Catbirds have been back for over a month but they’re more obvious now than they had been, they’re singing. Gray Catbirds are mimic thrushes. They’re in the same group of birds as Northern Mockingbirds and Brown Thrashers. They sometimes imitate other birds or sounds in their local area. One catbird here at the Museum does a very good job of imitating the “police” whistles used by the Animal Keepers to call in the bears. But what ever the catbird imitates,Read more
Month: May 2013
Bluebird Update 5.28.13
Last week we had three active nests and three empty nest boxes. Now, there are four active nests. Only the nests at the Cow Pasture and Picnic Dome are unoccupied. The nest at the Bungee Jump still has the same four eggs as it did last week at this time, but it appears as though the female is incubating. I saw the female poke her head out of the box on Saturday (5/25) and just as quickly go back inside.Read more
Northern Water Snake vs Copperhead
It’s almost a daily occurrence, I’d be watching a water snake coiled up and snoozing in the grass on the north side of the Wetlands, point the snake out to someone passing by and they’d say, “That looks like a Copperhead,” or, “Is that a moccasin, cottonmouth?” or most often, “Is it poisonous?” The answer to that statement and those questions is always no. In explaining my no response, last question first, no snake in our area is poisonous. It’s an honestRead more
Phoebes, Coming and Going
Sometime in March I noticed an Eastern Phoebe frequenting the vending area in Explore the Wild. Knowing that phoebes readily nest on ledges (rock ledges, wood ledges, block ledges, any kind of ledges) I hoped for a nest within easy viewing distance. There are plenty of ledges on the building that houses the restrooms and vending area. A nest there would be very convenient for anyone wanting to spy on a bird’s nest. Phoebes have nested below the boardwalk each year since I’veRead more
Bluebird Update 5.21.13
We have three empty nests and three occupied nests. The Cow Pasture nest which was cleaned and readied last week for new occupants is still waiting for someone to move in. This nest has so far fledged four bluebirds. I expect there will be at least one more brood from this nest box. The bluebirds who have built a nest atop the old chickadee nest next to the Bungee Jump have laid four eggs in the nest. This nest hasRead more
Cooper’s Hawk or What!
I was very excited when I first spotted the bird in the above photo. I was making the final run of the day, driving from Explore the Wild into Catch the Wind. Glancing over at the swamp between those two areas of the outdoor exhibits I saw the hawk perched about twenty some feet above the floor of the swamp on my left. Why the excitement over a Cooper’s Hawk? I see them fairly often here at the Museum throughout theRead more
Bluebird Update 5.14.13
As of Tuesday (5/13/13) there were three empty nest boxes. The nestlings that had once occupied them have fledged. Take a close look at the nest below which is located at the Bungee Jump. The five nestling chickadees that were once crowded into this nest are gone, fledged. I didn’t have a chance to clean the nest box after the chickadees had fledged before a bluebird built a nest on top of the old nest. The left arrow points toRead more
While looking down at the water
I never pass the wetlands without giving a look into the water to see what’s about. There’s always something to see, some expected, like basking turtles, others are quite unexpected. Here’s a handfull of sights from Thursday (5/9). The early season dragonflies emerged late this year. Common Baskettails typically become apparent in March. I didn’t seem them until April this year. They’re still flying. Baskettails belong to a family of dragonflies most of whom, if not all, have green eyesRead more
Cicindela sexguttata
What is a Cicindela sexguttata? It’s a Six-spotted Tiger Beetle and if you’ve followed this Journal for the past several years you’d know that I usually start seeing them along the paths here at the Museum in March, and certainly by April. This is the latest sighting (5/8) of this emerald hued tiger beetle since I’ve been here at the Museum. I saw one at my home a few weeks back, but just one, a fleeting glance at one asRead more