Green Anole

While home over Easter break, my parents got very excited about my citizen science project. My stepdad was doing yardwork at my house when he came across the Green Anole. He ran into my room and insisted that I come take a picture before it got away.

The Green Anole is lizard found primarily in the southeastern United States and some Caribbean islands. Other common names include the American anole and red-throated anole. It is also sometimes referred to as the American chameleon due to its ability to change color from several brown hues to bright green.

 

Snowy Egret

I was on a walk with my family near my house when we spotted this Snowy Egret. It was walking around looking for some food when we first saw it. However, as we moved closer, it got startled and flew away. I was lucky enough to catch a few pictures of it flying past.

The snowy egret is a small white heron. I was very surprised to learn this because I had always thought that herons and egrets were two different species of birds. Herons mostly breed in warmer climates, but can be found all over the world.

 

Turkey Vulture

I was on a run over Easter break when I spotted this vulture searching for prey. With more investigation, I found some kind of road kill not far down the road, so I am sure that is where the vulture was headed after it flew away.

The turkey vulture is also known as a buzzard, which is news to me. The Turkey Vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America. I often see them around my neighborhood and in areas with open and semi-open areas.

 

Greenhouse Millipede

I was walking into my house from my car when I almost stepped on this little guy. It was slowly inching along on the sidewalk and stopped in its tracks when I approached it. I snapped a couple of pictures before it finally gained the courage to scurry over to the grass.

Greenhouse millipedes achieve lengths of 18 to 23 mm (0.71 to 0.91 in) as adults, and widths from 2 to 2.5 mm (0.079 to 0.098 in). They are brown in color with pale cream-colored legs and are found in the tropics as well as in temperate North and South America and in Europe.

 

Purple Coneflower

I was strolling around campus when this beautiful flower caught my eye. I was instantly drawn to the beautiful, bright color and the fact that it was the only flower in the vicinity. I now pass it almost every day as I walk to get my morning coffee from Jo’s.

The Purple Coneflower is a North American species of flowering plant in the sunflower family. It is native to eastern North America and blooms in the spring to late summer. It is usually purple in the wild and is hermaphroditic meaning that it has both male and female organs.

 

Great-tailed Grackle

As I walked to my 8 am in Fleck, I heard the unmistakable call of a grackle. I quickly whipped out my iNaturalist app so that I could catch a picture before it flew away. The grackle hopped around a bit but barely even reacted when I got close to it.

Great-tailed grackles are medium-sized birds. Males are iridescent black with a purple-blue sheen on the feathers of the head and upper body, while females are brown with darker wings and tail, making the one that I observed a male. Great-tailed grackles have an unusually large repertoire of vocalizations that are used year-round. Because of their loud vocalizations, great-tailed grackles are considered a pest species by some.

 

Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth

I was playing sand volleyball with my friends at Zilker park one afternoon. During a water break, one of my friends screamed and pointed to this Caterpillar Moth crawling towards them. I immediately grabbed my phone and snapped a picture before it crawled away.

Forest tent caterpillars are usually just over 2 inches in length, but some have been reported to reach 5 inches. They are black, dark brown, or gray, with blue and faint yellow longitudinal stripes. The forest tent caterpillar moth is a North American moth found throughout the United States and Canada, especially in the eastern regions.

 

Northern Mockingbird

On the nature walk around campus, we spotted this Northern Mockingbird near the soccer field. It was sitting in a tree, but when we approached it, it flew down to the ground.

The northern mockingbird is the only mockingbird commonly found in North America. This bird is mainly a permanent resident, but northern birds may move south during harsh weather. The northern mockingbird is known for its mimicking ability. It has gray to brown upper feathers and a paler belly. Its tail and wings have white patches which are visible in flight.

 

Mexican Buckeye

I found this pretty plant during our nature walk as a class. I was immediately drawn to its pink flowers as I’m sure bees are.

The Mexican Buckeye is a shrub or small tree native to northern Mexico as well as Texas and southern New Mexico. The 8-12 foot tree produces fruits containing poisonous seeds. This causes livestock to stay away from the tree, but bees can still produce honey from the flowers.

 

Common Lantana

I was also drawn to this flowering shrub outside of JBWN during the class nature walk because of its bright flowers. It was actually my first observation, and I wanted to capture something that was still, but that was also more interesting than just a regular plant.

The Lantana is native to the American tropics. It is often planted to embellish gardens, but it has become an invasive species and has spread throughout the world as a notorious weed. Lantana actually will lead to a reduction in biodiversity, causing problems because of its toxicity when eaten and ability to form dense thickets.

 

 

All information on different species came from www.inaturalist.org.