Photos / Sounds

What

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)

Observer

susanelliott

Date

April 18, 2018 08:51 AM EDT

Photos / Sounds

What

King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa)

Observer

greglasley

Date

January 29, 2016

Description

One of the photo opportunities we were most interested in at this location was the vulture photo blind which had been constructed nearby. King Vultures are regularly seen here ad we hoped for the chance to get some shots. I have seen King Vultures on numerous trips to southern Mexico and Central and South America dating back to the late 70s, but most of my views were of birds soaring very high in the sky. The species is known to be shy of people and can difficult to get close to.

Our guide obtains pig heads from a slaughterhouse in the region when he has clients such as Dave and me who are interested. These heads are put out in the early morning and hopefully by 9 AM or so the Black Vultures will find them which may attract one or more Kings.

The hide or blind is constructed into the ground so that the photos are taken at more or less ground level. You are shooting through optical quality glass in windows in order to lessen the disturbance to the birds and from the bird side of the glass only a dull reflection is seen. It is an incredible piece of construction and was designed very well.

To make a long story short, during our morning in this blind we had hundreds of Black Vultures and 6 Kings! Three adults and other younger birds of various ages. I have over 400 nice images, just a few which are here. It was quite an experience to see this magnificent bird up close and personal. At one point an adult King Vulture was within 5 feet of us....I took some cell phone shots!

Photos / Sounds

What

Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)

Observer

kalamurphyking

Date

April 26, 2021 08:23 AM CDT

Description

White Rock lake, Sunset Bay beach near opening to Reinhart branch
Both Of Them
They finally got close enough for a comparison shot. Wilson's phalaropes are a polyandry species. The females are larger & brighter. Females fight each other over males then the winner courts & defend their male mates, and they take several mates. The female selects a nest site, scrapes a little hollow in the dirt & lays 4 eggs. Then she leaves to court another male. The male she just deserted takes over. He pulls plants around to hide the nest and both broods the eggs & raises the chicks. The babies are able to feed themselves when they hatch but Dad continues to look out for them awhile. Like killdeer, he will do a "broken wing" dance to lure predators away from the young.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

apcorboy

Date

May 1, 2021 03:05 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus)

Observer

osoandino

Date

December 2016

Photos / Sounds

What

Painted Tiger Moth (Arachnis picta)

Observer

flea

Date

October 10, 2016 04:49 PM PDT

Description

Found by a neighbor early afternoon on Oct. 10, 2016, hanging out on an outside wall of an apartment building in (East) Oakland, CA 94605

Photos / Sounds

What

Pinkladies (Oenothera speciosa)

Observer

taogirl

Date

April 22, 2013

Description

Pink Evening Primrose accompanied by very calm dog, my congenitally blind mixed breed rescue dog

at Village Creek Drying Beds just west of River Legacy Park

Photos / Sounds

Observer

magrietb

Date

November 21, 2017 07:56 AM SAST

Photos / Sounds

What

Carolina Metallic Tiger Beetle (Tetracha carolina)

Observer

amawal

Date

September 12, 2020 05:28 PM MDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Plain-bellied Watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster)

Observer

mikaelb

Date

July 1, 2018 09:15 AM CDT

Description

Taken on monthly Birding on Broadmeade group walk on Lake Creek Trail in Williamson County in northwest Austin.

Two small Blotched Water Snakes were hunting minnows in the creek near the third low water crossing. At first we wondered if this was one snake with two heads, but finally one head moved somewhere else.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

paulengler

Date

April 9, 2016 12:48 AM AWST

Description

I found this at Brent International School, Baguio. When alarmed it displays red

Tags

Photos / Sounds

What

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Observer

greglasley

Date

May 4, 2019 06:52 PM CDT

Description

@gcwarbler and I along with our spouses were standing on the deck of a friend's house in Hays Co., Texas, when we saw a Red-shouldered Hawk come up off the ground carrying a snake. As the Red-shouldered made its way toward a distant woodland, an adult Red-tailed Hawk came toward the Red-shouldered, probably wanting the snake. There were a few close passes in the air as the Red-tailed harassed the Red-shouldered, but the Red-shouldered was eventually able to get away to enjoy its meal. It was fun to watch the interaction!

This observation for the Red-shouldered Hawk; the Red-tailed Hawk posted separately.

