JamesDixon.us

Partial Solar Eclipse 2012

JimDixon — Mon, 21 May 2012 02:22:06 +0000

Jack and I joined several CAAS members and about 15-20 members of the public (and one underwhelmed Black Vulture) on the overlook platform at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. The forecast was not good but as you can see below the Sun started to peak out from the clouds just at the eclipse started. We followed the Sun until it was gone, looking into well protected telescopes and passing around solar shades. One gentleman who had seen the ’72 Nova Scotia eclipse even had a totally exposed sheet of glass film that he had been using ever since. See the images below, click for a larger view.

First Contact
A Noticeable Bite
Another Bite
Sinking into the Haze
Almost Gone
Vulture Buddy

Sunspots

JimDixon — Sun, 20 May 2012 22:49:12 +0000

I haven’t tried the Sun in a long time. Perhaps since the Transit of Mercury years ago. I tried today with my DSLR. Focus was a pain and not incredibly satisfactory but I got a few images and was able to stack them I hope you like it. Click the image for a larger view.

The Weekend of April 22

JimDixon — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:45:50 +0000

It was a busy weekend. First there was an ASCA field trip to Lake Sylvia which was cold and sunny. That was followed by chores to justify blowing them off earlier. Sunday I birded parts of Burns Park and Cook’s Landing. Sunday afternoon I wrapped it up with a butterfly outing to Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Below are some pictures from the weekend. Click the images to see a larger version.

The American Lady and Silver-spotted Skippers were first of season and the blue in the Prairie Lizard is a mating season accessory.

Variegated Fritillary

Lincoln’s Sparrow

American Lady

Powdered Dancer

Prairie Lizard

Silver-spotted Skipper

Lakes Sylvia and Huston in Ouachita National Forest

JimDixon — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 02:06:57 +0000

Karen Holliday, Sam, and I went to Lake Sylvia in the Ouachita National Forest Sunday. Due to the clouds and wind, the birding was slow but we did pick up FOS Summer Tanagers and a pair of nesting Red-shouldered Hawks. I did find a new life moth – the Grape Leafroller Moth. After Sylvia, we went to a forest service lake that we were told about called Lake Huston near Perryville. By the time the Sun was shining more and the insect life picked up there. I found a life butterfly, the Hoary Edge (cool name, huh?) and there were several very striking Blue Corporeal dragonflies. We also picked up FOS Chimney Swifts there and Prairie Warbler on Highway 10 on the way back. None of my bird pictures turned out but some of the insects did. I hope you like them. Right click image to see an enlargement.

Hoary Edge
Grape Leafroller Moth
Red-spotted Admiral
Blue Corporeal
Hackberry Emperor
Question Mark

Busy Saturday

JimDixon — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 09:58:09 +0000

Saturday was a pretty full day. I started with birding Burns Park in the morning. I made a big loop from the southwest corner of Burns Park, along the River Trail, up North Shore Trail to the small wetlands on North Shore Drive, then back through the open fields to my starting point. The variety of birds was pretty good even if the number were not. I picked up three first of season birds there. Then I had agreed to judge one of the contests at the annual Science Olympiad so I was off to UALR where that turned out to actually be two events. I’m not complaining, last year we had to write the tests as well as judge them. Finally, Jack and I went to CAAS for the meeting where we enjoyed a good presentation on the space race as told by Soviet and US stamps of the era. Besides the FOS birds, I also picked up FOS Variegated Fritillary and Giant Swallowtail butterflies though it took all day to do so.

Variegated Fritillary
Giant Swallowtail
Checkered White
Solitary Sandpiper
American Golden-Plover
The End?

Weekend of April 7 & 8

JimDixon — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 01:59:51 +0000

Sam and I joined several birders Saturday for an extended tour of Saul’s Fish Farm, Treadway Minnow Farm, and Bald Knob NWR. It was a beautiful days with lots of sunshine plus a Ruff (life bird for Sam) and a life butterfly, dragonfly, and damselfly for me. Plus an epic battle between a snake and a frog, the snake won. Sunday was cloudy and cold and more subdued but I managed a FOS Yellow-sided Skimmer.

American White Pelican
Blue-winged Teal
Checkered White
Common Green Darner
Fragile Forktail

Green Frog
Springwater Dancer
Springwater Dancer
Yellow-bellied Water Snake and Green Frog
Yellow-sided Skimmer

Two Rivers Park April 6, 2012

JimDixon — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 02:00:33 +0000

Angie and I visited Two Rivers Park after work today. The red clover, whatever its true name is, was attracting many butterflies, bees and other insects. Click image to enlarge.

Eastern Tailed-Blue
Monarch
Seven-spotted Ladybug
Pointed Blue-eyed Grass
Steve’s Iris (Iris virginica)

A good morning at Bell Slough

JimDixon — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:53:03 +0000

I joined Tom Lewis and Karen Holliday for (primarily) butterflying this morning at a spot that Tom knew about beyond the main entrance to Bell Slough. Our target was Dusted Skipper. Besides finding those in quantity, we also found the following: Little Wood-Satyr, Spicebush Swallowtail, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Goatweed Leafwing, Eastern Tailed-Blue, Red-banded Hairstreak, Pearl Crescent, Snowberry Clearwing Moth, and what I think was a Horace’s Duskywing. Also seen was a Mink (by the quarry) and first of season Acadian Flycatcher and Red-eyed Vireo.

See the pictures from the day below and if you can identify some of those I couldn’t (or find I made a mistake) please let me know. Click the pictures for a larger view and then the back button to return.

Dusted Skipper

Little Wood-Satyr

Spicebush Swallowtail

Red-banded Hairstreak

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth

Green Treefrog
Snowberry Clearwing Moth
Swamp Dewberry
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (female)
Common Whitetail
Common Baskettail

Unidentified Moth
Arrowhead Spiketail
Cricket Frog
Horace’s Duskywing ?

Dragons of Spring

JimDixon — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:34:46 +0000

The dragons and damsels have started to appear. I saw my first last weekend and got my first pictures this weekend. The three here from the weekend of 3/24 were lifers for me.

Stream Cruiser
Oklahoma Clubtail
Common Baskettail
Common Whitetail

Butterflies of March (so far)

JimDixon — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:39:34 +0000

Here are photos of butterflies I’ve managed to get so far this month. With one more weekend day left, I hope to add to it.

Goatweed Leafwing

Juvenal’s Duskywing

Spring Azure

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Eastern Comma

Red-banded Hairstreak

Viceroy

Falcate Orangetip

Gemmed Satyr

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Zebra Swallowtail

Zabulon Skipper

Pearl Crescent

Common Buckeye

Orange Sulfur