Dusty McDusterson (He/Him) 🍄

A clutch of freshly laid squid eggs. Each satchel has 100+ individual eggs that will eventually become squid.

I wonder if this is one of their clutches that became detached.

Before gently placing back in the water below the low tide mark I was fortunate to share it with some of the other beachgoers I overheard getting excited about the jellyfish and starfish finds. Hopefully at least some of them make it.

Another summer #beachday. Today I found this clutch of #squideggs at the lowest tide.

I ran into a shoreline fisherman in waders yesterday, who was telling me about the multitude of squid he saw shimmering and changing colors as they laid their eggs in the grasses that morning. Story continued 👇

2 stems of the Pinedrop, Pterospora andromedea, species standout from their otherwise green background of salal, fern, madrone and pine trees, where it's getting its nutrients from via a relationship, albeit maybe more take than give, with a fungal friend or 2 or more...

Closer jo the tops of the seed pods are a brilliant burnt orange that tapers down to a lighter orange yellow. They almost look like a bunch of pumpkins suspended from a stem.

The stem was super sticky. I didn't realize at the time that they also can get nitrogen from consuming insects that get stuck to their sticky stalks. Super fascinating!

Pinedrops, Pterospora andromedea.

Another of our super amazing plants that doesn't produce chlorophyll but instead relies on #FungiFriends to source food! It's also protocarnivorous, collecting insects on its sticky stems and consuming them for nitrogen! #Fungi #Nature #Plants

Did I just witness an attempted slug-o-cide!? The monster #PacificBananaSlug just slid right over the much smaller one that rightly fled.

That's after the slug-buddies slimed up the unlucky(?) Chocolate Tube #SlimeMold.

They're just soaking up all all the moisture they can get! #Nature 🍄📸

Pardon my interruption Dougie!

#Douglas'sSquirrel #Nature
#PineSquirrel #Chickaree

There were quite a few starfish in the lowest intertidal area that were fortunately not exposed to the air but for a brief period. I found these already clustered like this and didn't move a single one. They were quickly resubmitted as the tide turned. I did move a handful of others that were found further upshore and would have otherwise been spending many hours baking in the warm summer sun. Not sure if that really did anything, but I like to think so.

Dogpile!!!

These cuties were found at low tide on 25 July and were only out of the water for a very short time.

#Starfish #Washington
#Nature #TurningTides

Here's a brief video from the specimen I found earlier this year in Jackson Park, Port Orchard. This one was a little more firm but otherwise the same exact texture and feel.

The dog vomit slime mold had begun to encapsulate this blackberry leaf. I found this well before the decent rainfall event we had this past week.

Lifting up the leaf revealed a darker red, possibly bruised interior.

One of the exceptions still making their way in this exceptionally dry weather is the ever present dog vomit slime mold.
One of my favorites!
#SlimeMold #Nature 📸🍄

The top of this Velvet Rollrim found at Point Defiance Park Tacoma. The top was so soft! Those was a new species for me, or at least the first time I've documented finding it. My brain is like a sieve and I'll surprise myself when someone reminds me of the things I've done and places I've been. "Oh yeah, I forgot I did that. I did run a half marathon at 5k feet in Afghanistan, duh!" Forgetting that sort of stuff is common these days...

The bottom side of the Velvet Rollrim. Look at those gorgeous gills and curly lobed rim! Bonus Winston in the background.

This specimens was gorgeous!! The flesh was so delicate and soft with the lobes having a very soft pliable feeling similar to lightly dried apricots but without the slightly sticky feeling. This felt velvety and supple. I wish I had taken more pictures. Note the conk below growing out of the same cut end of this log.

The lower portion of the mushroom seen from this angle felt like a supple lightly dried apricot. I should have given it a sniff but forgot. None of the fungus I've found so far fit this either because of geographic location and or the texture. I'll post a picture of a similar find from earlier this year.

This June was our 3rd driest in 130 years of climatology records!

It seems some mushies might be taking this year off but these fun oddballs are the exception!
📸#1/2: My first Velvet Rollrim!
📸#3/4: The second time I've found this species this year. The lobes felt like apricots. 📸🍄 #Nature #Fungi

Another pleasant morning spent hammocking while watching the tide roll out.