Photos / Sounds

What

Eastern Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)

Observer

taogirl

Date

April 25, 2019

Description

not sure of my lizards but this guy was colorful, actually saw two near the peak of where we were hiking, not together but fairly close on the trail

Photos / Sounds

Observer

jiroiguchi

Date

March 2, 2015 09:54 AM +08

Photos / Sounds

Observer

pmyska

Date

May 23, 2020 09:39 AM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Mountain Coyote (Canis latrans ssp. lestes)

Observer

jorge144

Date

April 6, 2017 09:41 PM -05

Photos / Sounds

What

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

Observer

naturenut

Date

April 24, 2020

Photos / Sounds

What

Black-and-gold Sapsucking Slug (Cyerce nigricans)

Observer

ianhutton

Date

January 1, 2017 05:25 PM AEDT

Description

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Photos / Sounds

What

Gray Cracker (Hamadryas februa)

Observer

lsanchez99

Date

August 19, 2019

Description

POSADA SOBRE UN ARBOL, ENTRE LAS CABAÑAS

Photos / Sounds

What

Buffalo Treehoppers (Tribe Ceresini)

Observer

mokennon

Date

August 17, 2019 12:49 PM EDT

Photos / Sounds

Observer

chrislukhaup

Date

July 2, 2018 08:16 AM CEST

Photos / Sounds

What

American Great Egret (Ardea alba ssp. egretta)

Observer

jpleonar

Date

December 15, 2017 11:49 AM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

Observer

naturenut

Date

November 6, 2018

Description

I was talking to this guy and all of a sudden the second bobcat came out she chase a squirrel up in this tree in front of us but it didn't get it.... the squirrel wasn't to happy about the bobcat, so the bobcat gave up and it climbed back down

Photos / Sounds

Observer

luisstevens

Date

October 30, 2018 03:06 AM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Green-striped Grasshopper (Chortophaga viridifasciata)

Observer

pufferchung

Date

February 6, 2019 05:00 PM CST

Description

I am not sure what this one is.

Photos / Sounds

What

North Pacific Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae ssp. kuzira)

Observer

dpom

Date

August 4, 2017 11:38 AM PDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Target Longhorn Beetle (Hypsideroides junodi)

Observer

wynand_uys

Date

October 20, 2012

Description

Longhorn


25mm without antennae.

Photos / Sounds

What

Crimson-speckled Flunkey (Utetheisa pulchella)

Date

September 26, 2018 05:32 PM CEST

Photos / Sounds

What

Black-and-white Owl (Strix nigrolineata)

Observer

anudibranchmom

Date

March 2, 2018 06:41 PM PST

Photos / Sounds

What

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

Observer

sheliahargis

Date

October 21, 2017 10:55 AM CDT

Description

Not sure what is going on but this is the fourth birder that I know of who has had a phoebe perch on their binoculars or on their person at Commons Ford.

Photos / Sounds

What

Bornean Frogmouth (Batrachostomus mixtus)

Observer

jann_borneo

Date

August 2017

Description

Genus: Batrachostomus
Species :mixtus Sharpe, 1892.
Common name : Bornean Frogmouth.
It is fomerly considered conspecific with B.poliolophus but lacks extensive white on underparts, male has a much darker crown and female more contrastingly rich rufous. Vocalizations yet to be analysed in depth. It is considered to be monotypic.

Photos / Sounds

What

Southern Lion (Panthera leo ssp. melanochaita)

Observer

greglasley

Date

October 2018

Description

Another one of those "National Geographic" observations which we were lucky to have. We came around a corner of some rocks and found a lioness with three cubs late in the afternoon resting on a large flat rock. We spent an hour there until it was too dark to take any images. She was a very patient mother with these little ones crawling all over her, biting her tail and her ears, etc. It was very special to see!

Serengeti National Park,
Tanzania
24 October 2018

Photos / Sounds

What

African Hoopoe (Upupa epops ssp. africana)

Observer

greglasley

Date

October 25, 2018 10:47 AM CDT

Description

Serengeti National Park,
Tanzania
25 October 2018

Photos / Sounds

What

Southern and Eastern African Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus ssp. jubatus)

