Here’s some of what you missed if you haven’t been walking our trails here at the Museum lately. This first item is something that I’ve missed for the past five or six years here at the Museum, a damselfly. Azure Bluets have probably been in our Wetlands long before I arrived here some six years ago, but I have not, until now, seen one close enough to identify it as such. Dragonflies continue to emerge from their watery, prepubescent homes inRead more
Month: May 2014
Bluebird Update 5/27/14
Although none of our six nest boxes contains nestlings, nor even eggs, there is still exciting news to report. A new nest has been started, and the last remaining nest which held birds is now empty. The Cow pasture nest box now contains a second bluebird nest. Perhaps we’ll see eggs by next week. All the other nest boxes, Bungee, Sail Boat Pond, Amphimeadow, Picnic Dome, and now Butterfly House boxes, are empty. The Butterfly House nest having fledged its four youngRead more
Out and About
Just some sights from the past week. First spotted by Michelle Kloda as she headed off to Build it! Bamboo one day last week, a Trapdoor Spider. Trapdoor Spiders spend most of their time in a hole in the ground waiting for prey to come walking by. They build a hinged, silken lid to top off the hole which they pop open to reach out and grab any unsuspecting prey that wanders by. Tiny mites caused the growths on theseRead more
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
Bluebird Update 5/20/14
All’s quiet of the Bluebird Front. While last week we had two empty nests, those nests having fledged six chickadees, and four nests full of nestling bluebirds, we now have only one occupied nest. The Butterfly House nest is the only active nest at this time. It contains four bluebird nestlings who are ready to make their way out into the world. They won’t be there next week, that’s for sure. I did manage to find one unhatched egg inRead more
Waxwings and Mulberries
I was cruising Explore the Wild and Catch the Wind for turtles that might have been looking for nest sites when I noticed that the branches of the mulberry tree that hangs over the path near the Sail Boat Pond were drooping very low. There were also many purple stains on the pavement below the branches. The mulberries were ripe. It was time to keep an eye out for berry loving birds raiding the trees in search of that ohRead more
Bluebird Update 5/13/14
All bluebird nests are currently occupied by nestlings and the two chickadee nest boxes are empty and waiting for someone to move in. Two weeks ago the bluebirds in the Cow Pasture nest had only just hatched. It now looks as if we may not see them again, they will have fledged by next week’s inspection of the nest box. I’ve cleaned out and reinstalled berry baskets in the nest boxes at the Bungee and Sail Boat Pond. Both ofRead more
Spring Happenings
Happenings over the past few weeks have been a bit overwhelming. Insects that have been held back from emergence by cooler than normal temperatures are doing so now, snakes and other reptiles have been performing their springtime rituals, neotropical migrants are moving through, and local nesters are doing just that, nesting. Some have already fledged their first broods. It’s been difficult for me to keep up with all of the biological happenings in terms of posting them to this Journal. That beingRead more
Bluebird Update 5/6/14
Things have come a long way since last month, indeed, a long way since last week! One nest has fledged, the rest have chicks in various states of readiness. From freshly hatched, to ready to fledge, that’s where we were as of 6, May. The three bluebird nestlings at the Cow Pasture nest are advancing well. The little bluebirds were sleeping when I looked in on them, but I could see feathers on their wings. They may be ready toRead more