Eric Lathrop @eric@mastodon.ericlathrop.com

I've decided to try different allergy meds so I can adopt the stray cat that came into my yard a few days ago. He's the cuddliest little fluff ball. I took him to the vet and they gave him a FLV vaccine and said he's FIV+. Gave him a flea and tick treatment, and been brushing gobs of shedding hair out. Getting him neutered in a couple weeks. Named him Red and got him a rainbow collar with a name tag. He's turned my life upside down, but it's worth it.

(Cat EC)
#cat #caturday #mastocats

Saw this smol praying mantis on my porch earlier today.

Today I noticed the squirrels suddenly take off and start doing their alarm calls. I looked outside and there was this orange #cat in the bushes at the edge of the yard. I went outside to talk to it to tell it to not eat my bird friends, and the kitty was super friendly. He's used to people and his fur is in good shape and he talks a lot. He's probably someone's pet, but doesn't have any ID. He hasn't been neutered, either.

White Wagtail, Ecopôle du val d'Allier, Pérignat-sur-Allier, France 🇫🇷 2022-05-02

They really do wag their tails!

#bird #birding #nature #photo @birds @nature

Lizard, Ecopôle du val d'Allier, Pérignat-sur-Allier, France 🇫🇷 2022-05-02

There were a bunch of these ~4-inch long lizards in the leaf litter in the woods. We never saw any squirrels or mammals, just lizards.

#nature #photo @nature

Black-headed Gull, Ecopôle du val d'Allier, Pérignat-sur-Allier, France 🇫🇷 2022-05-02

Finally going through my bird photos from my Europe trip! If my ID's are off, let me know as it's probably the first time I've seen many of these European birds.

#bird #birding #nature #photo @birds @nature

There were these Horse Chestnut trees blooming everywhere in Paris last month. Most had white flowers, but some had red flowers.
@plants

I was told that this tree was the oldest in Paris. It's in a small church garden across the river from the Notre Dame cathedral. When it started falling over, they installed these supports that are dressed up as tree trunks to keep it going. @plants

"Trans Lives Matter ❤️"

Some graffiti I saw in La Spezia, Italy, last month.

The raccoon came back at ~5:20pm today. Shouldn't it still be asleep?

This raccoon has been stealing my suet cakes. They have been visiting at 6pm. Often as I'm having dinner it walks right in front of me. Opening my door used to scare it off, but now it just pauses for a moment. I have to actually approach it to get it to leave.

Get in the TOOT BUS nerds, we're going tootin'!

This shady corner in my front yard decided to grow a bunch of mushrooms. #sporespondence

I found these mushrooms last Tuesday, but I forgot to post them. An employee at the Falls of the Ohio state park saw my binoculars and pointed me to a trail I've never seen before. These mushrooms look like decomposing apple slices. #sporesondence

Here's some rad mushrooms and lichen from my birding walk today. #sporespondence

Springtime flowers and buds. I heard that once more leaves come out the caterpillars will follow. Once there are caterpillars a lot more birds will migrate because they'll have food. #florespondence

Due to the holiday the park was pretty empty today. I loved it.

Saw this knob on a tree that appears to have a cheerful face on it.

I spent a lot of time outside this weekend. Hiked around various parks with an old friend. Here are some cool mushrooms we saw. #sporespondence

Female Red-bellied Woodpecker, Louisville, Kentucky 2021-05-01

You can actually see the red belly in this photo.

#bird #birding #nature #photo