iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Got some good video of a #Monarch consuming the flowers of Ascelpias tuberosa (Butterflyweed) in July. They really will eat any part of milkweeds available. Plenty of young leaves there for the taking, but sometimes they go for flowers, seed pods, stems, etc. #pollinators #nativeplants #butterflies

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

It's that time of year. All sorts of action at the New England Asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae). Nectar and pollen sources start getting scarce this time of year, so you really get some concentration on the asters. Insects ID'd in alt text. #pollinators #insects #backyardwildlife #nativeplants

A metalic black and blue Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis), which has a bright orange (not yellow) fuzzy collar, feeding on a bright purple and yellow New England Aster in bright sunlight.

A longhorn cuckoo bee (Triepeolus sp.) with a black face and black-and-cream striped abdomen feeding on a bright purple and yellow New England Aster in bright sunlight.

Lemon Cuckoo Bumble Bee (Bombus citrinus) with a fuzzy black-and-yellow striped body feeding on a bright purple and yellow New England Aster in bright sunlight.

Bicolored Striped Sweat Bee (Agapostemon virescens) darting between flowers of bright purple and yellow New England Aster in bright sunlight.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Black-and-gold Bumble Bee (Bombus auricomus) working the Field Thistle (Cirsium discolor) in my "prairie." This was the second state listed (special concern) bumble bee to visit this exact patch of thistle in three days. #bees #pollinators #bumblebees #nativeplants

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Yellow-billed Cuckoo tearing through an oak in the backyard. Oaks in general harbor more caterpillars and herbivorous insects than other native trees, so they're always a good place to start looking for migrants this time of year. #birds #birding #migration

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

My wife asks why I take so many photos of mating insects. It's because they tend to hold still and stay in one place long enough to get good shots when so engaged. I'm not being creepy, I swear! Thick-headed flies (Physocephala tibialis), Michigan. #bugwatching ##insects #flies

Two black-and-white flies that look very much like wasps with white faces and tiny thin waists perch one atop the other on a green leaf.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Gray Treefrogs are underappreciated as pollinators. I guess that's fair — they really just sit there smooshing the flowers. Hop around! Do some work! Photos in Eaton County, Michigan today. #frogs #amphibians #backyardwildlife

A green frog (a Gray Treefrog, to be exact) resting atop a spray of bright yellow goldenrod flowers. The frog is viewed from above, with its smooth green back contrasting against the vivid blossoms.

A green frog (a Gray Treefrog, to be exact) resting on the petals of a purple coneflower blossom. The frog is viewed from the side, with its smooth green back contrasting against the pinkish petals.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

#NationalMothWeek is right around the corner. I've been celebrating since May. Here's a warm-up post from last night's #moth hunting. An Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) in my yard in Michigan. About the size of my hand, this is one of the five huge Saturniidae moths we can find. #backyardwildlife

A large yellow-and-purple/brown imperial moth rests with its wings spread on leaf litter in a dimly lit forest at night. The moth is partially hidden beneath the leaves of Virginia Creeper.

A large imperial moth perched on a fallen twig among leaf litter on the forest floor at night. Its large wings are folded upward, revealing a striking pattern of golden yellow and rich purple/brown, while its fuzzy yellow body and feathery antennae are illuminated by camera flash beneath the leaves of a Virginia Creeper.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

The nursery looks a daycare run amok! American Nursery Web Spider with her spiderlings in a...well....nursery web... spun into the leaf of a Cup Plant. The spiderlings are still living off their yolf sacs. #spiders #backyardwildlife #arachnids #nature #bugwatching

A tan nursery web spider hangs beneath a leaf beside a silk nursery shelter containing dozens of tiny spiderlings that still have yolk sacs. Fine strands of webbing stretch between the surrounding green leaves, while the vigilant mother remains just outside the nursery, guarding her young.

