Antipodes is an island, or group of islands, southeast of New Zealand. The word itself, antipodes, means something that is the exact opposite of something else. The root is from the Greek or Latin, anti, opposed or against and pous, foot. Speaking geographically, antipodes is or are two geographic places on opposite sides of the globe. Growing up, I can remember playground discussions about what would happen if you dug straight down into the earth and came out the otherRead more
December?
Top Photo: What December should look like. It’s December, for sure, but it’s been an unusually warm December, so far. We should enjoy it while we can. And, that’s just what Animal Keeper Autumn did the other day as she and Misha, our red-tailed hawk, went for a walk around the Museum’s outdoor campus. If you like turtles, this is a good time to see them. In fact, you may see some of our “light-sleeping” yellow-bellied sliders out and about onRead more
Hooded Mergansers
Since the arrival of the first of the season, lone male merg back at the end of October, their numbers have steadily increased. Over the past few weeks the congregation in our Wetlands has ranged from the twenties and thirties, into the forties. I counted 41 mergansers on 5 December. They have been very busy pair bonding and feeding. They show a preference for feeding under and around the Main Wetlands Overlook where many golden shiners have concentrated. But, as mentioned in a previous post, theRead more
New Species
Top Photo: A new species for the museum. I was watching and photoing the heron in the above image when I noticed the bird glance skyward. And, as I’ve said many times here on this blog, “when a bird looks up towards the sky, it’s a good idea to follow suit.” There’s likely to be something interesting up there. At first I saw nothing as I turned and looked to the area of sky in which the heron seemed toRead more
More Cedar Berries
The cedar trees which line the fence at the Red Wolf Overlook have been, and still are, prolific in berries. The birds have noticed. This is a good spot to stand by and watch the avian parade. The birds move around in loose, mixed flocks searching for forage. And here, they have found what they were looking for. Most of the birds are migrants who will most likely spend the winter with us, if they don’t move further south laterRead more
Pairing Up
Top Photo: Two males strut their stuff in the wetlands.. Hooded mergansers are with us from November to April. Soon after they arrive for the winter they begin the pair bond process, finding a mate. The mergansers won’t actually be mating at this time, but instead are forming pair bonds with future mates (I have, though, witnessed copulatory behavior here in our Wetlands). Once the bond is formed the pair may reinforce the bond during the remainder of the winter. This makesRead more
Herons
Typically, we have one great blue heron in our wetlands. Recently a second has shown up. Yesterday, I saw three gbh’s. Today (11/28), there were four. do all these herons want? Fish, tadpoles, crawfish, and whatever else they can catch that’ll fit down their long throats. The fish were packed in tight up against the shoreline of the wetlands at the foot of the Main Wetlands Overlook. It has been very busy lately, people wise, and this area has been extremelyRead more
Seed Dispersal
Top Photo: Wind-borne seed dispersal groundsel tree. In my last post I mentioned at least one method in which plants manage to get from one place to another. “Perhaps a bird visiting the garden where the original plant was, or is still growing, ate one or several of the fruit. Passing by the Museum, the bird landed in one of the locust trees, depositing seeds in its droppings beneath the tree. The vine sprang up where the seed-laced droppings fell.” Indeed, IRead more
Quick Look at Red Wolves
A pair of white tail deer legs were tossed into the red wolf enclosure by the animal keepers last weekend. The legs were donated by an employee here at the Museum who also happens to be a hunter. The wolves seemed to enjoy the treat. The female, lured out of her den by the smell of meatballs (typical daily offering – the keepers had just been in the enclosure), and perhaps the odor of deer, found one of the deer legs andRead more