Top Photo: River otter latrine. Our roughly three acre wetland drains into a small creek which connects with Ellerbee Creek. Ellerbee eventually flows into the Eno River and from there Falls Lake, all part of the Neuse River watershed. These creeks, rivers and lake are the trails, roadways and highways in which river otters and other aquatic animals move across the countryside. I occasionally see one or two otters in our wetland, but their visits are usually marked only byRead more
Posts filed in: Birds
Nest Box Update 5.27.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. Though one nest box has a handful of twigs (house wren) in its walls it is essentially unused, not having nest material added to it since the last week of April. Four of our nest boxes are completely empty having no nest material in them at all. One nest box has had bluebird nest material since the first week in March and finally has a full clutch of 5 eggs. ———————————— The Cow Pasture nestRead more
Swallows and Flowers
Top Photo: Family of geese pass behind recently fledged family of northern rough-winged swallows The young swallows are watching their parents fly overhead, and begging for food. Each year a family of northern rough-winged swallows brings their newly fledged young into our wetlands for training. The adults want the young birds to hit the skies and catch their own insects on the wing. The fledglings seem more interested in begging for handouts than learning how to hawk insects. But eventuallyRead more
Nest Box Update 5.20.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. Finally some action, there is a small clutch of eggs in one nest box. All the others are empty. ——————————— The Cow Pasture nest, though there are house wren twigs in the nest box, doesn’t seem active. The nest hasn’t been altered since last week’s inspection. The Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond, Into the Mist, and Parking Deck East nest boxes are all empty with no sign of activity. The PKW nest box, after havingRead more
Goose Brood Loses One
Top Photo: Five goslings followed by parent through Catch the Wind (5.17.25). The Canada geese are down from six to five goslings (5.17.25). It’s not unusual for goslings to become victims of predators such as fox, coyote, various hawks or common snapping turtles while in the company of their parents. Each brood loses one, two or more over their first couple of weeks or months. It’s to be expected. They’re part of the local habitat. Ranger GregRead more
Goslings
Top Photo: Tending to goslings. The six Canada goose goslings in these photos were hatched on or immediately before May 3 and have been seen daily since. Waterfowl young are precocious and leave the nest within hours of hatching from their eggs. They’re growing fast and are constantly on the move in the company of their parents. The photos here were shot on 5.15.25. Keep a lookout for them in Explore the Wild and Catch the Wind, the Dino TrailRead more
Nest Box Update 5.13.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebirds eggs. All nest boxes appear to be quiet, mid-way through the season. There are currently two nest boxes with nesting material. The remaining four are empty and waiting for a second brood. ——————————— The nest box at the Cow Pasture has twigs placed inside by a house wren but it doesn’t appear as though it’s been added to in the last week. The Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond, Into the Mist, and Parking Deck East nestRead more
First Half of May and How to Tell Murray Bear from Little Bear
Top Photo: Canada geese defend goslings. Note aquatic turtles and spotted sandpiper on float behind geese. The second week of May was warm with little humidity. It was a pleasant time to be outside. Here’s a handful of sights that were witnessed during that period. The six goslings which have been following their parents around the wetlands for the past week (first seen on May 2) still number six. Butterflies are becoming easier to find as spring rolls along. ARead more
Nest Box Update 5.6.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. We have added seven new individuals to the local avifauna, four eastern bluebirds and three Carolina chickadees. All six of our nest boxes are without nestlings. Though, two have nest material from two different species and are slowly under construction. ——————————— At the Cow Pasture, a house wren has added to it’s meager nest in the past week. It doesn’t seem urgent. There were two twigs noted on last week’s inspection, a handful more thisRead more