A female nursery web spider stands on the outside of a silk nursery woven between green leaves, guarding dozens of tiny spiderlings visible inside the webbed shelter. The brown spider has long, slender legs and a pale stripe running down her body.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Looks like dad went out grocery shopping! Bobolink with a tasty Orthopteran delicacy. He was chirping to locate the kids and eventually dropped into the grass and, presumably, a feast commenced. #birds #birding #nature #icterids

A male Bobolink with striking black plumage and a white patch on the back of its head perches on the tip of a dried plant stem, holding a bright green katydid or grasshopper in its bill. The background is a softly blurred grassland habitat.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

A group of Waxcaps (Hygrocybe sp.). Sometimes the tiniest things in nature are the most wondrous. #fungi #mushrooms #nature

Cluster of four tiny bright-red mushrooms growing from a patch of green moss on a shaded forest floor. Fallen leaves, twigs, and decaying wood surround the mushrooms, whose vivid red caps and orange-red stems stand out sharply against the dark, earthy background. One mushroom has a slightly cracked cap, while the others are smooth and glistening with moisture.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Jumping spiders are cuteness overload. Peppered Jumping Spider (Pelegrina galathea) on an Echinacea in my yard this afternoon. #spiders #backyardwildlife #jumpingspiders

A very small mottled jumping spider perched among the tightly packed spines of a purple coneflower (Echinacea) flower head. The spider’s tan, brown, and white camouflage blends with the flower’s green and reddish-orange central cone, while the blurred pink petals radiate outward around it. Sunlight highlights the intricate textures of both the spider and the flower.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Harnessed Tiger Moth (Apantesis phalerata), probably, in my yard last night. I didn't look at its genitals to cinch the ID for certain. I'm OK not being sure, and the moth is very OK with not having its genitals ripped out. Everyone's happy. And what a cool #moth! #lepidoptera #backyardwildlife

A moth resting on furrowed tree bark at night. The moth's folded black forewings display striking cream-colored geometric markings, and its fuzzy orange thorax contrasts with the rough gray bark mottled with patches of green lichen.

A moth clinging to the trunk of a lichen-speckled tree at night. The moth's black forewings are marked with bold cream-colored lines, while partially spread wings reveal bright orange hindwings and an orange-and-black banded abdomen against a dark background.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

All hail the zippy green guys! It's Six-spotted Tiger Beetle season in my neck of the woods. I wrote all about it in this week's blog. There are post-copulatory cuddling pics! www.understorytales.com/post/six-spo... #beetles #nature #insects #bugwatching

understorytales.com

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

If you live anywhere in the eastern United States other than peninsular Florida, you’re probably familiar with the Six-spotted Tiger Beetle. You may know it as the Zippy Green Beetle, Emerald Beetle, ...

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

If you're a nomad bee, I highly recommend checking the fleabane for crab spiders before heading in for a drink. But props to this lady for the absolutely savage face grip on the bee, and look at that abdomen on her! #spiders #nature

A pale yellow crab spider with a large bulbous abdomen ambushing and feeding on a small nomad bee atop a cluster of fleabane flowers. The flowers have bright yellow centers and thin white-to-pink petals.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

I can think of at least one creature with an unkempt mop of gold hair that I find abhorrent, but this Golden-backed Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus thoracicus) pulls it off just fine. [Eaton County, Michigan, 25 May 2026] #insects #flies #nature

Close-up photograph of a dark-winged fly resting on a sunlit green leaf. The insect has large pale green eyes, smoky translucent wings, long thin legs, and a metallic golden patch behind its head. Bright sunlight highlights the leaf’s texture and gold hair.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

"Can we say the Wood Frog has value simply because it is a Wood Frog? We can and we should." That's my opinion, at least. Read the whole thing at www.understorytales.com/post/wood-fr...

understorytales.com

Wood Frogs

Imagine that you are a world-renowned organ transplant surgeon. To relieve stress, your husband suggests a holiday in Manitoba, looking for amphibians. Your husband is obviously a wise man. More than ...

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

What's for dinner tonight? Same as every night: caterpillars. Black-billed Cuckoos can eat spiny caterpillars that other birds can't. They just shed their stomach lining and spit it out when it becomes covered in spines. Photo in my yard, Eaton County, Michigan. #birds #birding

A Black-billed Cuckoo, a brown-and-white bird with a bright reddish eye and long decurved bill, perches on a leafy branch of a cherry tree.

