AND MANAGEMENT-SENSITIVE SPECIES, by Jeffrey C. Miller
Department of Rangeland Ecology and Mangement, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon; Paul C. Hammond, Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon; Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team, September 2007 USDA USFS

No birds just bugs

Swarming Crows vs Hawk

Just saw 15 to 20 Crows dive bombing, more like swarming actually, a hawk near a Crows nest. Crows are a family :) and often have older siblings helping at the nest. This Hawk was outnumbered totally!

Acorn woodpeckers

I have a response to my dirty blue egg question! (Stellar Jay)

Acorn Woodpeckers came back two days ago and this time there were two! No. I don't believe the pair to be Hairy or Red Breasted Sapsuckers. The Acorn Woodpecker's markings *have perplexed me b/c they are unusually marked to the rear of their heads. I have decided upon Acorn due to its primary back color of black and top red head spot that does not cover its entire head. They have black backs with red on the very top of their heads. The perplexing marking was a small white vertical line dash on the rear of their head combined with the white ring around its beak that does not extend to the rear of his black neck. No other white markings on the back leads me to exclude Downy, Red Breasted Sapsucker and a Hairy.



If my Petersons Guide would identify juveniles....and inter breeds that would be great! Acorn was the best visual match. I have seen Red Breasted Sapsuckers here. I have also seen a juvenile Downy Woodpecker here. Hairy Woodpeckers? No. b/c, they did not have white stripe on the back. IDK strangest pair of Acorn woodpeckers I've tried to id b/c of white dash in the lower part of back of their heads! B/c of that marking I am wondering if they were juvs or if this pair have been cross bred with another type of woodpecker to produce the different white dash mark. Variations in plumage - I'd love a guide with juv photos.

There is an oak stand less than a mile from where I live and a larger more established well known oak stand within 2 miles. I have found old stashed acorns in the soil at the tree line and fenceline and under evergreens. Squirrels? Do you think Acorn Woodpeckers steal from squirrels and vice versa?http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

"Field studies have shown that breeding groups range from monogamous pairs to breeding collectives of seven males and three females, plus up to 10 nonbreeding helpers. Young have been found with multiple paternity.[1]"

There are Red-naped or Red-breasted Sapsuckers heard in the area, but I have not seen them. These two Acorn woodpeckers were seen at 15 to 25 feet distance, pecking in evergreen about 15 to 18 feet up the tree. Evidently, there are only a dozen sightings in Western Washington of Acorn Woodpeckers.

I'll have to listen for them in the future.

Oh pitiful me! (Pityopus californica)

Even rarer plants:

Because I did not know what a Pine Foot or Pityopus californica was... it has surely died.

Now, I fear that the rare plant police will come and take me away!

This strange looking plant was growing near a Glad that I was babying in my plant nursery near an old stump. In fact, I thought that it was some strange fungus. When I first noticed it, I said, "Slimey thing. Ew!" It was so much uglier than this picture. Its roots were rather shallow, pointy and short. It's base flat and white. It was so near the Glad that it was dug up along with the bulb. I am certain that it is now dead. Well, live and learn. I should take better care to identify these types of things in the future.