Observer

greglasley

Date

October 2018

Description

This series of images is another "National Geographic" moment that needs some explanation. The 11 folks on our photo Safari were divided among 4 safari vehicles...no more than 3 (plus the driver/guide) to a vehicle, so each photographer had access to each side of the vehicle. We were sometimes together, sometimes miles apart. Two of our vehicles spotted a distant Cheetah stalking 4 Grant's Gazelles. We could see the two vehicles about 1/4 mile away and we thought the Cheetah was perhaps headed toward us as the gazelles were moving toward us. Suddenly, from a long distance I saw the gazelles running fast though the tall grass and then I saw a cloud of dust. Three gazelles kept running but we did not see the 4th. The gazelles got 400-500 yards away then stopped to look back. The other vehicles told us the Cheetah had made a kill. When we got there the Cheetah had a small Grant's Gazelle by the throat while it still struggled a little. You could watch the Cheetah breathing heavily after its 5-8 second burst of speed to catch the gazelle. The Cheetah was a male and looked as if he needed a meal. We sat nearby for an hour as the Cheetah ate its fill. Just amazing to watch all this.

Serengeti National Park,
Tanzania
25 October 2018

Photos / Sounds

What

Pygmy Falcon (Polihierax semitorquatus)

Observer

greglasley

Date

October 25, 2018 05:46 PM CDT

Description

male and female

Serengeti National Park,
Tanzania
25 October 2018

Photos / Sounds

What

Yellow-necked Spurfowl (Pternistis leucoscepus)

Observer

greglasley

Date

October 18, 2018 03:38 PM CDT

Description

Tarangire National Park,
Tanzania
18 October 2018

Photos / Sounds

What

Olive Baboon (Papio anubis)

Observer

greglasley

Date

October 18, 2018 02:23 PM CDT

Description

Shots of several adults and a baby. We saw hundreds of these in many locations.

Tarangire National Park,
Tanzania
18 October 2018

Photos / Sounds

What

Texan Crescent (Anthanassa texana)

Observer

biologistnina

Date

June 19, 2018 04:04 PM +05

Photos / Sounds

What

Marsh Dagger (Acronicta insularis)

Observer

squaylei2000

Date

October 11, 2018 11:00 AM HST

Photos / Sounds

Observer

ck2az

Date

October 11, 2018 08:19 AM MDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Observer

vanremsen

Date

September 8, 2018 09:15 AM CDT

Description

Drinking from hummingbird feeder: https://youtu.be/6jjG5YDtlO8

Tags

Photos / Sounds

What

Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata)

Observer

gcwarbler

Date

April 15, 1974

Photos / Sounds

What

Texas Wasp Moth (Horama panthalon)

Observer

davewendelken

Date

November 6, 2016 12:07 PM EST

Photos / Sounds

What

Holarctic Treefrogs (Genus Hyla)

Observer

tamjam

Date

August 8, 2018 01:54 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Blue Anole (Anolis gorgonae)

Observer

mateogable

Date

March 2016

Place

Colombia (Google, OSM)

Photos / Sounds

What

Half-yellow Moth (Ponometia semiflava)

Observer

ptexis

Date

July 14, 2018 11:36 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Aztec Spur-throated Grasshopper (Aidemona azteca)

Observer

phiditude

Date

July 13, 2018 01:20 PM CDT

Description

Aidemona azteca nymph

Photos / Sounds

What

Eastern Phantom Crane Fly (Bittacomorpha clavipes)

Observer

dylapodiformes

Date

June 11, 2018 06:19 PM CDT

Description

On cabin wall, so cool!

Photos / Sounds

What

Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa)

Observer

scottbuckel

Date

May 20, 2018 06:41 AM CDT

Description

A few observation from the third day of the festival at Camp Allen,

Photos / Sounds

What

Tricoloured Heron (Egretta tricolor)

Observer

hvillalonmoreno

Date

May 7, 2018 11:41 AM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)

Observer

lauramorganclark

Date

May 5, 2018 08:59 AM CDT

Description

He was held completely still by a spiderweb. I freed him from after taking the photo.

Photos / Sounds

What

Common Bark Spider (Caerostris sexcuspidata)

Observer

suncana

Date

April 15, 2018 07:47 AM SAST

Photos / Sounds

What

Walckenaer's Studded Triangular Spider (Arkys walckenaeri)

Observer

simongrove

Date

January 2, 2017 02:24 PM AEDT

Description

Triangular spider Arkys walckenaeri, Sandfly, Tasmania January 2017

Photos / Sounds

Observer

briangooding

Date

April 12, 2018 03:40 PM CDT

Description

Coleopteran bumbling along

I came upon this extremely beautiful beetle while looking for dragonflies and snakes.

