April 4, 2019 by mattbuckinghamphotography

One Perfect Spring Day

One perfect spring day, Carolina came to me and said that she wanted to go looking for dogwoods. She had a spot in mind, near the western edge of the Pineywoods. My response, unsurprisingly, was an eager “let’s go!”. So we set out into the woods, and what we found was a beautiful spring paradise beyond anything I could have expected. Seeing Flowering Dogwood, with its blossom laden branches painting the forest understory in white, is reward enough for a day’s wanderings. But the dogwoods were just a precursor to the botanical, entomological, and mycological treasures to be discovered.

Deep in the forest we came across a gentle slope in the mesic floodplain of a small stream. My attention was immediately captured by a sea of Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) leaves. Scattered Golden Groundsel (Packera obovata) blooms rose from beneath the surface, adding a splash of yellow to the forest floor. It was a beautiful scene for certain.

Vernal Forest

But the true treasures of this forest were revealed on closer examination. Carolina spotted the leaves of White Trout Lily (Erythronium albidum), and Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum), scattered low to the ground. Both species are quite rare in Texas. Moving further upslope, I began noticing more interesting blooms, including scattered colonies of Ozark Milkvetch (Astragalus distortus), Violet Woodsorrel (Oxalis violacea), and Lousewort (Pedicularis canadensis), also known as Wood Betony.

Ozark Milkvetch

Violet Woodsorrel

Lousewort

On the slopes drier upper reaches I encountered a couple of species that are much more common further west, where chalky, calcium rich soils are more common. There were several Prairie Celestials (Nemastylis geminimflora) blooming alongside Nuttall’s Death Camas, which was still in tight bud.

Though it superficially resemble a lily, and is often called the “Celestial Lily”, Nemastylis geminiflora is, in fact, a member of the Iris family. They thrive on calcium rich soils, and as the soils of the Pineywoods are generally acidic, they are seldom encountered here. Finding them alongside the calciphilic Toxicoscordion nuttallii, communicated to me that we were dealing with a calcareous forest, and that other interesting things were likely near.

Prairie Celestial

Prairie Celestial

While I was admiring some blooming thing, Caro called out that she had found what is, in my opinion, a serious contender for the most beautiful animal in the country: the Luna Moth (Actias luna). Seeing one of these massive silkworm moths in the wild is an experience not easily forgotten, and each encounter leaves me awestruck. This striking male had clearly just emerged from its pupa, where it overwintered hidden among the leaf litter at the base of a large shortleaf pine.

It was a male, as evidenced by its large, feathery antennae. It was no doubt awaiting nightfall, when it would take to the air in search of a female’s pheromone trail. The females advertise their location using these chemical cues, and males will fly all night to find them. It seems a tragic tale, as both sexes are born without feeding mouth parts, and live only for a week or so. Their only purpose is to find a mate so that they may parent the next generation of Luna Moths.

Luna Moth

When I had my lens trained on a different flower, Carolina called out that she had found an interesting fungus. And she had. I had heard that the elusive holy grail of fungi could be found in East Texas, but in nearly two decades of wandering I had never seen one. That all changed this day. Caro had found a Pineywoods morel. More specifically, a Yellow Morel (Morchella esculenta).

Morels may be THE most sought after wild edible in the country. Though common in some areas, they seem quite scarce in East Texas. I had long dreamed of finding and photographing one, but the possibility hadn’t crossed my mind as we set out that morning. These mushrooms are renowned for their rich flavor, and there is no way of knowing how many thousands of pounds are harvested each year. It is said that this harvest is not harmful to the plant, as only the above ground reproductive structure of the organism is removed. This is true in a sense, however removing them prior to the release of spores can still impact local populations. Due to their unique beauty and scarcity in the region, I could not bring myself to pick any, and after capturing their likeness , I left them to the forest.

Yellow Morel

After returning from an incredible day, Caro drafted a narrative of the mushrooms’ discovery which sums up a common interaction in such situations. I share it here, as a tribute to one perfect spring day.

Loving the idea of helping him because it means he needs me I always keep my eyes wide open to any opportunity. I have good sight, but those were hard to recognize because they look similar to the leaves on the ground. Suddenly, I could recognize them; they were those fungi that he loves. I start to talk to him, well, interrupting him from the shooting. Like any other husband in this world, he starts to sound interrupted and makes noises right before the question: what is it?! After, breaking the special connection man-plant I could explain myself, but still wife-annoyed and mumbling secret words to the universe he knelt and asked again: what is it? But this time with a resigning attitude and makes an effort to not rise the voice, so I couldn’t detect the obvious and by using husband-diplomacy; he said “what?”. It took me a moment to make him understand what I was talking about and even longer to show the respective subjects. Then, he jumped and started to claim this species was something he always wanted to see and take photos, so the mystic connection moment restarted again.

