Just for the record

The first ode (dragonfly/damselfly) of the season was seen on February 24 flying low over the Wetlands. While I didn’t see it well enough to positively identify it, I’m confident that it was a Common Green Darner (Anax Junius). On March 1st I did see one close enough to make a positive ID. The first damselfly was seen on March 7, but again I could not see enough detail to make out the species. However, I’m fairly sure that itRead more
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The Finer Points…

…of identification of the Black Bears at the Museum of Life + Science. If you’ve spent any time around the Black Bear Exhibit you probably already know that we have four Black Bears on display, Mimi, Virginia, Gus, and Yona. You may also know how to tell them apart from one another, Mimi has two thin white lines on her chest, Virginia has a large white “V” on her chest, Gus is long and lanky, and Yona is the smallest ofRead more
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Tents Hatch

The tent caterpillars eggs that were mentioned in a previous post back in January have hatched. I first noticed the tiny caterpillars on March 3 as I walked through the Dinosaur Trail. I thought them some kind of fungus growing over the egg case. However, when I put on my glasses I realized that the fuzzy, gray material on the egg case was indeed newly hatched caterpillars ready to march off and feast on fresh green leaves! But what are they goingRead more

First Orangetip!

The first of the season Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea) here at the Museum was seen yesterday, March 6, in Catch the Wind. For those of you unfamiliar with this butterfly, it’s a spring flying butterfly and can only be seen for a short period each year. The sighting of this butterfly on Saturday was two days earlier than the first sighting last year. These butterflies use plants in the mustard family for laying eggs. Not surprising since mustards are late winter/springtimeRead more
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A Strange Song

Friday (3/2/12), I heard a strange yet vaguely familiar bird song as I walked down the boardwalk into the Wetlands. The song was coming from the slope to my right as I descended the first leg of the walkway. Many birds are in song at this time, certainly cardinals, chickadees, towhees, Pine Warblers, and Song Sparrows among others. But this was different, it wasn’t a local. It was probably some winter resident gearing up for when it arrives on itsRead more
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Give me Some Kind of Sign

signs of the season… Read more about Chip. There are so many signs that point to spring it’s difficult to zero in on just a few. Here’s two very obvious bird signals of the change that’s coming. The two geese in the photos below arrive at the Museum’s Wetland each February. I’ve been calling them Lucy and Goosey, Lucy’s the female. I typically don’t name birds, but these two have become so familiar that, well, why not! How do IRead more

Purple Martins have arrived!!

No, no the martins have’t arrived here at the Museum, but elsewhere in North Carolina for sure. This from the local bird ListServ carolinabirds: From: Henry Link <linkh@bellsouth.net> Date: February 22, 2012 1:24:04 PM EST To: Carolinabirds <carolinabirds@duke.edu> Subject: Guilford County Arrivals Guilford County’s “Martin Man”, Danny Royster called this morning to report seeing the first Purple Martin in his backyard north of Greensboro on Feb. 17. He had ten Purple Martins yesterday and a FOY [First of Year] TreeRead more