Top Photo: Male, eastern bluebird. The season kicked off with a complete bluebird nest on March 7 in the nest box on the east side of the parking deck (PKE). There were four eggs in the nest on March 14 and five by the 21st of the month. These early birds fledged on 11 April. By then, there were 3 chickadee nests elsewhere on our six nest box trail with 10 eggs and five nestlings. We lost one of theRead more
Turning the Corner
Top Photo: Monarch larva. Fall is creeping up on us. And though it’s forecast to be in the 90s all week I can feel, and see, the season turning. Here’s what’s going on in our neighborhood. Amanita mushroom (Amanita jacksonii) is a common mushroom of the Piedmont. The one pictured was along the path in Explore the Wild. They’re edible, but I’m not recommending eating them. It looks as though something has eaten part of the mushroom. Buttonbush is wellRead more
High and Dry (almost)
Top Photo: Water level dropping by the day. For weeks, no rain, the water level in our wetland kept dropping. When it looked as though the pond would become a meadow, a night of thunderstorms with heavy rain replenished the water. Though the level is still below average most of the muddy clay bottom is again wet (water level was at full as of 8 July). The turtles can swim instead of lugging it across the mud. The geese, too,Read more
Nest Box Update 7.4.26
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird, male. We have one active nest. The three bluebirds in the nest will likely be the last birds to fledge from our bluebird trail this season. ——————————— The Cow Pasture, Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond, Into the Mist, and Parking Deck East nest boxes are all empty. The Parking Deck West (PKW) nest box contains what looks to be three healthy bluebird nestlings. ———————————— I may be off slightly in my timing but I suspect theRead more
Life Goes On
Top Photo: Considered invasive wherever they’ve been introduced, American bullfrog and red swamp crawfish are known for their ability to alter and take over habitats. Here’s some photos to guide you through the dry times (we’re in a drought, but life goes on). Even though we’ve been high and dry in our wetland the cattails continue to grow. Many birds have fledged in the past several weeks, like this young Carolina wren. This is an adult common grackle staking outRead more
Nest Box Update 6.27.26
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird, male. All but one nest box is empty. There are three bluebird nestlings in one nest box. —————————— The Cow Pasture, Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond, Into the Mist, and Parking Deck East (PKE) nest boxes are all empty. While the Parking Deck West (PKW) nest box held three bluebird eggs last week, today it contained three very fresh bluebird nestlings. ———————————— So, it looks as though the final nest of the season will be theRead more
Nest Box Update 6.20.26
To Photo: Eastern bluebird, male. The one active nest we had last week, is still the only active nest. The Parking Deck West (PKW) nest box has three bluebird eggs inside its pine needle cup. ———————————— The Cow Pasture, Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond, Into the Mist and Parking Deck East (PKE) nest boxes are all empty, no activity. There are three bluebird eggs in the nest at the nest box on the west side of the parking deck. Read more
Nest Box Update 6/6/2026 – 6/13/2026
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird, male. We have only one active nest. There’s minimal nest material in two of the nest boxes, but it hasn’t been worked for weeks. One nest box which was started by bluebirds in early May, became a project in progress by house wrens, has now switched back to bluebirds and is ready for action. —————————— The Cow Pasture, Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond, Into the Mist, and Parking Deck East nest boxes are all empty andRead more