Top Photo: Groundhog (Marmota monax). Groundhogs, or woodchucks, are members of the squirrel family, a ground squirrel. The one shown here lives under a large oak stump that lays on its side in Wander Away opposite the Sailboat Pond in Catch the Wind. If you’re quiet while passing through Wander Away you might get a glimpse of the large rodent. Can you spot the Canada Geese in the photo below? We currently have three pairs vying for territory in theRead more
Posts filed in: Mammals
Spring Is In The Air
Top Photo: Canada geese are back. It’s not officially spring, but signs of its arrival are peeking through. Canada geese usually show up in February. With them comes the first signs of spring. The geese are here to attempt a nest. This has become a popular place for our state’s non-migratory, local breeding Canada geese. Many local birds were out and about showing off spring behavior, like the downy woodpecker below. This male was drumming on a much too thinRead more
New Years Feeder Birds
Top Photo: Northern Mockingbird (not really a feeder bird, but I like the picture). Here’s 19 species (18 birds, 1 mammal) to keep an eye out for at Bird Viewing in Catch the Wind (there’s a cluster of bird feeders at the site). None of the birds (or mammal) are rare. All are year-round residents except four, a woodpecker, a sparrow, a warbler, and a thrush (October-April). Most of the birds visit the feeders on a regular basis. If youRead more
It’s as Cold as Ice (bears, wolves, hawks)
Top Photo: Ice forming on waterfall at Black Bear Enclosure. Cold night temperatures have been freezing the water flowing over the rocks at the waterfall in the bear enclosure. The cooler air has also been making the bears increasingly drowsy, which makes seeing them more challenging to the human observer. Our bears tend to sleep more during the colder days of the year. They don’t go into full hibernation, the temperatures don’t stay cold long enough here on the Piedmont.Read more
Gray Squirrel and the Hawk
Top Photo: Red-tailed hawk cruises over the museum’s airspace. As cold weather descends on us, our resident eastern gray squirrels reinforce the insulation in their nests. The one in the following photos apparently caught the attention of one of the local red-tailed hawks. The redtail came in for a closer look as the squirrel made haste for the nest. Alerted by Animal Care Patrick (Pattie) to all of this activity, I was able to get a few shots to share.Read more
Finding Martha: and Oka too
Top Photo: West side of red wolf enclosure. Our new resident red wolves (Martha and Oka) have come from a facility which did not have them on daily display. They’re not used to having people at front and center of their habitat. They will, I’m sure, get used to human visitors, but it may take time. Our male Oka spends most of his day sleeping on the far west side (left side) of the enclosure curled up or stretched outRead more
An Aster, a Skipper, a Lady, and a Shrew!
Top Photo: Purple aster at the Butterfly House Garden. Purple aster is a late bloomer. As such, it attracts many late season insects to its nectar like the common checked skipper pictured here. In our area, this skipper may occasionally be seen as late as December, but certainly into mid November. As I walked into Catch the Wind, I noticed a group of about eight people smiling and laughing as they stared down at the ground near the base ofRead more
Welcome Martha and Oka
Top Photo: Martha’s first day in her new home at Museum of Life and Science. Welcome male red wolf Oka and female Martha to the museum. Both wolves, while not yet fully acclimated to their new habitat, are doing well. The pair arrived from the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, NY late Monday night (10/21/24) and were released into the kennel area of the enclosure. Here’s some photos to perhaps help you figure out who’s who when you stopRead more
Adeyha & Oak
Top Photo: Adeyha Ranger GregRead more