Yellow Morels

December 31, 2018 by mattbuckinghamphotography

Autumn in the Pineywoods

East Texas Waterfall

As I write this, on a cold and rainy day at the end of December, all but a handful of brave trees have cast their leaves in preparation for the darkness and cold that winter brings. Days like this it’s easy to long for the milder days and brilliant colors of fall. This year was a particularly beautiful autumn in the Pineywoods, with many species putting on displays of color that I had not seen for some time. To fight off the gloom of this winter’s day, I decided to live vicariously through my memories as I chronicle my autumn explorations here.

We’ll start on my birthday. At the start of October, the days have become shorter and the temperatures begin to cool. October has always been one of my favorite months here in Texas. The colors begin to turn, and the climate is mild. Cool enough that it is pleasant to be outside, yet warm enough that many winter-adverse species such as reptiles and insects are still active. A number of interesting fall-blooming plants are also on display in this month of the Hunter’s Moon.

On my birthday we set out to find a few such plants. The first that we came across was the Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora), also known as the Ghost or Corpse Plant. This interesting fungus-eating plant is a member of the blueberry family, of all things. It does not produce chlorophyll like most traditional plants, but rather obtains its energy and nutrients from the mycorhizzal fungi of tree roots. In Texas they may begin to bloom in late August or early September, and I have seen them as late at January (late in the sense that it is at the end of the blooming season for this species). The flowers’ superficial resemblance to a pipe as inspired stories in Native American folklore, including the idea that these plants mark the graves of old chiefs, and provide them a vessel with which to smoke from the afterlife.

Indian Pipes

Growing near the Indian Pipes, in the shade of American Beech was a rare treat, Tall Rattlesnake Root (Prenanthes altissima). Though it may line the roadsides further east, it is known from only a few isolated locations in extreme eastern Texas. Here it grows on steep hillside springheads and the banks of springfed streams in mature hardwood forests.

Tall Rattlesnake Root

Ample rains in September fueled a profusion of fungi, whose fibrous filaments draw moisture from the earth and feed on the ample detritus beneath the leaf litter. Fungi are fascinating, beautiful organisms. They lead most of their lives hidden below ground, but grace us with a spectacular display when their fruiting bodies form. Perhaps my favorites are the many varieties of coral fungus. Each is unique, and contain an intricate maze of protrusions that seem crafted by some avant-garde architect.

Coral Fungus

Many species of fungus are quite toxic to humans, but there are some that are said to be delicious. I personally have never been brave enough to try wild mushrooms. It seems like for every edible species there is a lethal, or at least debilitating look-alike. One species that is favored by foragers is the Indigo Milk Cap (Lactarius indigo) which an be found in hardwood bottoms in late summer and early fall.

Indigo Milk Cap

Fungi come in a staggering array of shapes and colors. They are also fun to photograph, and lead the mind to find interesting angles and compositions with which to present them.

Fungi (I believe these are chanterelles)

Fungi

Autumn also signals the beginning of the salamander breeding season in East Texas. In mid-October conditions were right for Marbled Salamanders (Ambystoma opacum) to make their annual breeding migrations. Unlike most members of the family Ambystomatidae, which breed in the water during late winter and early spring, the Marbled Salamander breeds on dry land, and the females lay their eggs under woody debris within dry vernal pool basins. They will then guard the eggs as they wait for winter rains to fill the pools and disperse and hatch their offspring. By doing this they get a leg up on the competition, so to speak, which comes in the form of other amphibian larvae that won’t begin to develop for another couple of months.

Marbled Salamander Male

Marbled Salamanders are one of relatively few amphibian species that are sexually dimorphic. The males (pictured above) have bright silvery white dorsal patterns while the females (pictured below) have duller silver to coppery markings. The males also display a swollen cloaca at the base of their tail during the breeding season.

Marbled Salamander

In late October Caro and I spent a damp autumn day in the woods with our friends James and Erin. It provided a chance to capture more images of interesting fungi, like these Earthstars, which look like little puff balls wearing tutus.

Earthstars

We also observed a number of insects like these seemingly affectionate Six-spotted Flower Longhorn Beetles (Strangalia sexnotata).

Six-spotted Flower Longhorn Beetles

We also found a few Rainbow Scarabs (Phanaeus vindex), a spectacular beetle that I highlighted in a previous blog post.

Rainbow Scarab

And then there were the Indian Pipes. We found hundreds in a remnant Longleaf Pine savannah, pushing up through the dense carpet of needles and cones. It became somewhat of a game seeing who could spot the most. Per usual, Caro won by a landslide.

Indian Pipes

One October day I received a call from my wife that she had found a recently hit Gray Fox next to the road. Being eccentric biologist types, we decided that we wanted to try to get its skeleton for study and admiration. So we called James and Erin, who own a large tract of land, and asked if we could set it out there to decompose. Being a couple of biologists themselves, they gladly agreed and we loaded the fox carcass in the bed of my truck and set out on the half-hour or so journey to their farm.

Just after we arrived, I heard my wife call out, “Look at this!” No surprise really, as she has an uncanny talent for spotting creatures, plants, and any other thing that remains invisible to most. She had found a large adult female Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina), hiding among the goldenrod blooms near the Childress cabin.

