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
Posts filed in: Spring
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
Turtles, Turtles, Turtles
Over the past three weeks I’ve come across 13 juvenile Yellow-bellied Turtles. I’ve either spotted them myself at known nest sites or Museum guests and staff have spied them, and in some cases, brought them to me after finding the little herps wandering around the campus. Who knows how many of the turtles have gone unseen while making their way to the Wetlands here at the Museum. How many of the turtles wander off in the wrong direction, away fromRead more
Bluebird Update 4/29/14
There are six chickadee nestlings, three in the Bungee nest and three in the Sail Boat Pond nest. A fourth egg in the Bungee nest, for whatever reason, failed to hatch. We now have three bluebird nestlings and 15 eggs in the remaining nest boxes, Cow Pasture, Amphimeadow, Picnic Dome, and Butterfly House boxes. One of the eggs at the Cow Pasture nest hadn’t hatched as of Tuesday (4/29), and one egg that had been in the nest last week was missing.Read more
A Fishing Expedition
At the lower terminus of the Boardwalk in Explore the Wild I noticed a small snake (perhaps 18 inches at best) coiled in the smartweed that grows there. The snake’s head stuck out of the water, ready to pounce, its tongue flashing out to smell the air. There were also many minnows splashing about the shallow water. Some of the fish were in large groups feeding, a feeding frenzy. Others were in small groups swimming in and out of theRead more