Photos / Sounds

What

Titan Sphinx (Aellopos titan)

Observer

taogirl

Date

November 11, 2017

Description

this moth got inside our screened back porch and a couple of wasps were eyeing it until we rescued it and got it outside where it went immediately to the lantana

Photos / Sounds

What

Green Comma (Polygonia faunus)

Observer

taogirl

Date

August 17, 2017

Description

sent this off to BaMoNA and just got a response; probably also the ssp of hyla in Colorado https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sighting_details/1135699

Photos / Sounds

What

Tricoloured Heron (Egretta tricolor)

Observer

greglasley

Date

January 24, 2018 03:04 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)

Observer

greglasley

Date

January 24, 2018 03:00 PM CST

Photos / Sounds

What

Mexican Bluewing (Myscelia ethusa)

Observer

eric_keith

Date

June 8, 2017 10:11 AM CDT

Description

Resaca de la Palma State Park

Photos / Sounds

What

Plumed Worm (Diopatra cuprea)

Observer

kimberlietx

Date

October 23, 2017 10:44 AM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Green Jay (Cyanocorax yncas)

Observer

finatic

Date

October 28, 2017 03:22 PM PDT

Description

Hidalgo County, Texas, US

Photos / Sounds

What

Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)

Observer

taogirl

Date

September 24, 2017

Photos / Sounds

What

Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)

Observer

sambiology

Date

August 24, 2017

Description

The rest of the day was spent around Pena Blanca Lake. Most of us just went out solo to explore on our own and came back at night to set up the black lights. Lots of amazing stuff here!

Still working on the ID's for these...

Check out the journal entry for lots of better photos of many of these same species:
http://www.inaturalist.org/journal/sambiology/11501-southeast-arizona-inaturalist-is-a-community

Photos / Sounds

What

Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda)

Observer

queenmab39

Date

July 22, 2017 09:33 AM HST

Photos / Sounds

What

Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi)

Observer

greglasley

Date

September 27, 2017 11:27 AM CDT

Description

The first 4 images are of a mature male. The last 6 images show a HY female with an aberrant pale bill. 4 or 5 migrant Townsend's Warblers were netted this date.

upupamartin and I have a close friend and colleague who lives in upper Madera Canyon in the Davis Mountains of west Texas at about 6300 ft elevation. He is a biologist and exceptional birder and naturalist as well as a bird bander with 40+ years experience. We spent about 24 hours on this property. This entire area is private and not open to the public.

Photos / Sounds

What

Serpent Ringtail (Erpetogomphus lampropeltis)

Observer

greglasley

Date

September 27, 2017 03:29 PM CDT

Description

this is private property

Photos / Sounds

What

American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus)

Observer

walkingstick2

Date

September 11, 2017 12:17 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis)

Observer

walkingstick2

Date

September 11, 2017 12:27 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata)

Observer

greglasley

Date

September 12, 2017 11:15 AM CDT

Description

After the first Two-tailed Swallowtail I had ever found in my yard yesterday:
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/7886659
two of them showed up today. Beautiful butterfly! This is near the eastern edge of their range. Note the Polistes species wasp in image 1....I guess it was curious about what the swallowtail had discovered.

Photos / Sounds

What

Ernestine's Moth (Phytometra ernestinana)

Observer

ptexis

Date

September 7, 2017 06:39 AM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Bleeding Flower Moth (Schinia sanguinea)

Observer

walkingstick2

Date

September 7, 2017 12:06 PM CDT

Description

It blended in with the flower so well I almost missed it. Looks sort of like a tie-dye design. Its wings were closed when I saw it. I gently touched it to see if it was alive. It did not move except it opened its wings partially.
This was the only one I could see. The other Blazing Stars did not have any on it that I could see.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

walkingstick2

Date

September 7, 2017 02:26 PM CDT

Description

Not sure if this is right. I've never seen one of these. Looks like a house fly but velvety, metallic looking.

Photos / Sounds

What

Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus)

Observer

butterflies4fun

Date

August 30, 2017 06:43 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)

Observer

lauramorganclark

Date

August 12, 2017 09:43 AM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

Observer

greglasley

Date

July 18, 2017 03:39 PM CDT

Description

with assorted terns

Photos / Sounds

What

Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans)

Observer

greglasley

Date

July 18, 2017 03:58 PM CDT

Description

This will be way overkill in regards to photos but this was a very exciting discovery for @upupamartin and me.