Carolina Mantis

Of course, in our haste to make our morbid delivery I had forgotten my camera. Fortunately James was kind enough to lend me his. We approached the scene and I tried to formulate a plan on how to best photograph this spectacular insect. As we drew near we noticed the carcasses of Common Eastern Bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) scattered about the ground, dismembered and drained of their juices. Oblivious to the danger, there were several more bees nectaring on the goldenrod just inches from the mantis. So I found a good angle and waited to see if I might capture some action. I set the lens on a bee that was slowly creeping closer and closer to this devourer of pollinators. The bee brushed against the mantis’s leg, yet still the predator remained still. Its head slowly cocked and it’s antennae twitched ever so slightly. Deliberately and methodically it crept toward the ravenous bumble bee. Its movements were almost imperceptible. I captured the image below as it zeroed in on the bee and prepared its strike.

Seconds after I captured this image the mantis did strike, though I only managed to record a blur of green. It missed, and the bee flew to a distant part of the same plant to continue feeding. Later we would see the mantis in the middle of devouring another unfortunate Bombus impatiens, though we missed the strike. In all it would seem that this ruthless hunter his doing quite well on the goldenrod she has staked claim to. She remained on that withering goldenrod well into December.

Seconds from Disaster

A few days before Halloween, Caro and I set out to look for signs of fall along backroads and deep in the forest. Colors were beginning to change, with vines like Virginia Creeper and Poison Ivy putting on a brilliant display. Elms, hickories, and even some red maples were beginning to lose their chlorophyll while baldcypress was nearing peak color. Monarchs are passing through en masse, and were joined at fall blooming plants by Gulf Fritillaries, Buckeyes, and American Ladies.

In the late afternoon we came across a stunning Canebrake Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) taking in the Sun’s fading warmth. It was one of the lightest snakes I’ve seen, with narrow bands of almost pure white along its chevrons. I would put it at a bit under three feet in length, a decent size. And like most of its kind that I’ve encountered it rattled only briefly, and was incredible docile and non-aggressive throughout our interaction.

Canebrake Rattlesnake

After spending some time with this spectacular denizen of the deep woods, we were able to turn up a couple of Marbled Salamanders and Southern Leopard Frogs adjacent to a series of ephemeral wetlands. I then noticed a large fallen tree, its branches arching above the forest floor. While admiring the verdance of the mosses and Resurrection Fern coating the bark, I glimpsed an unusual creature swaying back and forth. It was a huge Megarhyssa atrata (a type of giant ichneumon) busy probing the chambers of horntail wasp larvae with her ovipositor. She lays her eggs in the soft flesh of these larvae, where they will hatch and consume their host as they develop. This downed tree was literally swarming with Megarhyssa atrata and M. macrurus. Though they may be “creepy” looking, these large insects are harmless and fascinating.

Megarhyssa atrata

In early November we set out to look for Long-lipped Ladies’ Tresses (Spiranthes longilabris) a rare orchid of fire-maintained Longleaf Pine Savannahs. A species of the coastal plain, they reach the western extent of their range in East Texas. Uncommon to rare throughout their range, in Texas they are known from only a handful of sites in the Big Thicket.

Long-lipped Ladies’ Tresses

Another East Texas rarity is the Kidney-leaved Grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia asarifolia). To my knowledge, they only persist along a single drainage in the Pineywoods.

Kidney-leaved Grass-of-Parnassus

A favorite past time of Carolina and me is wandering around Ellen Trout Park here in Lufkin. There are usually a variety of interesting things to be seen, including several resident Great Egrets (Ardea alba).

Great Egret

The star attraction of the park, however, is a pair of Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) that nest there each year. It wasn’t so long ago that Bald Eagles were nearing extinction, but a variety of factors including the banning of DDT and Federal regulations like the Endangered Species Act and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act brought them back from the brink.

While most of East Texas’s species suffered greatly from the construction of large reservoirs, this is one of a few species that has actually benefited. The damming of the major rivers of the region created tens of thousands of acres of suitable habitat for the large raptors. In East Texas, Bald Eagles prefer to nest near the top of large pine trees adjacent to large water bodies. I composed the image below to capture the essence of this habitat.

Bald Eagle

By late November, fall color had begun arriving in earnest. One one of our frequent evening drives, I spotted the stereotypical Pineywoods scene below along the backroads.

Florida Maple (Acer floridanum) generally displays a brilliant golden yellow during autumn. This year they put on quite a show on slopes and along riverbanks.

Florida Maples

In some areas Florida Maples can be found growing alongside Red Maples (Acer rubrum). In the fall, Red Maple comes in a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, and red. In the image below it held up to its namesake, and provided an excellent contrast to the bright yellows of the Florida Maple next door.

