Top Photo: Cedar waxwing surveys the area for berries. Keep your eyes open for cedar waxwings and American robins raiding the holly trees and bushes around campus. Each year the two species flock in and often pick clean the American and yaupon hollies of their fruit. Even the eastern red cedars take a hit. The fun usually starts in February. It’s February now! American robins can be seen locally in every month of the year. Waxwings are nomadic and mayRead more
Spring?
Top Photo: The pollen flies as I tap hazel alder’s male catkins in our wetlands. February is the time of year hazel alder blooms in our wetland. The plants are monoecious, having both male and female flowers on the same plant. The wine-red female flowers stand above the amber male catkins and are pollinated via the wind, or through the tap of a naturalist’s finger. The shrub is also called smooth alder, common alder, tag alder, or Alnus serrulata inRead more
How Close Can You Get?
Top Photo: Ranger Patrick (lower right) photographing one of the local red-shouldered hawks (beyond and to right of pine tree – large tree trunk on left). Our resident red-shouldered hawks are quite used to human activity. When they’re hunting they seem to pay little or no attention to folks passing by. In the heat of the breeding season the birds seem even less concerned. They often allow close approach by photographers like Ranger Patrick in the photos here, as heRead more
Ducks, Cherry Dogwood, Crocus, Geese, Sliders, and Mistletoe
Top Photo: Hooded mergansers float and reflect in the wetland’s water. Here’s a handful of things to look for as you stroll around and through our outdoor areas during the last half of winter. We hope to entice hooded mergansers to nest in our wetlands. Cornelian cherry dogwood’s flower buds are about to burst open into a bright yellow display of florescence. The small tree shown here is located on your right, just outside the main building’s door to GatewayRead more
Polyphemus
Top Photo: Polyphemus (pol-uh-FEE-muhs) moth cocoon hanging from twig in Earth Moves. Some silk moths spend the winter in cocoons in the leaf liter. Some burrow underground. At least some Polyphemus moths winter as pupa wrapped up and hanging from a twig or branch of their host tree via a peduncle. The further south Polyphemus moths live, the more likely this behavior. Occasionally, though, these hanging cocoons drop off into the leaf liter. The one pictured here was found hangingRead more
Apricot Blooms
Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), or Chinese plum is once again blooming here at the museum. At about the same time every year I report on this small tree coming into flower. It’s obviously an early bloomer. Each year around mid-January it sets forth its one inch pink, yellow stamened blooms. Originating in China, It’s been cultivated for some 1500 years around the world. Our little tree is along side the path just across from the east entrance to the FarmRead more
A Hawk Tale
Top Photo: Unidentified large brown bird. You’re walking along the path. The low mid-morning sun is bright and shining directly into your face. A large bird flies by and catches your eye. It lands high up in a tree some fifty or so yards away. Branches restrict your view and the bird is facing away from you. When you first spotted the bird you thought it was a hawk. But which hawk? red-shouldered (the most common hawk in the area)?Read more
Bird Viewing
Top Photo: Red-bellied woodpecker peeks out from behind suet. If you happen to be passing Bird Viewing while on your way to or from Catch the Wind on the Museum’s outdoor loop trail, stop and sit down for a few minutes. Grab one of the very comfortable Adirondack chairs (you won’t want to get up again) and set a while. You’re very likely to see Carolina chickadee, northern cardinal, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, downy and red-bellied woodpeckers, mourningRead more
Four Birds and Who They Are
Top Photo: December 2022, what bird is this? The photo above depicts a hermit thrush. The clues are there. You should be able to tell from the shape of the bill that the bird is a thrush, at the very least, not a sparrow. Though you’re viewing the bird from behind and below, and mostly see the belly and undertail coverts, you can also see, at minimum, half of the tail. Along the outer edges of the tail you canRead more