Check out the glimpses of dolphins that make an appearance down and to the right of the transiting sail boat at between 0:37-0:45.
#Nature #MtRainier #Dolphins #SalishSea #BeachVibes #RockHounding #GigHarbor

Calming morning walk at Sunrise Beach Park, Gig Harbor shortly after today's lowest tide. #Washington #PNW #PugetSound #Birdsky #Nature

I've picked out a covered area in the back yard with good air flow. I'm going to go over it first and get rid of the rot and address any potential termites.
Splitting is a concern, but if not too severe, it could be fun to use bowtie joints to accent the piece. I need to do more research though.

Midway through excavation of the conifer root system. Very tedious but satisfying work, at least for my brain.

One of the best tools for the job so far. So glad I already had this 4ft jack I bought years back to remove fence posts. At this point the stump still had one section of roots hanging on, and covered by other thick roots making it nearly impossible to get to without extensive excavation. Lifting it up like this both breaks the roots and allows for access to further disentangle the roots from the ground

Success!! This think is a beast, weighing in at a couple hundred lbs. Definitely needed the jack to get it out of the hole and still nearly threw out my back manhandling the stump. Not as young as I used to be...at this point I had just collapsed from exhaustion after getting out of the hole and left the jack where it fell.

After some cleaning up I can definitely see the next steps and can't wait to turn it into a table, but first to dry it out a bit...and maybe get it maneuvered over to the side yard eventually.

I've taken to manually removing stumps to both get back into shape & for wood working projects.
I envision this one becoming an oval glass top coffee table after drying and a little work.
5th stump down with only 15 more to go!
It's been fun discovering fungi & critters hiding in the roots.

An 11 year old Dustin proudly holding up his first starfish find at the age of 11 near Monterey Bay California. We had just moved to California a month before this. On this same trip we went whale watching and I also got to see my first whale, and picked my little guts out because of the stormy sea. But I stood fast on that prow looking for the whales, even as everyone else went inside the cabin.

Look at this little freaking dork!

After growing up in the cornfields of Iowa, this was from my first trip to the ocean, near Monterey Bay CA.

My 11 year old brain was absolutely blown by the tide pools.

This was the day my love for the ocean was permanently etched into my soul. #Starfish #Nature

This is the first time I've witnessed #Hummingbird #DiveBombing

Not sure if courtship ritual or asserting territorial dominance.

Their mate/rival was hanging out in the Red Huckleberry.

The sound in person was surprisingly loud and unique...so maybe courtship?
#Nature #Birds #BackyardBirdwatching

A brief video interacting with the super dense yet supple Orange polypore. 🌱🍄📸

It has been a super dry spring without much for mushies so I haven't had much to post.

I believe this is the Orange polypore, Aurantiporus croceus. 🌱🍄📸 #Fungi #Nature

A brief video interacting with it can be seen below. 🎥⬇️

There were a lot of flowers out there to get busy with, so that totally makes sense.

It baffles me how strong they are. I'd love to see them actually grab an insect from the air someday, but the end result is still fascinating.

We came upon this little dig-out on the trail. It looks like some animal made, or at least tried to make, a tasty snack out of this subterranean bee hive. #Nature #Bees #Pollinators

The Pipsissewa flowers are so unique looking I have to stop every time I pass them. The leaves apparently make a good tea, although I have not tried it yet.

The flowers on these plants are absurdly intricately beautiful with so much cool gradation in coloration and various textures I'm not used to seeing.

The Heal-all plant. Prunella vulgaris is can also be made into a tea among other apparent usages for making beverages. Definitely on my list to try, but probably not from ones I've found along trails frequented by people and their pets...

A closeup of one of the Heal-all flower heads. I love the fringe along the tongue.

Some medicinal plant observations from the past weekend.