A Meeting of Maples

The Pineywoods of East Texas are known for their towering forests. While breathtaking in their own right, the abundance of trees blocks the horizon, and there are not many places in East Texas that offer broad views of the landscape. There are a few exceptions on high ridges, however, like this spot east of Nacogdoches. Here the crowns of pines and a diversity of hardwoods creates a beautiful fall palette of greens, oranges, and yellows.

Bird’s Eye View

Many species of butterfly remain active well into the fall. One of the most common is the Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae). We often see them nectaring alongside other species on fall blooming wildflowers like these asters.

Gulf Fritillary

In late November, Carolina and I made our way north to explore the forests of Cherokee and Smith Counties. Here we found countless beautiful scenes, of which I attempted to capture just a small fraction of their brilliance with the images below.

Dressed in Gold

Autumn Exposure

During this day trip, we visited Tyler State Park for the first time. The State Park system of Texas protects a multitude of important and interesting natural and cultural features. The park was beautiful, with ample fall color among mature mixed pine-hardwood forests and infrastructure created by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

I generally avoid including man-made elements in my images, however the road through the state park seemed to be asking to be photographed. I captured the image to remind me of one of my favorite past times – driving quiet back roads in fall…

The Road to Autumn

…and hiking in the autumnal forest. If you look closely in the image below you can see a hiker’s footbridge beneath Flowering Dogwoods with foliage aflame.

Tyler State Park Trail

The color of the day was definitely orange, a deviation from the standard yellows and occasional reds typical further south. The Red Maples in particular were glowing. We enjoyed our time in the park, and will likely be making a repeat visit soon!

Autumn’s Orange

Maples in the Midstory

Some autumn scenes display a more subtle beauty. I captured the scene below in the floodplain of the Neches River. The Inland Sea Oats blanketing the ground had turned brown. The bark of Sugarberries added contrast while the fall foliage of distant elms added a splash of color.

All that Remains

Perhaps the most spectacular fall scene would not reveal itself until December, when I went to visit a waterfall recently discovered by my friend Scott. This waterfall is hidden deep forest in an area where steep ravines funnel water, whose power carves shallow canyons into the erodible mudstone of the Wilcox Formation. The slopes that grade down to this stream are decorated with the golden autumn foliage of American Beech and likely harbor a vernal flora rich in peripheral species of the great Eastern deciduous forests.

There are few things that bring me more joy than a walk in the autumn woods, and though the season has turned, it’s hard to fret too much. Winter resident birds have arrived and salamanders have begun to breed. Though winter may seem the bleakest of seasons, there is lots of life for those willing to look. So for now, I will look forward to the winter and spring, and say, “until next time, autumn!”

October 16, 2018 by mattbuckinghamphotography

Reflecting on Summer in the Pineywoods

S-banded Tiger Beetle

With the arrival of our first “real” cold front of the season, and temperatures in the extended forecast barely creeping out of the 60s, I think it’s safe to say that fall has arrived. The forests are full of fungi and fall-blooming asters. And just the other day I found several Marbled Salamander, a true harbinger of fall.

But before I set out to bask in the beauty of Autumn, I find myself thinking back to a summer spent in the forests of my home. This year’s was a particularly hot, dry summer. After a few years of relatively mild summers, at least in terms of Texas, this one was intense. Yet even in the midst of heat waves and drought there are natural treasures to be found by those willing to look.

I found one such treasure on a sweltering day in late June. On the advice of my friend Joe Liggio, author of Wild Orchids of Texas, I went to check on a local population of Crest Coralroot Orchids (Hexalectris spicata). This is a wide ranging species, occurring from Arizona to Florida to Virginia. In Texas they occur in scattered populations throughout the state, with the most robust populations being in the White Rock Escarpment of north-central Texas, the Edward’s Plateau, and the mountains of the Trans Pecos. In the Pineywoods they are only known from a few localized populations. Here they are generally found singly, or in small, scattered clumps. This year however, we found a huge clump of over 30 stems.

The Crested Coralroot is a non-photosynthesizing mycoheterotroph, meaning that it lacks chlorophyll and has no real leaves to speak of. It lives out its days a little more than an underground rhizome and small roots that penetrate the mycorrhizal fungi of tree roots in order to rob them of a portion of their energy and nutrients. All that alerts the average forest-goer to their presence is the flesh colored flowering stalk and purple-streaked flowers that emerge all to briefly in the early summer.

Crested Coralroot

Emerging from forest floors rich in decomposing organic material in early June is the Ox Beetle (Strategus aloeus). These massive coleopterans are among the largest insects in the United States. The pronotums of males are decorated with three horns that are utilized in combat to win the favor of females. These massive beetles are familiar visitors to porch and gas station lights on warm, humid, moonless summer nights.

Male Ox Beetle

Another, much more occasional, visitor to night lights is the assassin bug known as Microtomus purcis. So named for their tendency to ambush other insects and dispatch them with their long spear-like beak, assassin bugs come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Microtomus purcis is one of the largest, and most striking. When not visiting man-made lights in errors, they spend much of their time hidden beneath the bark of rotting tree trunks.

