Likin' Lichens.

Right about the time things started getting cold and the bugs were getting hard to find, I started getting really interested in all the different plants and critters to be found in the yard. Unfortunately, the snow hit soon after. In the mean time, I've been gathering a small library of field guides so I'll have lots to look at and identify when spring/summer rolls around. One group of organisms that I've found surprisingly interesting (and conveniently as identifiable in winter as summer) are lichens.
I'm learning to recognize some of the more common ones. It seems like the prettiest ones are the rarest though. Here's an attempt of some photos of them with Chrissy's camera (which is no good at macro shots).

I think this is Lipstick Powderhorn (Cladonia macilenta). It is growing on an old fence post.


Though this is out of focus, I'm surprised this photo turned out at all. I took this through a 10x hand lens. The yellow lichen on the left is Poplar Sunburst (Xanithoria hasseana). The whitish one on the right is Star Rosette Lichen (Physcia stellaris). They are both growing on a dead grey birch branch.

Camels Hump in winter.

Got the itch to hike a big hill, and went up Camel's Hump (Vermont's 3rd highest peak) on Friday. Gorgeous clear day for a hike. I was the first one up from the east side in probably a week, so I was breaking trail the whole way up. The first half was packed firm enough to skip snowshoes, but I had to strap them on the rest of the way up. I haven't done much winter hiking to bigger hills, so I was surprised to see just how much snow there was the higher I got. However, once I got up near the bald and windswept summit, there was hardly any. I was able to snap a few photos when I was still in the trees, but by the time I was above treeline, it was so windy and cold that Chrissy's old camera froze up on me. Take my word for it though, the views were gorgeous.
Also was surprised to see some birds pretty high up too. Some sort of woodpecker. Mostly black and white, maybe a Black-backed woodpecker (Picoides arcticus)?
Here's some photos:

Into the fir zone...


Looking back at the beginning of the firs...


Lots of snow up here, about 6" of fresh.


Clearing near the summit.


Side trail to the summit, last picture before the camera froze.

By the way, I finally ordered myself a new camera. Latest generation of the waterproof Pentax's I've had for the past 5 years or so. This will be my 3rd one. Can't wait, I miss carrying a camera everywhere I go.