This past weekend I, along with Rangers Kristin and Sara, participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count. The count is a joint project organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon Society, and Bird Studies Canada. The count spans four days but you only have to count one day if time is short, and only fifteen minutes of that day if you’re really pressed for time. The requirements for participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count are a willingness toRead more
Posts filed in: Winter
Signs of the Seasons
Two sure signs of the changing seasons are the tap-tap-tap high up in the pines of the Brown-headed Nuthatches excavating nest holes, and ee-awKEEEE of the Red-winged Blackbirds in the Wetlands. We hear, and see, the nuthatches each year at this time as these little dynamos drill one, two, three or mores cavities into the soft wood of the pines. For all of their work they more than likely only use one of the holes to actually nest in. TheRead more
Rough Earth Unearthed
A Rough Earth Snake was uncovered by Butterfly House Director Uli Hartmond as he worked on the plantings outside of the Conservatory on the 16th of February. This was the first live snake of the season. A dead Rough Earth Snake was spotted by Ranger Lew a few weeks earlier in Catch the Wind. In other herp news, I’ve heard Spring Peepers calling both last week and this week. Chorus frogs can’t be far behind.Read more
Flycatching MYWAs
On the warm, calm 10th of February I noticed a bit of activity in two Loblolly Pines just north of the Ornithopter. A group of Myrtle Warblers (AKA Yellow-rumped Warblers, Butter Butts, or MYWAs) were busy sallying forth from the tops of the trees. They were flycatching. It’s not unusual to see these warblers flycatching, after all, it’s how they make their living, eating insects. True, these warblers revert to eating fruits and seeds during winter, especially the wax myrtleRead more
PG and Raven
A Peregrine Falcon (PG) flew directly over me at approximately 11 AM on February 10 as I walked towards the steps leading down into the Butterfly House here at the Museum. The bird was heading north. To my knowledge, this was the first of this species recorded here at the Museum. This sighting completes the list of falcons likely to be seen here, which includes Kestrel, Merlin, and now Peregrine. There are six North American falcons. The Aplomado Falcon, PrairieRead more
The Past Few Weeks with Mergansers
Photos of the mergs in the Wetlands… Is this the young male from January, or is it another young male that has yet to complete its molt? And so do I.Read more
Another Quiz Bird?
Yes, another quiz! The photo below contains all the information needed to identify this common, winter visitor to our area. Look carefully and you should be able to get it. Don’t get frustrated, but look at the bird and note what you see. A bird field guide might be helpful. Good luck, and don’t forget to reply with your answer! Congratulations Sarah!!Read more
Where do Ospreys go in Winter?
Although winter is nearly over and many of the birds that have spent the winter in the tropics are either on their way back north, or soon will be, I thought it might be interesting to see where some of them traveled to when they left our part of the world (North America) last fall. The following link will take you on a trip (several trips, in fact) on the backs of Ospreys from the nest where they were hatchedRead more
Purple Martins on Horizon
Yes, it’s that time of year again when Purple Martins return from South America. If you’re interested in tracking their progress north you can do so by visiting The Purple Martin Conservation Association’s (PMCA) web site, “Scout Arrival Report” for daily updates on just where those large, insect-eating swallows are in their northward migration. If you have questions such as, “What’s a Purple Martin?” or “How do I attract Purple Martins to my yard?” or any other Purple Martin relatedRead more