Microtomus purcis

We spent much of July away from the Pineywoods, visiting the sky islands of West Texas and the beaches of the Upper Texas Coast. I could not resist, however, seeking out the brilliant orange Platanthera orchids that light up the bog like tiny torches. There are four species in Texas, however this year I would only photograph two of them. Interestingly, I would find them both on the same day.

In late July we traveled to the Big Thicket, where deep in a mosquito infested baygall I spotted the brilliant inflorescence of the Crested Fringed Orchid (Platanthera cristata). This is perhaps the second rarest of our Platanthera species, only known from a few sites in the central and southern Pineywoods. In Texas they seem to prefer the shaded, highly acidic conditions of forested seeps, occurring either on their margins or interiors. I have also found them at acidic seeps along springfed streams. They are generally in the company of a variety of ferns, and other forest seep specialists like Nodding Nixie (Apteria aphylla). This seemed a good year for them. I often wonder what triggers an orchid bloom, as some years none will bloom, other years only a handful, and that rare year where many will bloom. Rainfall no doubt plays some important roll, but as to when the rain should fall to trigger the bloom and what other factors may contribute, I am at a loss.

Crested Fringed Orchid

After leaving the baygall we traveled east to a wetland pine savannah where we found the enigmatic Chapman’s Fringed Orchid (Platanthera chapmanii). P. chapmanii occurs in scattered populations in Texas, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. It is believed by many to have arisen from an ancient hybrid of P. cristata and P. cilliaris, seeming to display characteristics of both. It can be differentiated from the former by its long beard and reflexed lateral sepals. It differs from the latter by its hooked columns. In Texas P. chapmanii is known from a few remnant wetland pine savannahs in the Big Thicket.

Chapman’s Fringed Orchid

Chapman’s Fringed Orchid in a wetland pine savannah

Growing alongisde the Chapman’s Orchids were a variety of carnivorous plants, including the conspicuous Pale Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia alata). The leaves of these carnivores, known as pitchers, are hollow and form long tubes with pools of digestive enzymes at their base. Unsuspecting insects that enter the pitchers may become trapped in the enzyme soup, where they are slowly digested, nourishing the plants.

Pitcher Plants in Love

In early August Caro and I found ourselves in pursuit of another orange beauty, the Carolina Lily (Lilium michauxii). Uncommon in Texas, the Carolina Lily grows in rich, mature forests, generally on hardwood slopes, though it may occur on rocky slopes dominated by Longleaf Pine. We actually spotted our first lily of the season growing along a county road in a remnant patch of forest surrounded by pine plantations.

Carolina Lily

A few days later we went to visit a population that Caro had spotted last year long after antithesis. This year we found them in full bloom, and even spotted one plant that had three flowers, something I had never seen before.

Carolina Lily

Carolina maintains our garden, which is full of a variety of native plant species. A benefit to a diversity of native plants in our yard is that we are able to attract a variety of native pollinators. And with the pollinators come the predators. In essence we get to observe the food chain in action every day. One of my favorite back yard predators is the Widow Skimmer, which stalks the garden and occasionally pauses for a brief photo shoot.

Widow Skimmer

One of my favorite summer past-times is wandering along the numerous clear, cold, springfed streams that transect portions of the Pineywoods. There is so much to see beneath the water, along the banks, and in the surrounding forests. It was on the banks of one such stream that I spotted these striking red fungi.

Fungi

Late summer brings with it a peak in tiger beetle activity. Undisturbed beaches along streams and rivers may literally be swarming with a variety of species, voraciously chasing down any prey item unfortunate enough to get in their path. One species, the S-banded Tiger beetle (Cicindelidia trifasciata) was historically considered a species of the coast, however in recent years it has been found along waterways hundreds of miles inland. In the Pineywoods it is now quite common in many areas.

S-banded Tiger Beetle

The Bronzed Tiger Beetle (Cicindela repanda) is a wide-ranging, somewhat variable species. Their elytra may appear dark brown, coppery, or even golden under the right light conditions. They are commonly encountered on sandy stream banks and sandbars of streams and rivers.

Perhaps the most commonly encountered Tiger Beetle in the Pineywoods is the Ocellated Tiger Beetle (Cicindelidia ocellata). Unlike most species of the Pineywoods, which are characteristically eastern and at the western edge of their range, the Ocellated Tiger Beetle is primarily a species of the southwest and reaches the eastern limit of its range here.

Ocellated Tiger Beetle

A visit to my good friend James Childress‘s farm is always good for turning up a few invertebrates. The plants and woodpiles along his cabin harbor rich arachnid diversity, and we are always treated to a wealth of spider sightings. Perhaps the most entertaining of all of the farm’s eight-legged denizens is the Bold Jumping Spider (Phiddipus audax).

Bold Jumping Spider

Under a chair on James’s patio we found this large female Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans). Perhaps the most famous/infamous spider in the country, the Black Widow has a reputation of being dangerous and ruthless due to its potent venom and tendency to cannibalize males seeking mating opportunities. In reality, they are docile, gentle creatures disinclined to bite.

