Located around our campus there grows two different varieties of passionflower or passion vine, yellow (passiflora lutea) and purple (Passiflora incarnata). The yellow variety is a small, more delicate plant than the purple variety. Although the flower is structurally similar it is smaller and less ornate. The leaves are three lobed as in the purple passionflower vine but with little or no sinus separating the lobes. The flowers on the purple variety are about three inches across whereas the yellowRead more
Nest Box Update 6.19.18
One nest box has fledged its occupants and another is waiting for its eggs to hatch. The Cow Pasture house wrens five nestlings have fledged. The nest was empty on this morning’s inspection. Explore the Wild and Into the Mist nest boxes are empty. There are 5 eggs in the bluebird nest at the Parking Deck nest box. An adult female bluebird flew from the nest as I approached it. I expect the eggs to have hatched by next week’sRead more
Nest Box Update 6.12.18
A tree nearly smashed one of the nest boxes, fresh eggs are in another nest box, and an injured or deformed and dead bird in still another. A small walnut tree came very close to landing on top of the nest box at Cow Pasture. As it is, a grape vine that had been growing on the walnut caught the top of the box. The nest box is occupied by house wrens. I could hear and finally saw the adultRead more
More Summer Fun
Equisetum (top photo) is also called horsetail or scouring rush. This patch is located in and around the Troodon exhibit on the Dino Trail. The name equisetum is Latin for “horse bristle.” The common name horsetail is usually used to describe the entire group of species within the genus Equisetum. The branched species are said to resemble a horse’s tail. The name scouring rush comes from the fact that the rough, silica rich stems have been, and can be, usedRead more
Summer Sights
The butterfly in the top photo is an eastern tailed-blue. It belongs to a group of small butterflies known as blues. They are typically blue on the upper surface of the wings. They like open spaces and generally fly low to the ground. The eastern tailed-blue above is worn. Some of its markings are missing or obscured and one can barely make out a “tail” on the hind wing. Below is a more fresh individual, a male, displaying theRead more
Nest Box Update 6.5.18
We have 3 active nests, the Cow Pasture nest, Parking Deck nest, and the Butterfly House nest. The remaining three nest boxes, which have already seen nesting birds come and go, are cleaned and ready for another go-round. The house wrens who have taken up residency in the nest box at the Cow Pasture now have 5 hungry nestlings to feed. The Explore the Wild nest box is empty. There’s no activity in the Into the Mist nest box. ARead more
Summertime
It’s June, and meteorologically speaking, it’s summer. Here’re some photos taken during May as a way of saying goodbye to spring and hello to summer. Since we started off with a green tree frog perched upon Equisetum, or horsetail, in the top photo, we’ll continue with amphibians. Hairstreak butterflies are named for the long, hair-like scales that extend from the hind wings. They are pseudo antennae intended to fool would be predators into thinking the hind wing area is the headRead more
The Wean Begins
Our female red wolf (#2062) nurses her two young pups. It’s been just about six weeks since their birth and nearing time for weaning. None too soon, judging by our female’s expressions and actions in the accompanying photos. Don’t fret, our female is taking very good care of the pups. They’re both healthy and growing. It’s all part of the process.Read more