victoriathaxton 的最愛

Cyrtopleura costata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Dug out from ~25"-30" hypoxic mud mixed with a little sand, ~80 minutes after -0.53' low tide, Cedar Key, Levy County, FL - Gulf of Mexico
~133mm x 50mm
Fourth picture shows the two main valves plus the accessory plates: the calcareous mesoplax and triangular chitinous protoplax.
Location is obscured to protect the local colony.

Update: on November 24, 2022, I saw a couple in a nearby location digging up every Angel Wing they could find for the shells and to eat (as if they were quahogs) - tragic!

Red-tailed Hawk pursuing a Golden Eagle (observation is for the eagle). Incredible size comparison; the usually large looking Red-tail looks like a tiny hawk.

Park City mountain trails, Utah.

• Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
• Sunrise 6:19 am; Sunset 8:45 pm
• Daylight Hours: 14 hours, 26 minutes (-1m 53s)
• Moon: 0.2% Waxing Crescent

Phinizy Swamp Nature Park; Augusta, GA. ©williamwisephoto.com

• Morning fog, then mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
• Sunrise 6:28 am; Sunset 8:20 pm
• Daylight Hours: 13 hours, 52 minutes (+1m 28s)
• Moon: 96.4% Waxing Gibbous