R. Fraley

Field Notes

Seasonal observations, IDs, and stories.

Field Groups

Odonata
Odonata
Dragonflies and damselflies
Field notes and family guides for odonates.
Fungi
Fungi
Macrofungi and rusts
Observational field notes on fungi, emphasizing form, substrate, and seasonal appearance.
Lichens
Lichens
Structure and comparison
Field notes and identification details for lichens observed during field photography.
Birds
Birds
Structure, behavior, and season
Field notes and family guides for birds, emphasizing movement, habitat, and seasonal context.

Field Essays & Observations

First Quiet Voices of Spring
First Quiet Voices of Spring
The first colors beneath bare branches.
Rue Anemones bloom after rain — fragile, pale, and brief — marking the quiet return of life to the woodland floor.
The Day of the Jumping Mushrooms
The Day of the Jumping Mushrooms
Squirrel, Turkeytail, Slimespike.
A morning story that changed under a spore print.

Comparative Notes

Comparing Four Pine Species
Comparing Four Pine Species
Austrian Pine · Jack Pine · Red Pine · Lodgepole Pine
This guide compares four common or commonly planted pines in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest.
Comparing Four Lichen Species
Comparing Four Lichen Species
Comparative lichen study
Field comparison of four lichen species using form, surface, and growth habit.