Field Notes

What the field teaches, written down.

How to photograph what you found so the identification is certain, what actually moves a find's value, and the safety calls you make before you step closer.

Latest field note

Giant Puffball Identification: Features, Lookalikes, and a Photo Checklist

Document a giant puffball by its large white round body, absent cap and stem, attached base, and uniformly white interior, while ruling out dangerous lookalikes.

· 9 min read

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· 11 min read

Chicken of the Woods: Identification, Lookalikes, and Safety

Check chicken of the woods by shelf shape, orange zones, pores, host tree, and age—then document uncertainty before you consider any next step.

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· 8 min read

Monarch vs Viceroy: How to Tell Them Apart

Compare monarch and viceroy butterflies by hindwing line, size, range, and photo evidence, then check an uncertain insect record carefully.

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· 10 min read

False Widow vs Black Widow: What You Can Safely Check From a Photo

Compare false widow and black widow spiders by location, body pattern, underside markings, web and photo evidence without handling the spider.

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· 10 min read

Best Seashell Identifier Apps: 4 Honest Picks

Compare four seashell identifier apps by photo views, evidence, habitat context, collection records, and their legal and scientific limits.

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· 11 min read

Best Stamp Identifier Apps: 4 Evidence-First Picks

Compare four stamp identifier apps by photo workflow, catalog detail, collection tools, and their limits for value, grade, and authentication.

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· 10 min read

How to Photograph a Mushroom for Identification

Capture a mushroom's cap, underside, full stem base, scale, substrate, and habitat so you can compare a likely ID without making an edibility decision.

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· 9 min read

Largemouth vs Smallmouth Bass: Check the Jaw, Dorsal Fin, and Pattern

Compare largemouth and smallmouth bass using jaw position, dorsal-fin shape, side pattern, and habitat—then verify a photo without guessing from color alone.

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· 11 min read

Best Bird Identification Apps in 2026

Compare the best bird identification apps for photo and sound ID, evidence, regional context, field guides, sightings, privacy, and offline use.

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· 9 min read

What Bird Is This? An 8-Clue Identification Guide

Identify a bird by shape, size, behavior, habitat, season, field marks, and voice, then verify your best match from a photo or recording.

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· 11 min read

Best Coin Identifier Apps in 2026

Compare the best coin identifier apps for two-sided photos, visible evidence, world coins, collection records, and honest grading limits.

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· 8 min read

Osito Went Viral at the World Cup. What Can a Photo Tell You About His Breed?

Meet Osito, the rescue dog who became a World Cup street star, then learn what a photo can and cannot reveal about a mixed-breed dog.

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· 11 min read

Brown Recluse vs Wolf Spider: A Safer Identification Guide

Compare brown recluse and wolf spiders by range, eyes, body texture, markings, and behavior, then learn when a photo is not enough.

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· 12 min read

How to tell if gold is real

Home checks like hallmarks, magnets, and weight can flag obvious fakes, but they can't prove gold. A source-backed screening workflow, plus when to pay for professional testing.

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· 12 min read

How to tell if a diamond is real

Learn which at-home checks can flag a diamond simulant, why fog and scratch tests mislead, and when a jeweler or gem lab must verify the stone.

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· 10 min read

Chanterelle Mushroom Identification: Field Marks & Lookalikes

Identify a chanterelle by its blunt forked ridges, apricot smell, and ground-growing habit - and rule out the jack-o'-lantern before you trust any find.

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· 10 min read

Meadow Mushroom Identification: Field Marks & Lookalikes

Identify a meadow mushroom by its pink-to-brown gills, dry white cap, and simple ring - and rule out the destroying angel before you trust any find.

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· 9 min read

How to Photograph a Fish for Identification

Take fish identification photos that preserve body shape, fins, markings, scale, and location context without delaying release or unsafe handling.

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· 15 min read

How to Tell if a Snake Is Venomous: The Three-Region Check

Learn how to tell if a snake is venomous with the Three-Region Check: head, body, tail. Myth-busting tables, safe distances, and a repeatable field method.

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· 4 min read

Old Coin Identification: Document It Before Appraisal

Use this old coin identification guide to record both faces, the edge, visible marks, size, weight, and clear limits before grading or appraisal.

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· 4 min read

Wildlife Identification Photography: A Three-Frame Guide

Use this wildlife identification photography guide to capture the whole subject, one visible detail, and habitat context without approaching or disturbing it.

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