Black Widow

As August turned to September, my friend Scott Wahlberg spotted something truly remarkable. Deep in a mature hardwood stream bottom he caught a glimpse of a massive Canebrake Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) that we estimated to be pushing five feet in length and as thick as my upper arm. Finding this snake was a reminder that all manner of fantastic creatures are hidden deep in the forest, many of which will never be seen by visitors to their woodland realm. We were fortunate, however, to see one of these elusive forest spirits. In a time and place when so many seem determined to wipe these beautiful animals out based on unfounded fears and ignorance, it is nothing short of incredible that this snake would live long enough to attain such an impressive size. Spending a moment with this gentle giant truly was a gift from the forest.

Canebrake Rattlesnake

Back at James’s farm the hummingbirds had arrived in force. South-bound Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) begin arriving in the Pineywoods in late summer. Dozens of these tiny aerial acrobats were fighting for position among James’s feeders, eager to refuel and prepare for the continued journey south.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Many shorebirds also pass through the Pineywoods in East Texas as they migrate south. In early September while laying flat on a river sandbar photographing tiger beetles I caught a blur of motion our of the corner of my eye. Slowly I turned my head to focus on this new distraction, and saw that it was a Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularis) darting back and forth in pursuit of invertebrate prey. Though the bird was only about 25 feet away, it was still too far for my macro to reach. Slowly I crept backwards, and then made my way to my truck to seek out my telephoto lens. I could only hope that the tiny hunter would stick around. As I retreated I watched the shorebird make several mad dashes in the area I had just left, undoubtedly snatching up some of the tiger beetles I had just been observing.

I made it to the truck and equipped my bird lens. I then cautiously made my way back to the sandbar. At first I couldn’t see the sandpiper, but after some time it became visible behind a small rise in the sand, tail a-bobbing. I got into the water and laid flat, trying to conceal as much as my form as possible. I slowly moved toward my quarry, and found it to be surprisingly tolerant. Most shorebirds are in their basic, or non-breeding plumage this time of year. In the Spotted Sandpiper, I find this look to be just as striking as its breeding plumage, particularly the fine details on the wing coverts.

I watched the sandpiper through my lens as it moved up and down the edge of the sandbar, stalking and pouncing on prey, and flipping leaves and other bits of cover to see what tasty morsels might lie beneath. After it had scoured most of the sandbar’s perimeter it took off upriver, flying southward with its characteristic erratic wingbeats. I was left with a few images and a fine memory of an unexpected encounter of the best kind.

Spotted Sandpiper on the prowl

Spotted Sandpiper

I can’t say that I’ll miss the summer heat, but I will miss many of the familiar species that vanish for the year as summer turns to autumn. I can’t be too sad, however, as each season in the Pineywoods has a unique cast of characters, and each year I look forward to seeing familiar faces and those that I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting in these wonderful, diverse forests.

March 9, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

Are we in East Texas or Appalachia?

False Rue Anemone

I’m going to break my own rule again and make a post that is not about a species on my 2017 list of biodiversity goals to tell you about what may be, in my opinion, the nicest patch of forest in all of Texas. A couple of years ago Carolina and I were fortunate enough to meet Susan and Viron through a mutual friend. We joined them on a hike through the Sabine National Forest and it became clear that we were meant to be friends. They shared our love for exploring wild places. During our hike they talked about the property they owned in East Texas. They mentioned some plants that they had on their property including bloodroot and trout lily, and naturally my ears perked up. We parted ways with a promise to explore their land to see what other treasures it might hold.

We got our chance the next spring, and visited them at their home – a log cabin that they built themselves – nestled on a high ridge overlooking a steep, scenic slope. As we approached the house I could already begin seeing drifts of Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium rostratum) and clumps of Sabine River Wakerobin (Trillium gracile). After visiting for a while we set out to explore.

A mesic calcareous slope on private land rich in spring ephemeral forbs that are rare in Texas. Taken in March 2016

They took us down a trail that lead away from the house. It climbed to the top of a hill covered in Mayapple (Podphyllum peltatum), and as we crested the ridge I was not prepared for the view that lay before me. I saw a steep slope that was literally carpeted with thousands of spring ephemeral herbs that were flowering in spectacular profusion. Thousands of Yellow Trout Lilies and Cutleaf Toothworts (Cardamine concactenata) had opened their blooms. Both species are rare in Texas. The scene seemed more appropriate for the slopes of the Great Smoky or Blue Ridge Mountains than East Texas.

There was also a species growing among them that I did not immediately recognize. It turned out to be False Rue Anemone (Enemion biternatum), and I was unsure if it had been previously documented in Texas. After returning home that evening I sent an e-mail to Jason Singhurst, the state botanist with TPWD and began doing a little research. It turned out to be the second documented population in the state. Having found the only other population, Jason was anxious to get out and explore the property to document this population and see what else this wonderful land might harbor.