A Black-billed Cuckoo, a brown-and-white bird with a bright reddish eye, perches on a leafy branch beside a silken tent caterpillar web. The bird leans forward to inspect the caterpillars, it's next meal.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

An Openfield Orbweaver that apparently thinks it's a crab spider, feeding in a pussytoes flower. Orbs don't have the eyesight for that kind of hunting. They are masters of sensing vibration in a web, not mugging things. You're a trapper, not an ambusher! #spiders #nature #orbweavers

Close-up macro of a small brown spider with pale longitudinal stripes on its back, perched among the soft, fuzzy white and pink flower clusters of a pussytoes plant. The spider’s legs are splayed over the blossoms, and it appears to be feeding on a tiny insect. Bright sunlight highlights the fine hairs on the flowers and the glossy texture of the spider’s body, with a softly blurred green background.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

I've always called this False Solomon's Seal. Others call it Star-Flowered Lily-of-the-Valley. That's more hyphens that I want to deal with. Regardless, it's starting to bloom, and one of my woodland favorites. (Maianthemum stellatum) (Southern Michigan) #nativeplants #wildflowers #nature

Close-up of a woodland wildflower with two broad, glossy green leaves and a slender stalk bearing small white starburst blossoms and unopened buds, set against a softly blurred forest floor of green foliage.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

#ForestFriday in the ethereal Conkle's Hollow in Ohio's Hocking Hills. Hard to say whether fairies or dragons live there, but I presume both. #scape #hockinghills #ohio #nature

A forested gorge filled with boulders covered in ferns. One large rock is being strangled by tree roots. Cocnkle's Hollow in Ohio's Hocking Hills.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

Up close, the capsule of a moss sporophyte looks like a carnivorous plant monster. The opening is sealed by peristome teeth (usually 16) that open and close to modulate the release of spores. Dryness opens them, humidity closes them. Capsule photo with #DinoLite scope. #moss #bryophyte #botany

Close-up of a patch of moss on the forest floor, dotted with dozens of slender orange sporophytes rising like tiny pins among green grass blades and leaf litter.

Extreme close-up of two amber-brown moss sporophyte capsules on slender translucent stalks. The opening of the capsules is lined with what look like sharp teeth.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Field Sparrow thought he was well hidden in the red cedar. His mate is in the bluestem a few meters away, relaxing after a full day of catching spiders for the kids. The good life. [Eaton County, Michigan] #birds #birding #sparrows

Small brown sparrow (a Field Sparrow) with a white eye ring and pink-orange bill, perched on a cedar branch, lit by warm low-angle sunlight against a soft blue sky.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Bumblebees are out in droves here in the Great Lakes, buzzing low around old logs and grass tussocks. These are the queens, the would-be and welcome colonizers. Check out my thoughts: www.understorytales.com/post/long-li... #pollinators #bees #bumblebees #nature

understorytales.com

Long Live the Queen

Not far down the trail behind my house are patches of native grasses in assorted hues of winter straw. The Broomsedge is a buttery yellow, the Little Bluestem has a hint of orange thrown in. When the ...

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

The world is in such peril, Rusty Blackbirds don't seem very important. Then again, maybe they're more important than ever. If you want to cleanse with some blackbirds, give my post a read. www.understorytales.com/post/rusty-b... #birds #birding #blackbirds #nature

A Rusty Blackbird, mostly black with a hint of rusty copper on the back and a bright light-yellow eye stands in a shallow puddle filled with fallen leaves.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

Xanthomendoza sp. (orange) and a Physcia sp. lichens on a stick that came down with a treefall. Always cool to see what was growing way up there where only birds get to see. Two close-ups taken with DinoLite scope. #lichens #dinolite #lichen

Close-up of a fallen tree branch covered in gray and white crustose lichens, with a dense cluster of bright orange, disk-like lichens standing out near the center.

Very close-up look at dark gray lichen apothecia ringed with very light gray edges.

Orange apothecia of a lichen ringed with yellow edges.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

The life of a tree is far from over when it sheds its last leaf and drinks its last drop of water. This tree "died" probably a decade ago, if not longer. Today it's a nursery for lichens, moss, and clubmoss. As full of life as ever! #LinnRun #pennsylvania #forest

A decaying tree stump in a damp forest, its wood crumbling and covered in patches of moss and pale green lichen. Several small evergreen clubmoss plants sprout from the sides and base of the stump, contrasting with the brown leaf litter scattered across the forest floor. The background is bare trees on a misty spring morning in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, near Linn Run State Park. .

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Four looks at Boulder Broom Moss (Dicranum fulvum), but your face keeps getting closer. Specimen found in Forbes State Forest, Pennsylvania, near Linn Run State Park. #moss #bryophyte #LinnRun #LaurelHighlands

Several moss-covered rocks on a forest floor covered with brown leaves.

A rock completely covered in a moss with wispy leaves that look like green hair.

Close up of a moss colony that looks like green hair with thin wispy strands.

