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
Posts filed in: Winter
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
Things are Getting Heated with Red Wolves
Ever since red wolves 1784 and 1794 were released in the Museum’s Red Wolf Enclosure, the male has followed the female wherever she roamed, relentlessly. She, wanting no part of him, would allow no closer than perhaps a dozen feet between them before she would turn, bare her teeth, arch her back, and, if necessary, lunge at him. Our female is entering estrous and she is now allowing the male closer approach, although she still holds him back with aRead more
Siskin Trouble
It’s been cold, snowy, and icy the past few weeks (oddly, it’s in the 70s as I write this), and the birds have been going through bird seed like a kid through an ice cream cone on a hot day. I’ve had to refill both sunflower and thistle feeders every other day (4 different seed feeders and 3 suet feeders). We’ve had much larger numbers of birds at our feeders before, but whenever it’s cold or there is substantialRead more
2014-2015 Creeper Shot: In the Can
Once again, the annual brown creeper shot is in the can. Each winter I happen across one of these birds that allows me a close enough approach so as to get a photo or two. Most of the time the shots are of the bird’s tail, a piece of the wing, or very much out of focus due to the bird’s frenetic behavior, and my camera’s slow reaction time. On Saturday, February 28, while standing at the Red WolfRead more
Tracks in Ice
As I stood on the Main Wetlands Overlook, I noticed a track of smooth ice coming from the willows on the north side of the Wetlands and heading directly towards the platform on which I stood. The track was frozen over, but frozen over more recently than the surrounding ice. Obviously, some creature had swum through the ice when it was slushy, creating a trail and the trail had subsequently frozen over. I looked over the rail at theRead more
Snow – Geese
The water in the Wetlands, after several days of temps above freezing, has thawed a bit. A section of the pond on the far side of the Wetlands is open. Our two visiting geese, who have been absent since the beginning of last week due to the complete freeze up of the Wetlands at the time, are back. They must have flown over, spotted the open water and dropped in. Snowing as it is this morning (unexpectedly snowing), aRead more
Behind the Scenes
I take many photos here at the Museum. Some you see here on Nature Watch, some you don’t. Most of the photos I take are of plants or animals, but if I happen to have a camera in hand as one of the Museum staff passes, or is working nearby, they may become the subject of one of my photos. The following is a sample of some of the Museum staff that I’ve crossed paths with over the years while IRead more
Cold Outside
That’s right, it’s cold outside. It’s been in the teens most of the day (2/19) with single digits forecast for tonight and early tomorrow. You can always go out and see who or what has been leaving tracks in the snow. Don’t let the cold keep you from enjoying the out-of-doors. Of course, dress warmly, but don’t let lack of heat stop you from doing what you want to do. Oh,Read more