Elegant Tern
Thalasseus elegans
North Padre Island,
Kleberg Co., Texas
18 July 2017

Details: Martin Reid @upupamartin and I decided to make a day trip to the Corpus Christi area to look for dragonflies. We spent some time in Kingsville as well as Corpus Christi and by 1 PM it was so hot that our enthusiasm for continuing to walk in the sun and heat was waning (or at least my enthusiasm was waning!) so we decided to do a little beach driving to see what birds the late summer might be returning to the Texas coast before we had to drive home to San Antonio and Austin. We drove down to Padre Island National Seashore and checked out Bird Island Basin and Malaquite Beach and noted many flocks of hundreds of Black Terns as well as Least Terns, Royals, and the other expected Texas coast species of late July. At about 3:30 PM we drove north on the beach heading north toward the Bob Hall Pier and left the national seashore. We were about 3/4 mile north of the national seashore boundary when we noted a juvenile Royal Tern pestering an adult so I thought I’d try to get a few shots of this interaction. I turned the front of my vehicle toward the surf so I could take some shots out the driver’s window with the sun more or less from behind but still quite high overhead. As I am taking the shots of the two Royals:
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/7118108
something in the background caught my eye. There was another tern with a very long, very slender, and very bright orange/red bill with a full black shaggy crest. I thought to myself that it looked like an Elegant Tern, but then thought to myself…this is Texas, that is normally a Pacific coast bird. As I am still looking through my camera I saw a second bird that looked like an Elegant Tern. Then both birds started preening and the bills were no longer visible. I told Martin that I think there are two Elegant Terns here. Martin was also looking but at the moment the birds had their bills hidden while preening. The two suspect terns were physically smaller than Royals, perhaps the size of Sandwich Terns or a little larger by direct comparison. Martin said something to the effect of “Are you sure?” and at that moment I started to doubt what I had seen, but then one of the terns picked its bill up and I said rather emphatically “Those are Elegant Terns!”. Martin said something like “uh…yes, yes yes!” or words to that effect. We started taking photos, and in the end together we likely shot 600+ images of these birds. We were with the birds for just over an hour and 15 minutes. The information on these birds was posted to various bird alerts by Sheridan Coffey, Martin’s wife, and we sent her an image or two from the back viewer on the camera. We called several people, but most were too far away to get to our location the same afternoon. Both Mel Cooksey and Jon McIntyre got to us within about 45 minutes and were both able to see and photograph the birds extensively. Jon @mako252 has some shots on iNat at:
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/7110585

Elegant Tern has six previous records for Texas, so this should be the 7th.

Description: These were medium to large terns, perhaps slightly larger than adjacent Sandwich Terns. They seemed to be ca. 80% the size and bulk of adjacent Royal Terns; but obviously smaller. One of the Elegant Terns was still in mostly breeding plumage with more or less a full black, shaggy crest. There were a few white spots showing up on the forehead. The second Elegant Tern had a mostly white fore crown but still displayed a shaggy crest. Their bills were bright red/orange, as long or longer than Royal Terns, but very thin and almost slightly de-curved looking. Refer to the images for more information. Martin and I both have seen many Elegant Terns in California, Mexico and various South America locations so we have some experience with the ID of the species.

Image 1: shows the adult and juv. Royal Tern I was photographing for:
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/7118108
and in the center of the shot you can see what caught my eye…an Elegant Tern.
Image 2: Elegant Tern with Sandwich and Black Terns
Image 3: Good view of bill shape and structure of one of the Elegant Terns
Image 4: Elegant Tern in center
Image 5, 6: Two Royal Terns in front, Elegant in rear
Image 7, 8: both Elegant Terns
Image 9, 10: side by side comparison of the bills of a Royal Tern and an Elegant Tern
Image 11: Elegant Tern
Image 12: Elegant Tern in front on Royal Tern. Even though the Elegant is closer to the camera, note the larger size and bulk of the Royal.
Image 13, 14: Two Elegants and two Royals
Image 15: both Elegant Terns
Image 16: one Elegant Tern
Image 17, 18: wing stretch by an Elegant Tern near two Laughing Gulls
Image 19-26: Elegant Tern bathing

Photos / Sounds

What

Eastern Ringtail (Erpetogomphus designatus)

Observer

greglasley

Date

July 21, 2017 10:45 AM CDT

Description

pair in copula

Photos / Sounds

What

Western Giant Swallowtail (Heraclides rumiko)

Observer

greglasley

Date

July 27, 2017 12:48 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Five-striped Leaftail (Phyllogomphoides albrighti)

Observer

greglasley

Date

July 28, 2017 11:04 AM CDT

Description

male

@mikef451 and I made a short visit to Gonzales, Texas as well as an area west of Luling, Texas this morning and found a few dragonflies. Mike will be posting more shots of these and some species I did not photograph. Fun morning and only up to 95 degrees by 11 AM….cool front I guess.

