Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist

@rebeccanaturalist

I am a Master Naturalist, nonfic writer, nature educator, tour guide, and all-around nature nerd who spends too much time in front of screens. Author of "The Everyday Naturalist" (Ten Speed Press, June 2025). PNW. AuDHD. She/her. RebeccaLexa.com

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Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· 16d

You can register for the Aug 3 session of The Everyday Naturalist online study group on identifying #fungi at www.eventbrite.com/e/the-everyd... 🌿 #mushrooms #FungiFriends

A cluster of round, flat mushrooms with concentric rings in varying shades of brown, stained green with algae.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· 22d

Remember my tiny pieces of copper I cut & filed in my first #metalworking class last week? Today I soldered them together! I really enjoyed soldering, more than I thought I would. Nice change after the frustration of trying to use a jeweler's saw last week (though I intend to get better at that.)

Four small metal trinkets, including a rectangular flat piece, two oddly shaped pieces soldered one on top of the other, a tiny triangle sticking up from a circle like a tiny sundial, and a wire heart attached to a square base.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· 24d

According to a post on the MushroomID subReddit, the guy in this picture ate one of the Amanitas he's holding--raw--thinking it was a bolete. He's gonna be in for a bad time, with vomiting, delirium, ataxia, and other unpleasantness likely. Probably won't die, but might be thinking he is for a bit.

A picture of someone's hand holding a quartet of yellow and white mushrooms; one has pores on the underside, the others have thin gills radiating out from the stem.

The same mushrooms, showing the tops. three of the yellow mushrooms have white spots.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· 25d

Here's my #SundayFishSketch, a yellow bullhead catfish (Ameiurus natalis)! Micron fineliner and Copics markers. #fish #illustration #NoAI

A drawing of a greenish yellow catfish, focusing mainly on the front half of the fish, facing the viewer. It is drawn in ink pens and markers.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· 28d

There's a #mountain in there somewhere... #SockedIn #MtStHelens

A photo of a valley filled with fog. all that can be seen are a few nearby trees, a metal deck railing, and a map of Mt. St. helens and the surrounding area.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· 28d

Have some Douglas' spikemoss (#Selaginella douglasii) to make your day better! #NativePlants #PNW 🌿

a close up photo of a plant made of slender stalks of tiny, spiky leaves.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· 29d

I had my first #MetalWorking class today, and I made these teensy bits of copper! Took me over two hours to cut them and get three really nice, flat edges for the various soldering techniques we'll try next week. (The turkey #vulture sketch took an additional two minutes.)

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jul 14

That's....not what #botanical means. (Found at a Fred Meyer in #Portland. No, I did not buy it; I have enough random stuff I need to get rid of anyway.) #insects #bugs #wildlife

A framed print in pastel colors showing several simple illustrations of butterflies and other insects. Above the images are the words Wild Life, and below it Botanical Art.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jul 9

Oregon Zoo releases hundreds of rare #Oregon silverspot caterpillars at coast: www.kptv.com/2026/07/01/o... This is really amazing news for us here, because every release gives this subspecies a better foothold on restored coastal meadow habitats. #environment #conservation #EndangeredSpecies

An Orange butterfly with lacy black markings on its wings and a fuzzy brown body rests on a brown dead leaf surrounded by green plants.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jul 7

So here's the latest weird #nature thing I've run across: Pestalotiopsis funerea causing tip blight on Arborvitae sp. I usually associate this pale yellow with a lack of chlorophyll, but haven't seen it as the sx of a fungal pathogen. #plants #botany #gardening #horticulture #fungi 🌿

A close up of the foliage of a bush with prickly needles instead of leaves. Most of the foliage is deep green, but select portions are very pale yellow, almost cream.

A close up of the yellow foliage on a dry, bare branch.

A picture of the whole bush, showing patches of pale foliage scattered amid the green.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jul 3

Had art time with @kessuburd.bsky.social last night. Finally got that fly agaric right, and drew my first #Triceratops as an adult! Copics, fineliners, and white gel pen. #PaleoArt #mushrooms #FungiFriends #TraditionalMedia #NoAI #illustration

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jul 2

Reminder: the July 6 online study group for The Everyday Naturalist is on the #Plant Identification chapter! This is not a region-specific group; the material in the #book is meant to be used anywhere! Register for this and other upcoming study group sessions at rebeccalexa.com/the-everyday... 🌿 💙📚

A photo of a close up of a tree branch with two large seeds covered in green, flag-like coverings.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 27

It was an incredible day in the Columbia River Gorge today. #Oregon #PNW #PacificNorthwest

A photo of a hillside covered in conifers with thick fog and clouds nestled in the crevices, and a bit of blue sky to the right.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 23

I hit a nice flow state while working on this WIP tonight; haven't touched it in a few months, so it's really nice to get back to it. There's still a lot to do, doubt I'll finish it before the end of the year. But what a lovely #hyena to return to as I have the time! #ColoredPencils #illustration

A colored pencil drawing of a spotted hyena in a realistic style. It is mostly a very light pencil sketch, except for the face which is mostly colored in.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 23

In my happy place ❤️

A photo of a brown tabletop with a sketchbook with a few drawings of a wolf, a skull, and a partly finished mushroom. there is also a cup of coffee with a heart on top, and a white gel pen on a napkin. A black metal circle and an overhead light source point to a tabletop lamp.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 22

It's been a year since The Everyday #Naturalist was released, and what an incredible year it's been! Book events, classes, study groups, and so many amazing people 😍 Signed copies at TheEverydayNaturalist.com - or ask your local bookstore or library 📚💙 🌿 #animals #plants #FungiFriends

Photo of three copies of a book laid out on a light blue blanket. The book is called The Everyday Naturalist: How to Identify Animals, Plants, and Fungi Wherever You Go, and it is written by Rebecca Lexa. It has a black cover with green text, and there are brightly colored animals, plants, and mushrooms arrayed around the border of the cover.