Pipsissewa and Heal-all have such gorgeous flowers!! 🌱🌸🪻

#BloomScrolling #Nature #Medicinal

I'm not sure what was up with this little bee buddy. They seemed either drunk, covered in some irritant or infected with something. Some of the odder behavior seen this weekend. #Foxglove #Nature #Pollinators #BloomScrolling

I believe this to possibly be a scaly webcap. It was found singularly growing along a stream bank. The caps texture was gritty/grippy in almost a rubber truck bed liner sort of way.

The remnants of a handful of decaying birds nest fungus seen here amongst the dry forest floor litter that includes ample moss, madrone and salal leaves as well as needles from several species.

This is a Pacific sideband, Monadenia fidelis, the largest native land snail in Washington State. This was my first time spotting them recently and we saw 3 in one day! We got some decent rain so they were out and about scooting for food. Such cuties, with an amazing skin texture. They seem to be much braver than the Pacific banana slugs, or determines to reach their destination, as they only ever so slightly retreated when approached.

One of the 3 Pacific sideband, Monadenia fidelis, snails we found on our walk. This one was crossing the path on a somewhat busy trail so we moved them to the side they were traveling toward. So glad we didn't step on them.

A couple of observations from this past weekend. 🌱 🍄📸 #Snails #ALTText #Nature #Fungi

I came up on this beautiful foxglove and noted a bee's abdomen sticking out of one of the flowers. Expecting it to drop and move onto another flower or dig into the one it was already on I got out my camera but was surprised when they remained motionless. That's when I peeked up inside and saw the little spider buddy had snagged themselves a feast.

Look at that size comparison. She started to drag the bee out of the flower.

Fully perched up on top of the foxglove flower and heading back to the main stem to finish off their prey.

I'm not sure how long they'd been holding onto the bee but they lifted it like it was no big deal at all. Little crab spider buddy showing off their incredible strength.

This poor Bumble-bee picked the wrong flower to visit. No more floating on air for them, after this stunning #CrabSpider snatched them right up. 🌱 #Bees
#BloomScrolling #DoomishScrolling too?

A bumblebee is floating on air having just kept from the foxglove flower to head onto the next to continue their nectar collection and pollination. I'm not sure of the species, maybe Half-black Bumblebee? Entomology isn't my obsession...but I do love them. These foxglove are always gorgeous, even if they are an endemic invasive.

Base-jumping Bumble-bee floating on air after having leot from their #Foxglove perch while getting their pollinating on. 🌱 #Bees #Pollinators #Bloomscrolling

The bounty of the forest. Thanks forest gods!! 2 Salmon Berries up front with a handful of Red Huckleberries in the center and Dewberries furthest away.

A closer look at the berries. There are 2 dark red Salmonberries in the foreground. Each drupelet of these aggregate fruit has a single hair like protrusion. They can also be bright orange when ripe. Usually not the tastiest, and when immature or dry can be super mealy, but still enjoyable. The bright red berries in the center are Red Huckleberries, super tart with a hint of sweetness. I prefer the Evergreen ones but these are super fun too! The 6 berries in the back are dewberries. They are my favorite. They have a very distinct taste that is reminiscent of something I can't place my tongue on. Almost chemically but pleasant. Not sure how to describe it exactly.

Trail snacks are back in season!!!

Thanks forest gods for my lovely treats!

Love me some Salmon Berries, Red Huckleberry and Dewberries! YUM!!!

#Nature
#Berries
#ALTText
#Foraging
#NativePlants
#HungryMammels
#NoGodButForestgods
#BerryLadenBearScatComingSoon

Thank you!

I was so stoked when I saw them! I ran into some other hikers a little while later and probably spent far too long telling them to look for them as they're special.

Oh, that would be fantastic, I hope you do find a species that could be used for ant control.

Hahaha, but that's how we actually get the Last of Us to happen in real life, thanks to you isolating a powerfully predatory fungi.

I think I'd actually be cool with that...
All hail our fungal overlords!

This picture of a cluster of gnome plants was taken 24 July 2024. Something was eating the seeds. They were like an overripe garlic clove in texture but I can't remember any specific scent.

A closeup of the odd seeds those strange plants will produce.

Right!? They grow into these strange looking seeds. These were from last year after they matured. I'd love to set up a trail camera to see if I can catch any creatures foraging on them.