Photos / Sounds

What

Beelzebub Bee-Eater (Mallophora leschenaulti)

Observer

greglasley

Date

August 3, 2017 10:27 AM CDT

Description

@dhend9 and I made a brief visit to a small park this morning and found a few things to take shots of.

Dripping Springs Ranch Park,
Dripping Springs,
Hays Co., Texas
3 August 2017

Photos / Sounds

Observer

eduardo_axel

Date

August 16, 2007 04:12 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

Observer

vipinbaliga

Date

September 5, 2015

Description

I was waiting for a bus in a village near Bangalore when I saw something like a 2 headed Velvet Ant moving very fast on the ground. Took a closer look and realized it was very beautiful spider !!! The front pair of legs had beautiful velvet like tufts which it held out with pride while moving about.

Now the harsh reality set in. The bus i was waiting for would reach any minute. If i miss it, i would have to wait for at least 3 hours for the next one. With this in mind I quickly got my camera out and started photographing this fast little spider from every angle possible. Initially i thought it was a Salticidae. Eye arrangement which i observed in the zoomed in picture proved me wrong.

This spider was a nightmare to photograph. Continuously moving in an erratic manner and turning away from the direction of the camera. I was on the ground struggling for a satisfactory shot when an audience started gathering around me.

I had to take the Spider in my hand so that it wouldn't escape among the many pairs of legs all around me :-D

I had to answer all the curious questions from the watching audience while holding my breath, trying to get the focus right and frame well.

i had to make sure the spider didn't escape among the bushes in a split second while i was reviewing a shot. (Not answering them would be considered rude and I didn't want that).

After a few minutes of epic struggle with this beautiful creature the bus arrived. The spider was now safely among the grass and I clumsily boarded the bus with my tripod in one hand , camera in the other and a half open bag on my back :-D

The bus journey turned into a Q&A session. The interested students and local people taking a closer look at the pictures, asking all kinda questions, narrating their version of spider stories etc.

This is a high ISO shot, didn't have time to set up the lighting.... Not much info is available about this spider, its behavior, feeding and breeding habits.

Any info would be appreciated.

Spider on Steroids : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feXAaGfrrEg

Close-up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9exsBvhZCCo

Photos / Sounds

What

Nosy Pill Woodlouse (Armadillidium nasatum)

Observer

somadjinn

Date

May 21, 2016

Photos / Sounds

Observer

walkingstick2

Date

July 22, 2017 11:36 AM CDT

Description

This looks like a miniature cicada. It is weird. Cool! but Weird. Very shiny also,

Photos / Sounds

What

Grey Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)

Observer

dkset

Date

September 3, 2016 02:22 PM MDT

Photos / Sounds

What

White-lined Sphinx (Hyles lineata)

Observer

kimberlietx

Date

June 2017

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Photos / Sounds

What

Blackberry Looper Moth (Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria)

Observer

taharms48

Date

June 5, 2017 04:38 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Pond and Box Turtles (Family Emydidae)

Observer

tfandre

Date

April 2017

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Description

BABY

Photos / Sounds

What

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)

Observer

jwn

Date

June 5, 2017 12:55 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Eastern Giant Swallowtail (Heraclides cresphontes)

Observer

ddrhoads

Date

June 5, 2017 05:11 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)

Observer

itmndeborah

Date

June 4, 2017 03:43 PM CDT

Photos / Sounds

What

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)

Observer

bcptaylor

Date

June 2017

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Photos / Sounds

Observer

tfandre

Date

June 2017

Place

Texas, US (Google, OSM)

Photos / Sounds

What

Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva)

Observer

naturenut

Date

May 30, 2017

Photos / Sounds

What

Grey Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)

Observer

naturenut

Date

May 19, 2017

Photos / Sounds

What

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Observer

naturenut

Date

January 9, 2017

Photos / Sounds

What

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

Observer

naturenut

Date

January 24, 2017

Photos / Sounds

What

Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)

Observer

naturenut

Date

January 26, 2017

Photos / Sounds

What

Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

Observer

naturenut

Date

February 24, 2017