{"id":154699,"date":"2025-09-07T05:16:38","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T10:16:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=154699"},"modified":"2025-09-07T05:16:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T10:16:38","slug":"common-five-lined-skink-basking-in-sunlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/09\/07\/common-five-lined-skink-basking-in-sunlight\/","title":{"rendered":"Common Five-lined Skink Basking In Sunlight"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A few days ago, I was thrilled to see and photograph this Common Five-lined Skink as it basked in the sunlight on a fallen tree next to the auto tour road.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-154695 size-full\" title=\"Common Five-lined Skink on a fallen tree, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/common-five-lined-skink-log-mia-mcpherson-7658.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/common-five-lined-skink-log-mia-mcpherson-7658.jpg\" alt=\"Common Five-lined Skink on a fallen tree, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27643%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20900%20643%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27643%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/common-five-lined-skink-log-mia-mcpherson-7658-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/common-five-lined-skink-log-mia-mcpherson-7658-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/common-five-lined-skink-log-mia-mcpherson-7658-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/common-five-lined-skink-log-mia-mcpherson-7658-600x429.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/common-five-lined-skink-log-mia-mcpherson-7658-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/common-five-lined-skink-log-mia-mcpherson-7658.jpg 900w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Common Five-lined Skink on a fallen tree \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 800, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 371mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve been looking for these skinks since spring and all through the summer. This was my first opportunity with one of the skinks completely out in the open this year.<\/p>\n<p>The cobalt-blue tail of this reptile certainly caught my eye!<\/p>\n<p>Common Five-lined Skinks don\u2019t seem all that common at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma this year. Part of the reason is that the edges of the road are so grown up with Johnson Grass, which makes the skinks hard to see.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"52\" data-end=\"191\">Once upon a time, in my garden in Virginia, my sons and I were able to watch several baby Common Five-lined Skinks hatch from their eggs.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"193\" data-end=\"364\">It was a terrific learning experience for us all. The boys and I caught flies for the young skinks, and once we knew they were eating, we released them into the garden.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.inaturalist.org\/taxa\/73788-Plestiodon-fasciatus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Common Five-lined Skinks<\/span><\/a> will always bring back wonderful memories for me.<\/p>\n<p>Life<em> is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/common-five-lined-skink-images\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Common Five-lined Skink photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A few days ago, I was thrilled to see and photograph this Common Five-lined Skink as it basked in the sunlight on a fallen tree next to the auto tour road.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":154695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14156,13973,13974],"tags":[14190,13984,14157,14932,4962,14158,13136,14163,14162,2315,4427],"class_list":["post-154699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-common-five-lined-skinks","category-oklahoma","category-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge","tag-bottomland-hardwood-forest","tag-bottomlands","tag-common-five-lined-skink","tag-fallen-log","tag-log","tag-plestiodon-fasciatus","tag-reptiles","tag-skink","tag-skinks","tag-summer-3","tag-tree"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/common-five-lined-skink-log-mia-mcpherson-7658.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-Ef9","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":114399,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/07\/15\/common-five-lined-skink-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":154699,"position":0},"title":"Common Five-lined Skink Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 15, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Today, I am sharing three Common Five-lined Skink photos that I took at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma when I visited my friend Steve Creek.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Common Five-lined Skinks&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Common Five-lined Skinks","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/common-five-lined-skinks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Common Five-lined Skink on a log, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/common-five-lined-skink-oklahoma-mia-mcpherson-1018.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/common-five-lined-skink-oklahoma-mia-mcpherson-1018.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/common-five-lined-skink-oklahoma-mia-mcpherson-1018.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/common-five-lined-skink-oklahoma-mia-mcpherson-1018.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":128188,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/05\/06\/birds-and-wildlife-from-arkansas-and-sequoyah-nwr-in-oklahoma\/","url_meta":{"origin":154699,"position":1},"title":"Birds and Wildlife From Arkansas And Sequoyah NWR In Oklahoma","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 6, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm sharing a bunch of bird and wildlife photos that I have recently photographed in my friend Steve's yard in Arkansas, and from Sequoyah NWR in Oklahoma.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American Lady Butterflies&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American Lady Butterflies","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/american-lady-butterflies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Northern Flicker in Arkansas, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/nothern-flicker-adult-female-grass-mia-mcpherson-5375.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/nothern-flicker-adult-female-grass-mia-mcpherson-5375.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/nothern-flicker-adult-female-grass-mia-mcpherson-5375.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/nothern-flicker-adult-female-grass-mia-mcpherson-5375.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":132434,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/08\/15\/pale-young-raccoon-at-sequoyah-nwr\/","url_meta":{"origin":154699,"position":2},"title":"Pale Young Raccoon At Sequoyah NWR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Seeing and photographing this unusual pale young Raccoon was one of the highlights of my morning at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge. The Raccoon was lovely.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Oklahoma&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Oklahoma","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/oklahoma\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pale Raccoon close up at Sequoyah NWR, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/raccoon-pale-close-up-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-1200.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/raccoon-pale-close-up-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-1200.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/raccoon-pale-close-up-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-1200.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/raccoon-pale-close-up-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-1200.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":114113,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/07\/04\/female-and-male-common-whitetail-dragonfly-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":154699,"position":3},"title":"Female And Male Common Whitetail Dragonfly Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 4, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Last month, while visiting Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, I was able to take quite a few female and male Common Whitetail dragonfly photos.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Common Whitetail&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Common Whitetail","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/common-whitetail\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Common Whitetail dragonfly on a fallen tree, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/common-whitetail-dragonfly-male-oklahoma-mia-mcpherson-2739.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/common-whitetail-dragonfly-male-oklahoma-mia-mcpherson-2739.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/common-whitetail-dragonfly-male-oklahoma-mia-mcpherson-2739.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/common-whitetail-dragonfly-male-oklahoma-mia-mcpherson-2739.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":114483,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/07\/18\/american-lotus-and-dragonflies\/","url_meta":{"origin":154699,"position":4},"title":"American Lotus And Dragonflies","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 18, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Today's post is about American Lotus, dragonflies, and the rich habitat of Reeve's Slough at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Oklahoma.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American Lotus&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American Lotus","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/trees-shrubs-and-flowers\/wildflowers\/american-lotus\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Eastern Pondhawk on a lotus leaf, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/sequoyah-nwr-eastern-pondhawk-dragonfly-male-mia-mcpherson-9584.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/sequoyah-nwr-eastern-pondhawk-dragonfly-male-mia-mcpherson-9584.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/sequoyah-nwr-eastern-pondhawk-dragonfly-male-mia-mcpherson-9584.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/sequoyah-nwr-eastern-pondhawk-dragonfly-male-mia-mcpherson-9584.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":129134,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/06\/02\/common-nighthawk-in-front-of-the-moon\/","url_meta":{"origin":154699,"position":5},"title":"Common Nighthawk In Front Of The Moon","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"When I took this Common Nighthawk photo on my last trip up to Tishomingo NWR I lined up the shot to have the moon behind the bird on purpose.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Resting Common Nighthawk at first light, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Johnston County, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-nighthawk-moon-morning-mia-mcpherson-1693.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-nighthawk-moon-morning-mia-mcpherson-1693.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-nighthawk-moon-morning-mia-mcpherson-1693.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/common-nighthawk-moon-morning-mia-mcpherson-1693.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154699"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154699\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=154699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=154699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}