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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 16h

That southern IL road known for snakes has other things too: here's a Green Treefrog #greentreefrog #fieldherping #insituherps

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

This was an interesting find along a well known road in southern IL; it was the first one I’ve ever seen in our state. Cell phone shot in the rain. (Some of my friends will appreciate this small drab frog a lot more than others.) 🙂 #easternnarrowmouthedtoad #fieldherping

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Still cell phone shot, but some herp trips just check all the boxes. #mudsnake #fieldherping

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Today’s unusual observation. IYKYN. More details when I get home. #cottonmouths #fieldherping #insituherps

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Good call to go herping today. Woke up in my own bed, drove a bit, hiked for 5 hours in 90 degree weather, and saw north of 75 snakes. This was an in situ cell phone shot of one of 11 of these that we saw, an epic, record setting day!

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The frogs haven't quite given up on summer yet (at least in the Chicago suburbs). Might be time to go herping.

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Blackpoll Warblers eating Gray Dogwood berries. We think of warblers as being insectivores, but in the fall they need to fuel up for migration and add berries and fruits to their diets as high energy food sources. #blackpollwarbler #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are usally are elusive as they forage for insects in dense vegetation. Last week a group of them were hunting in a patch of Gray Dogwood along the trail, hovering like hummingbirds and giving us close-up looks. #rubycrownedkinglet #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Double trouble Proof the rut hasn't begun in earnest; they're still getting along. #whitetaileddeer #bucks #backyardwildlife #trailcam #trailcamera

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The warblers are fattening up on insects for their long migration south. This Tennessee Warbler found a smorgasbord of tiny bugs hiding on the underside of a leaf. #TennesseeWarbler #warbler #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Gold-and-brown Rove Beetle, 3/4 inch long. Found near carrion, dung piles, and decaying organic material, they feed on the associated flies and maggots. They carry their tail curled over their back when alarmed, the underside of which is black and yellow like a wasp - it fooled me initially.

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

When our weekly bird hike visited McHenry Dam (McHenry, IL) I was expecting something more substantial.

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

The mixed flock of warblers suddenly disappeared, but apparently not before this Cooper's Hawk was able to secure a meal. #coopershawk #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

This lone, young American White Pelican apparently has lost its flock. I hope it can find them—or they find it—for the long migration south. #americanwhitepelican #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

It bodes well for successful bird hike when your first bird is magnificent. #baldeagle #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Bird hike bycatch: this white-tailed deer was just a few yards off the trail as our birding group passed by. She was obviously acclimated to people who stay on the trail. #deer #whitetaileddeer

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Olive-sided Flycatcher, a lifer for me, going to town on a Black and Gold Bumblebee. #olivesidedflycatcher #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Tobacco Hornworm doing the Mr. Burns "Excellent!" posture. #tobaccohornworm #Caterpillar

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

The last of our side yard Monarchs emerged from its chrysalis this afternoon. Here it is resting next to the clear, empty chrysalis. This is the last of 5 or so generations of Monarchs this summer. They will migrate to Mexico to spend the winter before returning in the spring. #monarch #butterflies

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

The best bird walks are the ones where you spot cool non-birds like this Gray Treefrog. It was resting on a milkweed leaf and we only saw it because we stopped to look at a monarch caterpillar at the top of the plant. Cope's or Eastern? No way to be sure but I'm leaning Cope's. #graytreefrog #frogs

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

September is spider month. Here's a beautiful Shamrock Orbweaver, dorsal and ventral views, from this morning #shamrockorbweaver #orbweaver #spider

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

A parasitoid wasps laid its eggs on this Banded Tussock Moth caterpillar. The larvae fed on the caterpillar insides, emerged, and formed cocoons that will eventually produce adult wasps. The caterpillar will soon die. The wasps help control caterpillar populations. #bandedtussockmoth #parasitoidwasp

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Do you ever try those stereogram/"magic eye" puzzles, where you cross your eyes and try to look through the image and a 3-D hidden image appears?

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

If the proper name for a group of raccoons isn't a "mischief," it should be. It's really a gaze of raccoons, because they lock eyes with humans and other animals. A mother with kits is a called a nursery of raccoons. #raccoons #backyardwildlife #trailcamera #trailcamera

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

This Red-femured Spotted Orbweaver patiently builds a huge web stretching from a shade umbrella to our garage every night. It's so wide and fragile that it comes down every time it rains, but she just builds a new one the next night! #spottedorbweaver #spider #spiderweb

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

It's that time of year when spiders seem to be everywhere. This one is a Sad Ground Crab Spider, Xysticus funestus. "Funestus" means "deadly" which might make it "sad" if in fact it was deadly, which it is not. Nor is this one on the ground. It needs a better name. #crabspider #spider

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

You might need a big screen to appreciate this one. As the possum walked by, it scared a Green Frog which first hopped to the left and then into the pond at the very far side. I slowed down the video when it hopped into the pond to see it better. #BackyardWildlife #trailcamera #trailcam

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Last night we watched the chimney swifts come to roost in the chimney of the historic Catlow Theater in Barrington, IL. We estimated over 500 swifts circled and eventually dove into the chimney to spend the night. #chimneyswifts #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Monarch caterpillars adopt this hanging "J" shape for 12-24 hours as the chrysalis forms inside the outer cuticle. When ready they shed the cuticle, revealing the chrysalis underneath. The two images are 15 minutes apart. Missed it by that much. #monarchcaterpillar #monarchchrysalis

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I found this stunning caterpillar right next to our milkweed plants that are covered with Monarch caterpillars. Obviously it was something different. It's a Brown-hooded Owlet: remarkable as a caterpillar but just a plain brown moth as an adult. #brownhoodedowlet #Caterpillar #moth

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

My hickory nuts bring all the squirrels to the yard Flying squirrels are better than yours #flyingsquirrel #backyardwildlife #trailcam #trailcamera

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I evicted them from under the deck for non-payment of rent, but these squatters still think they still have pool privileges. #backyardwildlife #trailcam #trailcamera

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Don't worry, young Wood Duck, your crest will soon grow in and all the lady ducks will find you handsome. #woodduck #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Monarch caterpillars have 6 simple eyes or ocelli on each side; zoom in. They mainly detect light and motion. The black tentacles are tactile feelers to help them navigate. The first of 9 breathing holes (spiracles) per side is visible above the first leg. #monarchcaterpillar #Ocelli #spiracles

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Gold-marked Thread-waisted Wasps: a tongue-tying name and an impressive pas de deux #threadwaistedwasp #wasps

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Portrait of a Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly on a Blazing Star flower The long tongue used to gather nectar is coiled up and tucked away in the middle of its face; it's resting on an unopened flower. #silverspottedskipper #butterfly

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

The Zabulon Skipper is a small dimorphic butterfly; the male is mostly yellowish-orange and the female is mostly brown to brown-tinged burgundy. I found this lifer in my backyard. #zabulonskipper #skipperbutterfly #butterfly

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Both male and female tricolored herons develop breeding colors in the spring. The bills and facial skin become bright blue and the legs change from chartreuse-yellow to rosy-pink. SE Georgia last May #tricoloredheron #birding #birdingphotography #Birdphotography

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Stephen Barten @stephenbarten.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

One of my faves, the Red-spotted Purple Butterfly. These are one of the brush-footed butterflies, so-called because the front legs are tiny and serve a sensory purpose, leaving only the four middle and hind legs for locomotion. #redspottedpurple #butterflies

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