False Rue Anemone

He got his chance a couple of days ago on a warm, rainy spring day. Jason and a group of excellent botanists joined me on the property, and while it rained on and off throughout the day, I could not find it in me to complain about the weather. To me, days like this are the epitome of spring in the eastern forests. Like me, Jason and the others could not believe their eyes. After arriving we soon located the False Rue Anemone which was blooming by the thousands.

The mesic, calcareous slopes turned out to be far more extensive than I originally thought, stretching for acres across the property. Perhaps the most dominant spring ephemeral forb was the Yellow Trout Lily, which had sent up hundreds of thousands of leaves. While there were several blooms they remained closed throughout the day, as they only open under warm, bright conditions. Fortunately I was able to photograph this species at the site the previous year. Yellow Trout Lily is rare in Texas, known only from a few high quality mesic forests. It is one of a few yellow-flowered in Eastern North America. It is easily differentiated by the others by its erect flowers and tepals (combination of petals and sepals) that are not reflexed.

Yellow Trout Lily. Taken in March 2016

Perhaps even more rare than the Yellow Trout Lily is the Cutleaf Toothwort. It too was blooming by the thousands here. This rare member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) is a typical flower of eastern deciduous forests that is only known from a few locations in Texas. It is one of the hosts for the Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea). Though we saw many of these beautiful butterflies during our visit, they were impossible to photograph as they refused to pause while bouncing from flower to flower in their quest for nectar.

Cutleaf Toothwort. Taken in March 2016

Several flowering groups of Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata) were also present. This showy phlox is rare in Texas, where it reaches the southwestern periphery of its range. However it can be downright abundant in the hardwood forests of the Appalachians and eastern North America.

Wild Blue Phlox

The rain presented several unique photographic opportunities. The day must have been just warm enough for the Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) to open. We found several of this quintessential forb of the eastern deciduous forest. I captured this photogenic plant with fresh raindrops on the petals. Like so many of the other plants at this site, Bloodroot is rare in Texas. Probably never particularly common, it has suffered through more than a century of habitat destruction and over-collection for its medicinal properties.

Bloodroot

Growing among the Bloodroot were several Southern Twayblade Orchids (Listera australis). It was the only orchid species we located during our visit, but there is certainly potential for more to be out there.

Southern Twayblade Orchid. Taken in March 2016

The Sabine River Wakerobin was also up in force. This attractive trillium is endemic to the Pineywoods of East Texas and western Louisiana.

Sabine River Wakerobin. Taken in March 2016

The understory was also full of flowering shrubs and small trees. Perhaps the most notable were the thickets of Red Buckeye (Aescuslus pavia). They seemed to have all bloomed in unison, and painted the understory red with their beautiful flowers.

Red Buckeye

The Flowering Dogwoods (Cornus florida) were also in bloom. To me, this plant, more than other, represents the essence of spring in East Texas and eastern North America.

Flowering Dogwood. Taken in March 2016

We took a break from searching for plants to admire this particularly robust Ravenel’s Stinkhorn (Phallus ravenelii) pushing up from the leaf litter.

Ravenel’s Stinkhorn

There were many other rare plants that were not yet in flower including Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica), Virginia Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) and one species on my 2017 list: Starry Campion (Silene stellata). The presence of these botanical treasures provided an added incentive to return, however in truth the only reason we need is the opportunity to spend a day in the woods with our good friends Susan and Viron. After a long day, botanists and landowners parted ways content in seeing a bit of paradise nestled deep in the Pineywoods.

January 30, 2017 by mattbuckinghamphotography

Slow and Steady

The first month of 2017 has passed by and I have yet to cross any species off my list. Most of the species I put on the list are seasonal, so I spent January focusing on the few resident species that I included, namely the North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis).

Recently my good friend James Childress found a population close to home. My wife Carolina and i began visiting the site on the weekends, sometimes 2-3 times per day to no avail. However the waterway and adjacent wetlands and pine-oak uplands are rich with wildlife, and I found many photographic subjects in the otters’ absence

Wood Duck Drake

.One group that is noticeably missing from my list are birds. I didn’t include them because though I love bird photography, it is a difficult endeavor, and results are often unpredictable. If I were to have made a list, however, I would have incorporated the Wood Duck (Aix sponsa). These denizens of creeks, backwater sloughs, flooded oxbows, and ephemeral ponds can be abundant in parts of The Pineywoods. Unfortunately they are wary and secretive, and typically all I have to show from encountering one is a memory of splashing, their whistle like vocalization as they retreat, and if I’m lucky a distant glimpse of them flying through the trees. While pursuing the otters, however, I found a less wary subject and with a bit of patience and luck I was able to finally capture some images of what many consider to be North America’s most beautiful duck.

