July 20, 2026

I am a Florida Garden Spider

I'm like the Yellow Garden Spider except - 

My butt looks like a crown

It has gold and it's round

But at building webs, we are both quite adept.

Location: Seabranch Preserve State Park, Stuart

Sources: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/127353-Argiope-florida

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 19, 2026

Today's post is in memory of long time friend Mary, who loved Capybaras and will be missed. 

We are known as Capybara

We are the largest rodents in the world

We have webbed feet

And eat grasses and leaves

And are so adorable, it's just absurd!

Location: Brevard Zoo, captive

Sources: https://www.ran.org/wildlife-factsheet/wildlife-fact-sheet-capybara/

Photo and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 18, 2026

This is our last day in Japan (at least until Joy stumbles across other cool stuff around her new home. Special thanks again to guest photographer Joy Handley for sharing the wonders of the nature in her new home with us.

We are known as Eurasian Coots

We have have solid white shields and beaks

American Coot beaks have a grey ring on the end

And their shields are dark read at the peak.

Location: Tokyo, Japan 

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/eurcoo/cur/identification

Photo © 2026 Joy Handley and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 17, 2026

Welcome to Japan Week on Dee at 8 a.m. Today we continue to feature the photography of my favorite expat, Joy Handley. 

I am known as a Greater Cormorant

Of the Cormorants, I am the widest spread

I am breed in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia

Double-cresteds are smaller and have smaller crests on their heads.

Location: Tokyo, Japan 

Sources: http://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/grecor/cur/identification

Photo © 2026 Joy Handley and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 16, 2026

Welcome to Japan Week on Dee at 8 a.m. Today we continue to feature the photography of my favorite expat, Joy Handley. 

I am known as a White Wagtail

My subspecies is either lugens or ocularis

Our breeding habitats, nesting and songs differ

But from a photo, subspecies ID can be a birding abyss.

Location: Tokyo, Japan 

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/whiwag/cur/introduction

Photo © 2026 Joy Handley and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 15, 2026

Welcome to Japan Week on Dee at 8 a.m. Today we continue to feature the photography of my favorite expat, Joy Handley. 

I am a Common Bluebottle butterfly

My wings are aqua surrounded by black

You can find me in moist rain forests

Or if I'm male, in a puddle seeking snacks.

Location: Tokyo, Japan 

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphium_sarpedon

Photo © 2026 Joy Handley and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

July 14, 2026

Welcome to Japan Week on Dee at 8 a.m. Today we continue to feature the photography of my favorite expat, Joy Handley. 

I am a Japanese Common Grass Yellow butterfly

I am yellow with black spots on my wings

I fly around grasslands and forests

And can be seen starting in early spring.

Location: Tokyo, Japan  

Sources: https://www.takao599museum.jp/treasures/insects/%E3%82%B7%E3%83%AD%E3%83%81%E3%83%A7%E3%82%A6%E7%A7%91/3283/?lang=en

Photo © 2026 Joy Handley and text © 2026 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.