BLACK VULTURE – IUCN Conservation Status: LEAST CONCERN The black vulture flipped its head upside down to fit inside the alligator In this photo, the carcass of a recently deceased alligator is being eaten by a flock of black vultures. If you look closely, you can see this vulture actually flipped its head upside down so […]
EASTERN LUBBER GRASSHOPPER – IUCN Conservation Status: INSUFFICIENT DATA Approach slowly to get a close look at this wild creature! This bright colored grasshopper is hard to miss. The eastern lubber grasshopper is an interesting creature that can grow to ~2.5” long. They can be found throughout the southeastern United States (North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, […]
PYGMY FILEFISH – IUCN Conservation Status: LEAST CONCERN The pygmy filefish and the green feather algae are almost the exact same color! This is yet another photo from Blue Heron Bridge in West Palm Beach, Florida. Diving here is like playing underwater Where’s Waldo. There are lots of cryptic creatures that camouflage with the seafloor. Some practice mimicry, […]
ATLANTIC LONGARM OCTOPUS – IUCN Conservation Status: LEAST CONCERN The longarm octopus can change their color and texture! Can you find the octopus? The eyeball is in the center of the photograph. Once you find the eye, the rest of the octopus appears. As the name suggests, the longarm octopus are known for their long arms. Their arms can […]
LONG-SNOUTED SEAHORSE – IUCN Conservation Status: DATA DEFFICIENT This long-snouted seahorse may be pregnant! It’s odd to think of seahorses as “fish”, but these ornate creatures are indeed a species of fish. However, unlike a lot of fish, seahorses are not good swimmers. They do have fins and are able to swim, however they rely on the […]
SMALLMOUTH BASS – IUCN Conservation Status: LEAST CONCERN This river influenced the creation of the Clean Water Act (1972) The Androscoggin River is a 178-mile river that extends through parts of New Hampshire and Maine. It is the third largest river in Maine. The river eventually dumps into the Gulf of Maine (Atlantic Ocean). Along the Androscoggin, every […]
HARBOR SEAL – IUCN Conservation Status: LEAST CONCERN The harbor seals pile up on these rocks You wouldn’t know by looking, but this was taken in the middle of winter. This was a January kayak adventure off Salisbury Beach, Massachusetts. The Atlantic Ocean waters are around 40 degrees this time of year. Yet, you would never guess that […]
LONG-TAILED DUCK – IUCN Conservation Status: VULNERABLE These ducks are able to dive deeper than any other ducks! This duck’s name fits the bill. As you can see in this photo, the long-tailed duck does indeed have a long tail. In fact, the tail can reach about six inches long. What else makes this duck so unique? Long-tailed ducks […]
An interesting fact is that lined flatworms can reproduce two ways This interesting marine invertebrate is called a lined flatworm. Although you will also see these called tiger flatworms or Crozier’s flatworm (Pseudoceros crozieri). Although it may look big in this photo, this creature is only one inch long! They are known to live in […]
SLENDER FILEFISH – IUCN Conservation Status: LEAST CONCERN Blackwater photography is unique because everything you are shooting will typically be within an arm’s reach. I believe this blackwater photo to be of a juvenile filefish. It is only about one to two inches long! This photo was taken during a blackwater night dive off the […]