Wood Duck Drake

Wood Duck Drake

One afternoon, as I was trekking with my photographic gear to a spot where we expected the otters might show themselves, I heard my wife call out frantically. Not in fear, but rather a sense of urgency that I might miss the treasure she had stumbled upon. She had found a large Regal Jumping Spider (Phidippus regius). I had tried numerous times to photographic this species, but found them too wary and difficult to approach. But on this warm January day I found a bold, curious specimen that made for a perfect photographic subject.

Regal Jumping Spider

I have been photographing the Pineywoods of East Texas for many years now. While this species list project is a way to add a little spice to my photographic pursuits, I still love wandering the woods with a camera in hand, and no particular goal in mind. On New Year’s Day Carolina and I went to one of our favorite spots. We wandered the longleaf pine forest, admiring the fungi taking advantage of the moisture and humidity that remained after some recent rains. As is typical in our forest wanderings, Carolina had the best find of the day – A pair of Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora) pushing skyward from the dense carpet of longleaf pine needles. I was surprised to see it blooming so late in the season. The habitat also seemed unusual to me, as I was accustomed to seeing it in the rich loams of moist slopes and stream bottoms. Pleased with the days observations, we sat among the longleaf pines as the day faded, and contemplated the adventures to come.

The Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) is showy, highly toxic mushroom that appears in pine-dominated forests following late fall and winter rains.

Ravenel’s Stinkhorn (Phallus ravenelii)

Unlike most plants, which obtain energy through photosynthesis, Indian Pipe is a mycoheterotroph. It obtains its energy and nutrients from the mycorrhizal fungi of tree roots. I have read that it is named for an old Cherokee legend that states that these plants grow where old chiefs are buried so they may have something to smoke in the afterlife.

Longleaf Pine Savannah

An old, gnarled post oak growing among longleaf pines in an upland savannah.

Merlin

Opting for a change of scenery, we decided to take our pursuit of the North American River Otter to the coast. I used to see them regularly in the wetlands around Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge when I worked there, and had heard of some recent sightings. Hoping that we might get lucky Carolina, my mom and I spent a day exploring the Upper Texas Coast. Though our mammalian quarry eluded us, we did see a number of birds including a variety of wintering waterfowl and wading birds. The highlight of the day was toss up between a cooperative male Merlin ((Falco columbarius) that perched on a rustic fence post in perfect light, and an American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) that foraged in a ditch next to the road. Relying on its camouflage it allowed us to approach to within feet of it, as it slowly stalked the reeds.

American Bittern

Ringneck Duck (Aythya collaris)

Spotted Salamanders en route to a vernal pool.

Back in the Pineywoods I checked the weather daily, awaiting the conditions that would bring about one of nature’s great events – the Spotted Salamander migration. Among the world’s most spectacular amphibians, the Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) makes its home in the forests of the eastern United States. Spotted Salamanders spend the majority of the year underground, hidden from the world in small burrows that have been excavated by rodents or other species. In response to warm rains in later winter/early spring they emerge en masse and migrate to their breeding ponds, where they form large breeding congresses in order to propagate the next generation. Finally we had a night with the perfect conditions and Carolina and I visited some breeding sites with our friends James and Erin Childress, where we observed hundreds of Spotted Salamanders and a handful of Mole Salamanders (Ambystoma talpoideum) swimming about the vernal pools.

A Spotted Salamander male awaits the females’ arrival to his breeding pool.

A gravid female Spotted Salamander

A gravid female Mole Salamander

A false bottomland in the East Texas Pineywoods. False bottomlands are unique communities that occur in clay-bottomed dpressions located within upland communities. They typically flood during the winter and spring, and become dry during the summer. Though not associated with waterways, the community is somewhat similar to bottomland hardwood forests. Dominant species include willow oak, overcup oak, and mayhaw. The ephemeral nature of flooding in these communities makes for excellent amphibian habitat.

An unidentified fungus growing on a fallen tree.

The salamanders were a nice distraction, but it was soon time to return to my pursuit of the river otter. For Christmas my wife got a remote game camera. Following the news that James had seen otters, she began setting the camera in areas where we observed ample otter sign. For a couple weeks she came up empty handed. One day, while en route to set up the cameras I caught a glimpse of something moving across the leaf litter. It turned out to be a Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occupitomaculata), a small snake of the eastern U.S. that reaches the southwestern extent of its range in East Texas. Though common throughout most of its range, the Red-bellied Snake is quite rare in Texas, and I took our encounter to be a good sign for things to come.

Florida Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata obscura)

Carolina chose a place to set the camera adjacent to some logs that were covered in otter scat and hoped for the best. Sure enough, the next time we checked the camera’s accumulated images, among the hundreds of photos of branches blowing in the wind, songbirds, and rats, we caught sight of our objective – a North American River Otter.

stc_0127

With renewed energy I will continue to pursue the aquatic mammal in hopes of capturing its photograph, because slow and steady wins the race.

A Naturalist's Journey

My Quest for Biodiversity

Fungi

One Perfect Spring Day

Autumn in the Pineywoods

Reflecting on Summer in the Pineywoods

Are we in East Texas or Appalachia?

Slow and Steady