Digital microscope image of moss leaves with very thin strands that look like green hair.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Two photos of the same pine in Spruce Flats Bog, Pennsylvania, 24 years apart. April 2002 and yesterday. Time moves slowly in sphagnum bogs. #bog #nature

A stunted and gnarled pine tree with yellow-green needles in a wet bog.

A stunted and gnarled pine tree with yellow-green needles in a bog that is fairly dry, but open.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

Behold the Unequal Cellophane Bee! It's one of the first bees to fly around here in the spring - a pollinator of Red Maples. Cellophane bees are named for the females' ability to mix saliva with butt secretions to make something akin to saran wrap to waterproof their nest cells. #bees #pollinators

In a cluster of last year's dead grass and stems is a small fuzzy bee with black antennae and a typical black and yellowish striped abdomen.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

I'm going to start a collection of animals that look like they're hurling obscenities at me. Today it was this Song Sparrow in my yard. #birds #birding #sparrows To be fair, I don't speak Sparrow, so it might have been obscenities.

Close-up of a small brown, streaked songbird (a Song Sparrow) perched on thin leafless branches, facing the camera with its bill open as if singing.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

The first Field Sparrows of the year in my back...uh...field. Such delightful birds. The nests they'll be building shortly will be on the ground in clumps of last years grasses and vegetation. (Eaton County, Michigan) #birds #sparrows #birding

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Illosporiopsis christiansenii is a fungus parasitic on lichen. #Lichen are doing their complicated symbiotic thing, and this fungus comes along and says, "Yeah, gimme a piece of those nutrients." Same colony of I. christiansenii pictured at three scales.

A twig covered in gray lichen being held by a human hand. There's a tiny hot pink speck on the twig.

A pink speck on a twig covered in lichen. A US penny is offered for size reference. The pink thing is smaller than Abraham Lincoln's nose.

A hot pink blob of fungus on a lichen colony. Photo was taken with a DinoLite digital microscope.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

This relatively rare (for Michigan) Rufous Hummingbird showed up at my father-in-law's house in late September, a couple weeks after he lost his wife of almost 60 years, who happened to love hummingbirds. It stayed for a couple months and lots of birders ended up visiting his house. (continued)

An orange and green humminbird is perched on a red plastic hummingbird feeder, drinking from a plastic yellow flower.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

We're having a Milkweed Tussock Moth invasion. Coincidentally (or not!) we're having a Black-billed Cuckoo invasion. Ecology lessons in the backyard! (Full story in the cuckoo pic alt text.) #nativeplants #birds #backyardwildlife

Several fuzzy caterpillars with black, orange, and white tufts of hair are crawling on a green leaf. The background is out of focus, showing dry stems and foliage.

A brown bird with a long tail and a white throat perches on a tree branch, partially shaded, with a softly blurred green and yellow background of leaves and light. This is a boom year for Milkweed Tussock Moths in my area. You always see a few of them around this time of year, but this fall there are an ungodly number of them. I don't really care, since I like them and I have way more milkweed than I want. For the past three weeks I've been hearing the calls of someone else who really likes them - Black-billed Cuckoos. It's probably not a coincidence that the caterpillar explosion coincided with several cuckoos moving in to patrol the yard daily, something that has not happened before. Cuckoos eat all kinds of caterpillars that have wiry, irritating hairs that make them inedible to most birds. The cuckoos allow the hairs to embed in their stomach, then they simply shed their entire stomach lining with the hairs stuck to it and spit the whole thing on the ground.
The boom and bust cycle of the moths attracting birds with evolutionary adaptations to eat the plentiful moths...stuff like this is pure beauty to me. Waterfalls and mountains and multicolored fall forests are all gorgeous, but this stuff, the ecology of what's going on out there right now, that's the beauty that hits me on a spiritual level that no vista can.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Elegant moment in the yard with this Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta) alighting on blossoms of Virgin's Bower (Clematis virginiana). At the time I didn't notice the Sauron-looking bug (or moth? or part of the plants?) lurking in the background on the right. #butterflies #nativeplants #pollinators

A small gray butterfly with delicate black spots and thin dark edging on its wings feeds from the stamens of a pale yellow-white flower. Around the flower are several unopened buds, dried seed pods, and green leaves, with a small dark insect (possibly just part of the plant?) visible on a nearby stem. It looks like a tiny caped monster with glowing red eyes. The background is a soft blur of green foliage.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Gray Treefrog "drinking" from the "cup" of a Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum). We're having a severe drought in Michigan, so I spray the cups every evening to make sure they act as a patch of tiny oases for insects...and apparently frogs. #nativeplants #frogs "Drinking" explained in alt text.

