Top Photo: Yellowjacket picking over annual cicada. The yellowjacket in the images above and below is scavenging protein from a dead cicada on the path. Yellowjacket larvae back in the hive are fed protein in the form of whole insects or chunks of meat harvested from caterpillars and other larger animals, even from a picnicker’s ham sandwich. The yellowjackets take the meat back to the hive and feed it directly to larvae in cells within the hive after it’s beenRead more
Posts filed in: AZA
Nest Box Update 3.21.23
Top Photo: Eastern Bluebird eggs (from previous season). We now have four active nests. Two nests belong to chickadees and two to bluebirds. Neither chickadee nest has eggs, There are four eggs in one bluebird nest and a single egg in another. —————— The nest box at the Cow Pasture has four eastern bluebird eggs inside its cup. At the end of the day, last Tuesday, it had two eggs. There were no birds to be seen during this week’sRead more
More Spring
Top Photo: Northern Mockingbird establishes its territory. Note leaf buds sprouting from tree branches. As temperatures settle back from highs in the mid to upper 70s to seasonal norms of 50s and 60s, more signs of spring are being seen around campus. Here’s some examples. The day following the capture of the photo above, fresh young leaves emerged from the buds of the fig tree our mockingbird was claiming as his own. Blue violet is common along paths in ExploreRead more
How Close Can You Get?
Top Photo: Ranger Patrick (lower right) photographing one of the local red-shouldered hawks (beyond and to right of pine tree – large tree trunk on left). Our resident red-shouldered hawks are quite used to human activity. When they’re hunting they seem to pay little or no attention to folks passing by. In the heat of the breeding season the birds seem even less concerned. They often allow close approach by photographers like Ranger Patrick in the photos here, as heRead more
Who’s Who (Niko and Oak)
Top Photo: Oak (front) and Niko. On November 12, I posted about the arrival of our two red wolves, Niko and Oak. In that post I also mentioned a bit about how to differentiate the two, tell them apart from one another. Besides the white cheek patch (very small and barely noticeable) and white area surrounding the base of her tail (quite evident), Oak has a much narrower face than Niko. The broader snout and forehead of Niko is discernibleRead more
The Little Bear Update
Top Photo: Gus Bear and Little Bear feed on food tossed out by Animal Care Team, nuts, sweet potatoes, carrots, berries… Just to remind everyone the best time to spot our newest black bear is in the morning. The secondary black bear overlook remains the best location to get a glimpse of the “Little Bear.” She’s staying out longer each day and seems to be adapting well. I’ll see you there.Read more
Bear-watching
Top Photo: Two diehard bear-watchers staring at Yona Bear but hoping for a glimpse of the “little bear.” Morning is the best time for seeing our new cub, which is why the two intrepid bear-watchers above are braving a chilly morning in Explore the Wild to search for the “little bear.” There she is, up on the stump behind Gus! Come on out and see if you can spot her.Read more
Groundhogs, a Little Bear, and a Hawk
Top Photo: Oak stump and resident groundhog. Strolling through Wander Away in Catch the Wind, I noticed a gray, furry head poking out from the side of a large oak stump on the side of the path. I immediately stopped and reached for my camera. Inching forward, I was able to get a few shots of the young groundhog whose head was posed at the entrance to its burrow, its nose twitching for scent. Groundhogs are fairly common sights hereRead more
Sharing
Our two sibling red wolves, Eno and Ellerbe, share the same enclosure. As you might expect, each wolf has its own personality. Eno often seems to desire, what appears to be, playful interaction between himself and his brother. From my observations, Ellerbe prefers to be left alone and does not share his brother’s enthusiasm for “playfulness.” It’s part of the captive animal experience to be offered enrichment. Environmental Enrichment, in the case here, is the placement of objects inside theRead more
The Wean Begins
Our female red wolf (#2062) nurses her two young pups. It’s been just about six weeks since their birth and nearing time for weaning. None too soon, judging by our female’s expressions and actions in the accompanying photos. Don’t fret, our female is taking very good care of the pups. They’re both healthy and growing. It’s all part of the process.Read more