Inky Caps - the melting mushroom

Discovered an unusual kind of mushroom at Bassette Creek Park earlier this week.  This mushroom cap is paper thin, like a flower petal.  A large crop had come up along the shady forest path.  The underside was already starting to darken for some.  





I thought nothing of it, but thought I might try to return for more photos.  They were all melted to little stem stubs.  These are a variety of 'inky cap' mushrooms.  The gills liquefy and melt away.  

Enjoy!

~ Robin

Dragons at Bassett Creek

Dragonflies are ancient.  Scientists say they predate dinosaurs!  The above photo almost looks like a fossil or maybe a cave painting, but it is just shadow and motion blur that give the effect.  

I spent the morning capturing dragonflies at Bassett Creek Park in Crystal Minnesota.  Lots of Ebony Jewelwings were out.  They seem to have an uncanny ability to know when you are looking at them and turn to face you to hide their wings.

There were plenty of other more common dragonflies there too:  Like Twelve-spotted Skimmers.  

Enjoy!

~ Robin

Black Beauties

I wandered along Bassett Creek this morning and found a couple of black beauties:  A red-spotted purple butterfly and an Ebony Jewelwing.

Enjoy!

~ Robin