neontetraploid's Favorites

interesting bird

I don't want to jump to conclusions but there's a lot about this individual that looks like it could be a gray heron

-relatively more petite structure and shorter bill
-smaller size in comparison to juvenile great blue heron
-pale lores
-grayish, not brown or reddish neck
-no obvious rufous color in the thighs or the bend of the wing (white thighs barely visible when zoomed in)
-less obvious breast plumes
-upperside color more of a pale bluish-gray instead of dark slaty gray

This terrestrial orchid was first seen growing in the pot pictured. This species was a "weed" in an orchid I purchased from a company based in FL with their headquarters in South America. It began as a single individual and now has multiplied into six individuals. Also, two small plants were seen outside of the greenhouse but not currently in flower. I will be interested to see if it overwinters and persists another year. I'm not certain if they were outside the greenhouse in previous years. This observation could be considered a waif.

2023 winter update: After multiple frosts and freezes all leaves are dead. I'll be watching this spring and summer to see if any plants resprout from roots.