13. Fishbone Beard Lichen (I think!)

I was sure that the  "Old Man's Beard"  that covers many of the Garry Oak branches would be easy to identify. Apparently not! I asked experts, cut at the cortex, studied the books.....and was happiest when I found that the "Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest" by McCune and Geiser lumps a swack of similar ones as part of the Usnea filipendula group with a comment that it would be "futile to apply" a more specific species name until the taxonomy of the group is worked out. I will continue to try and identify it and post what I find. 

The Golden-crowned Kinglets and other small birds love to forage amongst the branches, pulling out whatever wee arthropods they find there. To me, the festooned branches give the appearance of a long established forest and woodland.