Kip’s Comments - September 13, 2026

Things I Found Today

As an outdoor photographer I am always looking for something different, something that might not belong in a scene - maybe a horizontal line (deer’s back) in a timber of vertical trees, or a color different from its surroundings. Today a color difference caught my attention and really had me confused until I was quite close. The color difference was orange in a tan/green (darker) background. Not only did the color catch my eye, but also the shape. From a distance the cone possibly resembled an unusual blossom. But, what had I found?

Blow Dart - Image 1146987

After paddling closer and working the orange object out of a submerged log I realized I was looking at a blow dart with a razor point on the entrance end. I have no idea what the person with the blow gun may have been hunting. For that matter I don’t even know if hunting with a blow dart is legal in Iowa. Nonetheless, I now have a blow dart - something I had not thought about finding in my explorations.

Blow Dart - Image 11467074

The rest of my finds for today were fungi. Neither species were new to me. One was in the yard, the other on a log. Again I am amazed by the number of fungi out there. How many spores are floating around, or are fungi established in other ways too?

Rooting Shank Mushroom - Image 11471884

Fan-shaped Jelly Fungus (x3)

I almost forgot… Our morning began with bird squawking in our spruce trees. A younger bald eagle was giving this bald eagle a bunch of talk. The noise was enough to get our attention inside the house!

Adult Bald Eagle in Spruce Tree - Image 1146976