Who’s that coming up the path?

Friday (4/27), a group of crows were making an incredible racket back up in the woods towards the Outdoor Classrooms here at the Museum. They were on to something, an owl, maybe a hawk, and they were going at it with vigor. Something up the in the pines had the crows terribly upset and they wanted it gone, or at least they wanted to make its life miserable for a while. I was up at the Sailboat Pond watching ExhibitsRead more

Fox

Can you find the fox in the photo? If you don’t see the Gray Fox in the photo, don’t worry, I’ll show you where it is in a few minutes. I catch glimpses of our resident Gray Fox about every other week. Sometimes it’s a quick look as one of them rushes across the path, sometimes I see a fox stopped on the path eating fallen fruit (mulberries in spring, persimmons in fall, etc.) and sometimes it’s just a yelpRead more

Willow Seeds and Sweet Treats

Black Willow seed dispersal was in full swing during the first half of May. Anyone who was strolling through the Wetlands during that period would surely have noticed the “blizzard” of white fluffy seeds blowing pass them. The long silky hairs that cover the willow’s seeds have the ability to carry them long distances, and, they’re abundant. That, along with the fact that fallen twigs sometimes take root and grow, may help to explain why there are so many willows inRead more

Conspicuous, and not so Conspicuous, Bloomers

Sycamores, sweetgums, hornbeams, mulberries, maples, and willows on the Explore the Wild/Catch the Wind Loop are all well on their way to being fully leafed. Bald Cypress, the only southern conifer that loses its leaves in winter, is showing fresh new growth. The ashes are lagging behind and are just now starting to spring forth with new leaves. The Museum’s Flowering Dogwoods came into their own the first week of this month, bursting open with all of their brilliant whiteness.Read more

Groundhogs Sample Spring’s Offerings

Groundhogs have been busy the past few weeks. The ripening Mulberries may have something to do with the animals’ recent activity. On several occasions I’ve seen one large individual on the path leading to the Lemur House, just as you leave Catch the Wind and where there is a large, fruitful Mulberry Tree. I also saw a very small member of the species, perhaps on one of it’s first forays into the wild, munching on some greenery along side theRead more

Coreopsis and a Treat for the Birds

Top Photo: Cedar waxwing grapples with mulberry. Coreopsis is in bloom. You can see these yellow flowers with the fringe-tipped petals growing around the Sailboat Pond in Catch the Wind. Much to the delight of many bird species as well as some Museum guests and myself, Red Mulberries are ripe – they’re very tasty. There are a number of Red Mulberry Trees growing along the Explore the Wild and Catch the Wind Loop. One particularly prolific specimen is growing onRead more