Early Fence Lizard

This was the earliest that I have ever observed a fence lizard. Also, one of the largest. A light coating of mud obscured its already subdued markings. It was lethargically warming its blood in the spring sunshine and not a bit interested in budging.

More Box Turtles

We certainly seem to get a lot of box turtle traffic. I like to document all sightings so as to distinguish those that live around my smallholding from those that are passing through.

This one was snuggling in some leaf litter in a vegetable garden bed.

A week later, this one was sighted out in the yard. This one has a similar pattern on the carapace but the plastron is clearly different.

Baby Mantis

This is the smallest praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) that I have been able to document...perhaps around 5/8" long.

 They are typically found in the boxwood shrubs on the north side of the house. They manifest themselves during the dog-days of late summer when the shrubs are in need of watering.  They don't seem to appreciate the shower as it forces them out of the dark inner recesses of the boxwood canopy where they hunt their prey. This baby found temporary refuge on the side of the house.

A Rain of Toads

I have noticed an explosion in the toad population this year. I did an informal survey of an area 25' x75' and within a few minutes had counted 5 baby fowler's toads (Bufo fowleri). This is undoubtedly due to the wet late-spring and summer. Last summer we had a severe drought. This year we are around 9" above our normal for the year and our rainfall at the end of June is more than last year's total for the entire year.

Mama Wolf Spider

All of my recent discoveries seem to have been in my vegetable garden beds and this is no exception. I was cutting down the fallow vines from this spring's sugar snap peas (Yum!) and I was busy chopping them up for composting when I saw this wolf spider (Lycosidae) with her spinneret-attached egg sac ambling amongst the stubble.

Lonely Snake Egg

Another garden bed discovery. Whilst I was turning over the soil, this small soft egg appeared. It was alone when I spotted it and I did not find any companions. It is too small to be a box turtle egg and I do know that some snake eggs can be this size. I carefully moved it to a safe, nearby compost pile.

Update: I have determined that this is a skink egg.

The flycatcher expectantly follows me

As my mower flushes its fodder from the grass.

Two for One

I spotted this young fowler's toad (Bufo fowleri) in the vegetable garden. I was surprised that he remained still sufficiently long so as to allow me to take a picture on a ruler.

Not but a few minutes later, I uncovered old Scarback in the same garden bed. He had buried himself under some mulched grass clippings.

All is Well

At dusk in the woods,

a gentle rain heard

on the canopy,

fireflies alighting,

peepers croaking,

and the final calls

of the peewee.

Overnight Deluge

We received over 5 inches of rain between 3:00 am and 8:00 am.