Top Photo: Ripening persimmon. There are many persimmon trees in and around our wetlands. The fruit is fast ripening. Much of the fruit will drop into the water. Fret not, fruit that plops into the water is not wasted. Our population of sliders in the wetlands will take care of whatever falls from the trees and into the water. An interesting fact about persimmons, they make excellent catfish bait. There are no catfish in our pond but if you liveRead more
Posts tagged: #bluebird
Basking Turtles, Mating Anoles, and Pupating Moths
Top Photo: It’s carapace to carapace as sliders enjoy the warm sunshine. After days of either brutally hot temps or pouring rain the wetland’s sliders were out with the sun on a rather cool (relatively speaking) dry day. it was double digit turtles on the floating platforms placed in the pond specifically for that purpose. Both platforms were utilized. Green anoles were taking advantage of the change in the weather to mate. This pair was on a wooden bench inRead more
Final Nest Box Update 7.8.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. The last nest with birds has emptied, all the birds have fledged. It’s late in the season and though we’ve gone into August in years past, that nest would have had to have been underway by now in order to make it through the rest of the season. So we’re calling it quits and tallying up the numbers. Twelve birds fledged this season, 9 bluebirds and 3 chickadees. Of those, 4 bluebirds fledged from theRead more
Nest Box Update 6.24.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. All of our six nest boxes are empty, though one has the remains of an intended nest by a house wren, and one has an abandoned bluebird nest having just fledged five of the colorful thrushes. ——————————— The Cow Pasture nest box still has the scanty attempt at nesting by a house wren at the end of April. The nest was never completed. The Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond, Into the Mist, and Parking DeckRead more
Nest Box Update 6.10.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. Nearing the end of the season (in the past we’ve gone as far as August with the final fledge of the season), we have one, maybe two, active nests, bluebirds all, I think (see below). ————————————— The nest boxes at Cow Pasture, ETW, and Sailboat Pond, are all empty. No nests of any kind. A strange occurrence at Into the Mist has me wondering. Inside the nest box at Into the Mist were three veryRead more
Nest Box Update 6.3.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. All but two nest boxes are empty. Of the two that are active, only one is truly active having bluebird eggs within. The other hasn’t been touched in weeks. —————————— The Cow Pasture nest has a smattering of twigs placed in the box weeks ago by a house wren but is currently inactive. The Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond, Into the Mist, and PKE nest boxes are all empty with no nest material ofRead more
Nest Box Update 5.27.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. Though one nest box has a handful of twigs (house wren) in its walls it is essentially unused, not having nest material added to it since the last week of April. Four of our nest boxes are completely empty having no nest material in them at all. One nest box has had bluebird nest material since the first week in March and finally has a full clutch of 5 eggs. ———————————— The Cow Pasture nestRead more
Nest Box Update 5.20.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebird eggs. Finally some action, there is a small clutch of eggs in one nest box. All the others are empty. ——————————— The Cow Pasture nest, though there are house wren twigs in the nest box, doesn’t seem active. The nest hasn’t been altered since last week’s inspection. The Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond, Into the Mist, and Parking Deck East nest boxes are all empty with no sign of activity. The PKW nest box, after havingRead more
Nest Box Update 5.13.25
Top Photo: Eastern bluebirds eggs. All nest boxes appear to be quiet, mid-way through the season. There are currently two nest boxes with nesting material. The remaining four are empty and waiting for a second brood. ——————————— The nest box at the Cow Pasture has twigs placed inside by a house wren but it doesn’t appear as though it’s been added to in the last week. The Explore the Wild, Sailboat Pond, Into the Mist, and Parking Deck East nestRead more