Today (1/4/11) there were two pair of mergansers in the Wetlands, and they were struttin’ their stuff! As I inspected the boardwalk that leads down into the Wetlands for icy spots this morning, I noticed another pair of mergs on the now mostly open water. The birds were doing their pair bond dance, or courtship display. Although the mergansers appear to already be paired, the males apparently have the need to reinforce those bonds when other males are in theRead more
Posts filed in: Birds
Mergs return!
After an absence of several weeks, two Hooded Mergansers were in the Wetlands this morning (11/31/10). The Wetlands is still mostly frozen over, but the mergansers perhaps know that the forecasted temps in the 50s and 60s today and tomorrow will thaw it out completely. Welcome back.Read more
A Tiny Wren
A tiny dark bird flew past me as I stood at the split in the trail leading to the Red Wolf Exhibit in Explore the Wild. The bird flew down into the grass and immediately began chipping and hopping along, searching through the grass for insects or other invertebrates to munch upon. These little birds can often be found along rivers and streams with some regularity, but most folks just pass them by as the birds forage half-hidden among theRead more
Winter’s Here!
The calendar says that winter has arrived. What’s been going on in Explore the Wild? Raccoons make nightly sorties around the Wetlands in search of food, which can be anything from persimmons to tadpoles, or a raid on the trash receptacles along the paths of the Museum (the trash bins are emptied each day before closing so the pickings are slim there). Raccoons are not the only animals roaming Explore the Wild. The tracks below were left in the snow aRead more
Mergs and other Birds
On Wednesday (11/3) there were four Hooded Mergansers in the Wetlands, two males and two females. A group of 8-9 Canada Geese dropped in for a few hours on Wednesday as well. Although these geese are of a non-migratory population, they’re usually absent during the summer months, returning in November. And, speaking of mutt ducks… There were many Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets working over the Mimosas next to the mid-way landing on the boardwalk Wednesday (11/3). Seen this pastRead more
Mergansers!
I usually see the Hooded Mergansers for the first time of the season somewhere during the first or second week in November, depending on the weather. The last cold front that came through our area apparently hurried the waterfowl along, bringing cold weather to their summer ranges and shoeing them southward. I got an email from Michele Kloda (exhibits) on Monday saying that she spied the mergs in the Wetlands (11/1). I went down to have a look myself todayRead more
What are those Birds Eating?
As you walked along the trail through Explore the Wild on your last visit to the Museum, you may have noticed tiny “wet” spots on the pavement on the north side of the Wetlands and again past the Lemur House on your way to Catch the Wind, as if it had been lightly raining. If, when you saw the “wet” spots, you looked up you would have seen a branch of a mimosa tree above you. The wet spots cameRead more
Caching Blue Jays
In October of 2008 I wrote about Blue Jays hoarding acorns and how they may have played a role in reforesting the east after the most recent glacial period. The other day I noticed Blue Jays flying back and forth over Catch the Wind. I forgot about those raucous birds until this morning (10/21) as I was talking with Ranger Lewis at the Ornithopter. They’re at it again! If you happen to be out in Catch the Wind, look up,Read more