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Sleeping Raccoon

T’was a fine mid-November morn as I walked through Catch the Wind. I’d stopped to look through the partridge pea patch across from the signage which introduces Catch the Wind to hikers, walkers and strollers making their way around our outdoor exhibits. In the fall, partridge pea produces many pods filled with copious amounts of seeds. As the pods dry, they twisted upon themselves forcing the seeds to propel themselves out away from the plant. I was hoping to collectRead more

Tracks in Ice

  As I stood on the Main Wetlands Overlook, I noticed a track of smooth ice coming from the willows on the north side of the Wetlands and heading directly towards the platform on which I stood. The track was frozen over, but frozen over more recently than the surrounding ice. Obviously, some creature had swum through the ice when it was slushy, creating a trail and the trail had subsequently frozen over. I looked over the rail at theRead more

A Stranger in Our Midst?

  The tracks above were found on the pavement on the north side of the Wetlands here at the Museum. The tracks came from the edge of the muddy water, onto the pavement and continued directly across the path and into another wet area on the other side of the path. The animal had apparently been walking along the mud at the edge of the water and decided to cross the path. It looks to me like a coyote’s tracks.Read more
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What Happened to the Green Herons in the Wetlands

I’ve seen zero activity this past week at either of the green heron nests in our Wetlands. I saw a heron flying away from the Wetlands Saturday (6/21) and one flew in to fish late in the day Wednesday (6/25). What has happened to the two heron nests that were started, completed and in which eggs had been deposited, at least in the nest visible from the Main Wetlands Overlook. The other nest, which is difficult to see, was placed in aRead more

FOX

Wild gray fox pups were first noticed here at the Museum sometime around May 17 on the north side of the Wetlands close to the Lemur House. The fox were in a hollow on the opposite side of the path from the Lemur House and were visible from the path through a narrow opening in the brush. At the time it was estimated that there were anywhere from 5 to 7 of the pups in the litter. A short timeRead more
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Gray Fox Pups

I’d been informed that someone, a Museum Guest, had spotted gray fox pups just off the trail in Explore the Wild. I’d seen an adult in this area many times during the past few months so it was no surprise, but I was excited at the prospect of getting photos of the pups. As I stolled past the site, one of the adults huffed and barked at me and retreated down into the gully that’s beside the path near theRead more

Sleepy Fox

Yesterday (1/4), with the temps in the low thirties (and wind chills in the twenties), one of our resident wild gray foxes found a cozy, sunny spot to lie down and rest. Only feet from the main path through Explore the Wild, the fox apparently felt that its cryptic coloration would conceal its location. I was lucky enough to spot the little canid. It’s always a thrill to see one of these little guys, don’t you agree? I suppose, though,Read more
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Who’s that?

What’s that under the bench out in Explore the Wild? I saw the fox searching under the bench out in front of the restrooms in Explore the Wild as I rounded the bend from the Lemur Exhibit. I paused and watched as the little canid reached under the bench and grabbed a morsel of food, perhaps a goldfish left by one of the field-tripping schools kids earlier in the day. The fox finally spotted me and we briefly stared at eachRead more