Observed in the snow, eating a snack and licking ice on a tree limb at home on Galveston Island 1.22.25. You can see its tongue 😛
They are native to North America and is the most common of tree squirrels. They are on the invasive alien species of Union concern list in Europe.
Their whiskers, claws, abs and more help them navigate their environment. The habitat they thrive in the most are areas with tall trees and little to no understory. They live in leaf nests or tree dens (preferred).
Fun fact: they can jump 15 feet horizontally and free fall to a soft landing of 20 feet or more!
#foxsquirrel #Sciurusniger #citizenscience #mammal #outdoors #nature #squirreltongue #native #january #january22 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day22
Their native range includes the Southwestern US and down to Central America and has expanded to Texas and surrounding states due to humans providing a reliable food source. Before agriculture exploded they stuck to their native range because their primary food/water source was the saguaro cactus.
I observed this one and its friends in a tree at my home on Galveston Island 1.22.25.
Though this species has lost nesting colonies, is on the wild game list and suffered a population collapse in the 1960s & 1970s it appears to have bounced back and is good at adapting to life with humans.
#whitewingeddove #Zenaidaasiatica #citizenscience #bird #nature #outdoors #january #january23 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day23
Observed these non breeding adults at Galveston Island State park 1.21.25.
While they winter along the coast they migrate to the arctic tundra to breed.
The population is very big and have a status of “least concern” yet appears to be decreasing and there are some subspecies that are quite endangered.
These birds forage for food on coastal mudflats and sandy beaches in flocks by poking their slightly curved bill in and out of the sand/mud. What’s cool about this is that their bill become a sensitive probe when an area on the end of the bill fills with blood and works with nerve endings that helps locate food.
#dunlin #Calidrisalpina #citizenscience #birds #water #nature #outdoors #january #january24 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day24
Passerculus sandwichensis
Observed near Galveston Island State Park on 1.23.25.
They’re common to Texas and winter here. Then they fly north to breed.
This one was foraging for seeds and insects in the grass.
Their nests are usually hidden very well on the ground in grass or weeds.
Fun fact, they often return to the same area where they hatched from each year!
#savannahsparrow #Passerculussandwichensis #citizenscience #bird #nature #outdoors #january #january25 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day25
Observed on the east end of Galveston Island on 1.26.25. There’s a huge committee (collective noun) of raccoons that live there, probably because people feed them. Usually their diets consist of a mix of plants and different animals.
They are native to North America. They’ve adapted past their original habitats and can be found almost anywhere in North America.
The most important sense they have is touch with highly sensitive front paws. They’re are very smart and studies have shown they are able to remember a solution to a problem for up to 3 years!
#commonraccoon #Procyonlotor
#citizenscience #raccoon #mammal #outdoors #nature #january #january26 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day26
My friend gave me a few cuttings from her plant. I am not a plant person so we’ll see how this goes. It’s very pretty though.
It’s native to Africa and not invasive here but makes for a pretty ornamental plant.
It’s interesting she has this plant because it thrives well in a low humidity area 😆 The more I learn about this plant the less I think I’ll be able to keep it alive.
It produces a latex (sticky plant fluid) that is quite toxic but is also used to feed cows in places. Makes me wonder about the cows!
#firestick #Euphorbiatirucalli #citizenscience #succulent #plant #outdoors #indoors #nature #january #january27 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day27
This large, saltwater clam can be found all along the North American coast, the Gulf of Mexico and in the Caribbean. This particular shell was observed on Galveston Island beach 1.26.25.
We’ve been having extreme low and high tides and these beautiful shells are usually found when the tide is very low.
They use their foot to burrow into the sand and also “leap” away from predators like sea stars!
Though this shell was just one half I have been lucky enough to come across some that still had their inhabitants.
#giantatlanticcockle #Dinocardiumrobustum #citizenscience #shell #beach #nature #outdoors #january #january28 #2025 #picoftheday #project365 #day28
