Eight birds have fledged over the past week, 5 eggs are being incubated, and one “new” bird has been discovered. The house wrens at the Cow Pasture nest are incubating their 5 eggs. They should hatch this week. The 4 chickadee nestlings that were in the nest box at the Explore the Wild nest have fledged. Likewise, the 4 bluebird nestlings in the Into the Mist nest have flown the coop. I must say, bluebirds leave a messy nest behindRead more
Battle of the Bough
It was a struggle for home territory. A willow tree located on the northwest side of the wetlands was the site of the dispute. On one side, a resident pair of Carolina chickadees, the other, a pair of otherwise transient tree swallows. I occasionally see tree swallows passing through our area during migration. They dip into the wetlands, perhaps spend a few minutes to an hour hawking insects over the water, then they’re gone. They do, though, nest at someRead more
Nest Box Update 5.22.18
We now have four active nests, one house wren, two bluebird and one chickadee nest. The house wren nest has 5 eggs. The 2 bluebird nests have 4 nestlings each, and the chickadee nest has 4 nestlings. The Cow Pasture nest which has already added 4 new chickadees to the local avifauna now has 5 eggs laid by a house wren. There are 4 chickadee nestlings in the Explore the Wild nest box that are ready to fledge. I fearedRead more
Red Wolf or…?
If you’re walking down the 750′ boardwalk here at the museum on your way to see the red wolf pups (born April 20) and you happen to spot one or two canine creatures just past where the boardwalk levels out and makes a sharp left turn, don’t be alarmed. They are not escaped red wolf pups. If you’re wondering where the mother is, again, don’t worry. She’s nearby. She, and perhaps the father, may be watching you through the surroundingRead more
More Red Wolf Pups
Just some photos of the Red Wolves from Friday (5/18/18). Top: Pup #2246 stands at entrance to man-made den in Red Wolf Enclosure. Now that the enclosure is open, stop by. But remember, keep the noise and movement down, whisper if you need to communicate something, and most importantly, enjoy the view.Read more
Red Wolf Pups
Just a few photos of the red wolf pups. Visitation is increasing as we begin to allow more and more escorted museum guests to enter the overlook to view the wolves. The photos were taken as the wolves occupied a dug-out “den” in the exposed roots of a cut-off pine tree near the center of the enclosure, an easy spot from the overlook. The pictures were taken Wednesday (5/16). Today (5/17), the pups were in the den and viewable onRead more
Nest Box Update 5.15.18
So far, so good. All of our six nest boxes have been productive. Some have already fledged birds, others soon will. Not all of the eggs laid have hatched but we have had no nest lost in its entirety. I consider that good news. The Cow Pasture nest, which had previously fledged 4 chickadees, now has a complete house wren nest. No eggs yet, but there are feathers in the nest and it looks prime for laying. There are fourRead more
Turtle Nest Time
It’s turtle nesting season. There’ve been numerous aquatic turtle sightings along the paths and outdoor exhibits in the past few weeks, this week especially so. Both sliders and painted turtles have been observed searching for suitable nesting sites. Some have been seen in the act of digging a nest and laying eggs. After a satisfactory site is chosen the turtle urinates on the site loosening the hard clay making digging much easier. Digging is done with the hind legs. OnceRead more
Nest Box Update 5.8.18
There’s been both hatchings and fledgings this week. Nine birds have hatched and 8 birds have fledged. The number of hatchlings has no doubt increased as I write. Earlier this morning there were 5 unhatched eggs in the nests with newly hatched nestlings. I’m sure more have hatched in the four hours since I checked the boxes. I heard the ominous sound of a house wren as I approached the nest box at the Cow Pasture. House wrens are notoriousRead more