A book being held open to a chapter called How to identify Fungi. The left page has an illustration of a bright orange and yellow cluster of mushrooms growing out of a tree stump, while the right page ha the first few paragraphs of the chapter.

A book being held open to a section titled Animal identification Template. It includes categories such as species and behavior, and includes plenty of open space for writing notes.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 21

So on top of everything else we have an apartment inspection tomorrow, so today is mostly tidying up, but I took a little time to sketch this week's #SundayFishSketch, a yellowfin tutu-tuna! (Extra points if you catch the reference to another marine critter in this drawing.)

A drawing of a tuna fish in a pink ballet bodysuit and tutu and yellow ballet flats. the fish is dark blue, yellow, light gray, and white, and is dancing on one tail foot.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 19

No thoughts today, just a picture of this cool-looking stump. #nature #NaturePhotography #trees #outdoors

A photo of a stump of a cut-down tree. The stump has almost a heart shape, and has concentric circles of rot on the inside.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 18

A quick comparison between #sketching without a reference, and sketching with references. I used multiple reference pics to get the pose right, and while I'm not 100% happy with the foreshortening on the legs, it'll do, and it looks a lot better with fur and color! #wolves #illustration #NoAI 🦊🌿

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 18

Alright, we'll call that good. Micron fineliner and Copics. #PaleoArt #SaberToothedCat #Felidae #Machairodont #Smilodon #paleontology #illustration #skull

The saber toothed cat skull from before, but now colored with various shades of brown marker.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 18

Whew! Didn't whiff it with the inking.

The same saber toothed cat skull sketch as before, but now drawn in thin black ink lines.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 18

Okay, I can live with this linework.

A pencil sketch on white paper of a robust feline skull with large saber like fangs, and the lower jaw now drawn in as well.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 18

Hey! It's my first time in months getting to sit at Rose City Coffee and draw for hours! I'm gonna make myself mad by trying to draw a skull

A partial pencil sketch on white paper of a robust feline skull with two long, saber like canine teeth.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 16

From pet to pest: A 2026 experiment reveals that releasing #goldfish into lakes triggers a full ecosystem regime shift, and no lake type is immune: m.economictimes.com/us/news/from... #fish #InvasiveSpecies #ecology #wildlife #animals 🌿

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 14

This is absolutely NOT a scientifically valid #Dunkleosteus reconstruction. I read how they were likely built more like tuna than sharks, my imagination went off the rails, and now the scary #placoderm gets to feel like a pretty, pretty princess for #SundayFishSketch. #PaleoArt #illustration

A photo of a large, chunky fish with terrifying snaggled teeth and long fins, in bright blue, yellow, and silvery gray.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· Jun 1

For this week's #SundayFishSketch I decided I wanted to try drawing a medieval #fish. In medieval Europe whales were considered to be fish! My rendition here isn't 100% accurate, but to be fair it's also my first time drawing a fish in this style. Fun little #sketch to be sure!

A pen and marker drawing of a blue, green and gray fish like being in the style of old medieval illuminated manuscripts.

The original medieval illustration of a large fish below a ship that has a few men in it, which inspired the first modern drawing.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· May 27

Want to know more about how to identify the fauna in your neighborhood, no matter where you are? June's online study group for The Everyday Naturalist is all about the animal identification chapter! Monday, June 1, 6pm PST. Register for this and future sessions at rebeccalexa.com/the-everyday...

A large orange and black butterfly with white spots on the edges of the wings sitting on a plant with long green leaves.

A tiny brown salamander with an orange face rests in a patch of soft green moss.

A small bird that is mostly reddish brown with a bit of gray on the head and a white chest with brown spots sits on a gray tree branch.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· May 26

Spring is a fabulous time to practice #nature identification, and The Everyday #Naturalist is a fabulous resource to help you learn who your nature neighbors are anywhere in the world! Signed copies at TheEverydayNaturalist.com - you can also ask your local indie bookstore or library 📚💙

A book rests on a bright red piece of fabric. The book has a black cover with brightly colored animals, plants, and mushrooms around the border. The title is The Everyday Naturalist: How to Identify Animals, Plants, and Fungi Wherever You Go, and it is by Rebecca Lexa.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· May 25

First #SundayFishSketch since I got back from my coastal residency, and I am still super busy, but here's a quick, very messy #sketch of a largescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus)! Copic markers and Micron fineliner. #fish #wildlife #animals #illustration

A pen and marker drawing of a long green brown fish with orange and blue fins and a wide mouth.

Rebecca Lexa, Naturalist@rebeccanaturalist· May 17

Really fascinating article on how different parts of the Americas treat #wildlife based on what European countries colonized them: phys.org/news/2026-05... #colonization #colonialism #IndigenousCultures #nature 1/