Pollen, Pollen, Everywhere Pollen

Over the past week, you may have noticed pollen on your car, sidewalk, outdoor furniture, even inside your house! But have you noticed the pollen on… I’m not sure if our wildlife friends are bothered with allergies but in the case of the damselfly above it may cause a bit of a weight problem.   Thankfully it’s raining today (3/24) and most of the pollen will be washed away.Read more

All Together Now…

In April of 2009 Eastern Redbub, Flowering Dogwood, and Wisteria were all in bloom at the same time. Typically, the sequence goes as follows, redbud, dogwood, and wisteria. Well, once again, all three are in bloom at once, this time in March! And, keeping with the theme “All Together Now…” Enjoy!Read more
5 Comments

Water Snakes and the Snake Wrangler

Yesterday (3/21/12) brought out the first water snakes of the season here at the Museum, three of them! If the snake above doesn’t look familiar to you perhaps this will refresh your memory. And lastly, garter snakes have been active all winter, as discussed in a previous post, so it’s no surprise that one was seen in Catch the Wind on Tuesday March 20 by Bungee Operator/Snake Wrangler Ryne. The snake was patrolling the U-shaped pond next to Take OffRead more

Answer to Who am I?

The question was… Look below ———————————————– —————————————— ————————————- ——————————– ————————– ——————— —————– ———–Read more

Out for a walk

The turtle above was seen on the path above the Lemur House. I received a report from a visitor that they had also seen a hatchling walking along the Dinosaur trail today. Enjoy!Read more

Snakes and Skinks

Not the first of the season but the first photographed were a Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi) and Ground Skink (Scinella lateralis) on Friday, the 16th day of March. March is when we start seeing these gentle little snakes (this one’s about 9 inches long). I’d seen at least two in the weeks prior to this photo being taken. Unfortunately for the snakes, both were being carried off by a Red-shouldered Hawk. Likewise with the snake, I had seen a skinkRead more

Odes, Leps, Herps, and some Aves

Green Darners have been ovipositing in the Wetlands (3/13). Up until this Tuesday I had only seen males patrolling the area. I was finally able to confirm the emergence of Fragile Forktails (Ischnura posita). I photographed a damselfly a week ago (3/7) but wasn’t sure of its identity, although I was fairly confident that it was a forktail. I’ve seen these forktails here at the Museum as early as mid February. It’s curious that I haven’t seen one earlier thisRead more
3 Comments

Herp Firsts

The first American Toad (Bufo americanus) and Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) of the season made their appearances on March 9 here at the Museum. I thought that I spied a snapper poke its pointy snout out of the water the day before (3/8) but couldn’t be sure. There’s no doubt about the one below. Something new everyday!Read more