A small green frog (It's a Gray Treefrog, but its color is green) rests on a large, bright green leaf, blending in with its surroundings. The leaf has jagged edges where it has been partially eaten, and the frog is positioned in dappled sunlight near the stem where Cup Plants collect water. Frogs take in water through their skin, and many have highly vascularized patches of skin on the belly and rear thighs that act as water uptake zones. This frog is drinking, and likely praying to the frog gods for rain.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

Common Eastern #Bumblebee heading out on a foraging run in my yard. Her corbiculum (pollen basket on the rear tibia) is empty, so she's either eating the groceries at the store instead of taking them home to the family, or she ust got there. Nice view of anthers in the coneflower in the first pic.

A close-up photo of a bumblebee collecting pollen from the spiky, orange-and-red central cone of a purple coneflower (Echinacea). The bee is dusted with yellow pollen, and its fuzzy, black-and-yellow body is clearly visible in sharp detail. The background is softly blurred, with hints of green foliage and purple flower petals.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

Great Golden Digger Wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus) on Virginia Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) in my yard. No plant on the property attracts the diversity of wasps that the Pycnanthemum does. Six or seven species on one small clump is not unusual. #wasps #nativeplants #backyardwildlife #insects

Close-up image of a large wasp perched on a cluster of small white flowers. The wasp has a black head and thorax, large black eyes, and long black antennae. Its legs and part of its abdomen are a bright reddish-orange, while the tip of the abdomen is black. The background is blurred green foliage, highlighting the insect and flowers in sharp detail.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

Harlequin Ducks on McDonald Creek in #GlacierNationalPark, Montana a couple weeks ago. I finally got to see a breeding male in the wild. They never lifted their heads for a photo, because ducks are inconsiderate lile that, but I still love them. #birds #birding #ProtectPublicLands #NPS

A close-up of a striking male Harlequin Duck resting on a mossy, purple-tinged rock in a flowing river. The duck displays bold plumage with dark slate-blue, chestnut, and white markings. The water in the background is a vivid green with ripples and whitecaps.

Two Harlequin Ducks, a male and a female, rest on a moss-covered rock in the middle of a swiftly flowing, greenish-blue river. The male is colorful with bold markings, while the female is a more subdued brown. The surrounding water flows around the rock with visible turbulence and splashes.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) at Missouri Headwaters SP, Montana. Appropriate that a sandpiper typical of rivers would be hanging at the birthplace of North America's mightiest stream. I wish we could rename them Riverpipers. #birds #birding #shorebirds #montanastateparks #missouririver

A Spotted Sandpiper with brown upperparts and a white belly marked with dark spots walks along the edge of a shallow, rocky stream. The bird has an orange bill with a dark tip and is stepping carefully among smooth, wet stones of various sizes, with its reflection visible in the water. The background shows more rocks and rippling water.

A Spotted Sandpiper stands on a smooth, wet rock at the edge of a shallow stream, surrounded by water and rounded stones. The bird has mottled brown upperparts, a white underside with dark spots, and a slender orange bill tipped in black. Its reflection is faintly visible in the water, and ripples gently flow around the rocks in the background.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

Lincoln's Sparrow along Prospect Creek at 9000' in Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains. Taken on 5 June 2025, just before a snow squall passed over. Habitat photo as well. #birds #birding #bighorns #wyoming

A gently winding stream flows through a grassy meadow under a cloudy sky. The ground is partially dusted with a light layer of snow, and low shrubs and sagebrush are scattered across the landscape. In the distance, a dense line of dark evergreen trees meets snow-capped mountains, adding depth to the tranquil, early summer scene at high elevation.

A small, brown-streaked sparrow (Lincoln's Sparrow) perches on a cluster of thin, leafless twigs. The bird has a pale belly with fine streaks, a buffy face with a distinct eyering, and warm brown tones on its back and wings. The background is softly blurred with earthy hues of brown and tan.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

I don't know enough about #lichen ecology and taxonomy, but taking a close look at this little stick reveals a whole world begging for exploration. Images taken with a digital microsope at around 20X. #lichens

A small twig encrusted with lichens, including a tiny orange pest, resting in a man's hand.

Close-up image of a complex lichen community on tree bark, featuring numerous pale gray to white circular apothecia with dark centers, resembling tiny cups or discs. Scattered among them are small yellow granular structures. The textured bark surface and densely clustered lichen forms create a richly detailed and natural scene.

