Pine Flower Weevil (Cimberis Pilosa), Taken April 1, 2025, In Georgia, US

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), taken February 10, 2025, in Georgia, US

Very cute and pretty brave, as is the case with most sparrows! This guy has a preferred spot directly underneath the feeder pole. It's a highly contentious seat, but he had it all to himself this time!

Humpbacked Orbweaver (Eustala anastera), female, taken May 8, 2025, in Georgia, US

Some shots of a beautiful wild diamond... I intercepted her as she tried to web her way to the ground and placed her on a fallen tree in an attempt to get photos. Luckily for me, she curled up instead of running away! This spider is quite variable, some being brown like this and others having a coloration similar to lichen!

I've gotten some decent quality pics of cuckoo wasps with my clip-on macro lens, but I've never had the opportunity to try with my actual camera, so I have no idea if I'd have the same issue as you guys lol. I both love tiny bugs because they're usually surprisingly beautiful but also hate them because they're so small you need an $800 lens to get good pictures of them...

Here is the cuckoo I've gotten w/ my clip-on lens. They're honestly way darker green up close—it must be how the sun hits them!

i am photographing hymenopterans that are smaller and more indistinguishable than you could possibly imagine

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), male, taken February 27, 2025, in Georgia, US

A beautiful drinker!! This lovely male bluebird came to the bird bath for a few sips and stayed long enough for me to get some nice photos! His blue stands out against the tan and green background so nicely. In the video, he gets spooked at the end by a robin who flew away noisily overhead!

Red-shouldered Hawks (Buteo lineatus), adult (top) and juvenile (bottom), taken March 7, 2025, in Georgia, US

More hawk news... It seems as though one of the juveniles was able to chase the other out of this area and has staked a claim on the woods here. I've been seeing the red-tailed hawks less, and today the victorious juvenile showed up with a partner who already has adult plumage! I haven't seen adults here in at least a couple years, so this is a good sign that these two will be nesting this spring. It's fairly unusual for a hawk without adult plumage to be breeding, but definitely not unheard of and can still result in a successful brood!

The adult hawk was not happy with me taking pictures and flew to a further branch when I went outside. As usual, the juvenile was much more tolerant of my presence (likely used to my dumb ass at this point) and let me get closer before the adult called for it. It then joined the adult in a tree where they began calling together. Hopefully they nest somewhere close enough that I can monitor their progress. I'd love to see their babies once they fledge!

Round-necked Longhorn Beetle (Clytus ruricola), taken May 2, 2025, in Georgia, US

A cool longhorn beetle who's slumber I disturbed! This guy was hiding under a leaf after a storm. I didn't recognize the beetle, so I flipped his little leaf over for pictures. He was disturbed but didn't seem afraid, slowly exploring my presence and staying after I left him alone. I'm seeing lots of new longhorn beetles outside, but most of them are so skittish that they fly away as soon as they see me. I just happened to catch this guy at a lucky time!

Fowler's Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri), taken April 21, 2025, in Georgia, US

Quite the wise-looking toad! His eyes look like they see all—or maybe they see too much. I did almost step on him. While he was processing his near-death experience, I took the opportunity to get some nice macros of his face, and, even though I couldn't get the whole thing in focus, they turned out nice! This was my favorite of them because you can better see the curve of his mouth and the reflection of the woods around us in his eyes. After he finished recovering, he hopped off, likely in search of dinner!

Ornate Millipede (Genus Cambala), taken March 28, 2025, in Georgia, US

Ornate, indeed! Look at the shine on those segments! I'm always excited to find these guys, but that often requires me to flip large chunks of wood or logs which aren't the most numerous in my area, at least when it comes to ones that are flippable. With that in mind, these are a treat! Quite large for a millipede and very pretty—the perfect combination!

My beloveds... a whole row of some of my favorite native inverts and, of course, robins.

iNaturalist reblog game: post your top 5 most observed species. i'll go first

Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina ssp. carolina), juvenile, taken May 25, 2024, in Georgia, US

Literally the most tiny and pathetic thing I have ever seen in my LIFE. Its eyes are too big for its tiny turtle head!!! It was in my front lawn moving Southeast, maybe for spring migration purposes, so I helped it across the road. When I picked it up it let out the most tiny and pathetic squeak of a hiss I have ever heard. Absolutely precious.