Close-up image of a colorful lichen growing on a tree branch. The lichen features bright orange, disk-shaped fruiting bodies surrounded by yellow-green, leafy lobes. The surrounding bark is covered in other gray and green lichen, creating a textured, natural background.

Close-up image of various lichens growing on tree bark. The lichens include clusters of small, bright yellow granules scattered across a rough surface, alongside grayish-white cup-shaped structures with dark centers. The bark underneath is partially visible, adding texture and contrast to the intricate lichen growth.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

This Yellow Warbler I encountered yesterday looks cute and happy, and we all need more cute and happy in our lives. (Otis Lake, Michigan) #birding #birds #warblers

A bright yellow songbird, a Yellow Warbler, perches amid green leaves on a sunlit tree branch. The bird has reddish streaks on its chest and appears to be singing, with its beak open and head slightly tilted. The background is filled with soft-focus green foliage, creating a vibrant spring atmosphere.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

This Falsehorn Fly (Temnostoma sp.) was in my yard, apparently plotting something evil. (Rubbing the hands together meanacingly is the universal symbol for evil, no?) In reality, it's just going to fly around and pollinate some fleabane. #Diptera #Flies #BackyardWildlife

A black and yellow fly that looks very much like a wasp is perched on a bright green leaf. The insect has large, dark eyes, clear wings, and distinct yellow bands across its abdomen. Its body is shiny and smooth, contrasting with the fuzzy texture of the leaf beneath it.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

1/2 I don't think about damselflies much in May. Partly because there aren't many around, and partly because birds consume my interest during this month of spring migration. This immature female managed to pull my eye away from the warblers - no small feat! #odonata #Damselflies #odonates

A close-up image of a small red and black damselfly perched on the edge of a green blade of grass. The background is filled with lush green vegetation, softly blurred to emphasize the insect. The damselfly’s delicate, transparent wings and slender body are clearly visible.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

I used to live where I could see Kirtland's Warblers daily, and now I live where they're only a two hour drive away. So I kinda take them for granted. (Horrible, I know!) Still, it was unexpected and fabulous to get great looks at one in Ohio on Saturday. #MageeMarsh #BiggestWeek #BWIAB #birding

A small bird (Kirtland's Warbler) with a bright yellow belly, grayish-blue back, and black markings on its head perches on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves. The bird has color-coded leg bands, indicating it is part of a tracking program. The background is softly blurred with shades of green and brown, suggesting a natural, wooded environment.

A small bird with a bright yellow belly, grayish-blue back, and black markings on its head perches on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves. The bird has color-coded leg bands, indicating it is part of a research or tracking program. The background is softly blurred with shades of green and brown, suggesting a natural, wooded environment.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

Cranesbill Miner (Andrena distans) on Wild Geraniium (Geranium maculatum). A lot of these Mining Bees are closely tied to, if not obligate with, particular spring ephemeral wildflowers. #Bees #NativeBees #BackyardWildlife

A small bee gathers pollen from the center of a light purple wildflower, surrounded by green foliage in natural sunlight.

A small black bee, dusted with yellow pollen, is nestled among the stamens of a light purple Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) flower, surrounded by green foliage in bright sunlight.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

Was approached to judge a cute-off by these two birds. I declared them both adorable - no clear winner. Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Golden-crowned Kinglet, Montcalm County, Michigan, 19 April 2025. Don't usually have one of each in the same brush at the same time. #birding #birds #kinglets

A tiny bird, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, is perched on a slender tree branch amid budding spring foliage. The bird is facing slightly left, displaying its soft grayish-olive plumage and a small, bright red crown patch on its head. The background is filled with delicate branches and newly-emerging green leaves, suggesting early spring in a woodland setting.

A small bird, a Golden-crowned Kinglet, perches among dry twigs and leaves in a forested area. The bird is facing slightly to the left, with its distinctive bright yellow crown stripe bordered by black, grayish-white face, and olive-toned back. The undergrowth is full of brown leaves and bare branches, with a few fresh green buds beginning to sprout, suggesting early spring.

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Understory @kirbyadams.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

My first Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon) of the year. Seen today in my Michigan backyard. #butterflies #lepidoptera

A close-up image of a small gray butterfly resting on a blade of grass. The butterfly has delicate, pale gray wings with dark spots and subtle brownish edging near the tips. Its body is fuzzy, and its black-and-white striped antennae are clearly visible. The butterfly is surrounded by green grass and dried leaves.

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