During the last week in November I noticed a group of tadpoles individually surfacing and then quickly submerging in the murky water in the northwest corner of the Wetlands. There’s a pipe in that corner of the Wetlands which drains the higher ground above it. I’m not sure why this area is popular with tadpoles but the attraction must surely be related to the pipe; the same type of activity (a collection of tadpoles huddled together in this tiny corner ofRead more
Posts tagged: #wetlands
Late Season Herps
The first couple of weeks in October were rather cloudy and wet. Whenever the sun did show itself, the turtles of the Wetlands took advantage of it by hauling out and basking in its warm rays. Young and old alike were out on all available perches. Mostly Yellow-bellied Turtles, but even a large snapper was spotted enjoying the brief bit of sun. The last few days of September and first couple of days of October brought many young treefrogs emergingRead more
The Grebe(s)
On the morning of September 26th, while walking along the boardwalk in Explore the Wild, I noticed a small brown, duck-like bird floating on the still, dark water. The bird was midway across the water but I knew almost immediately what it was. It was a grebe. A quick look through my binoculars verified that it was a Pied-billed Grebe. The bird was busily diving for fish, had something in its bill, and was thrashing it about in the water.Read more
Early Fall Colors
Sycamore’s white upper bark stands out against the clear blue skies of fall. This tall hardwood does especially well near water. Look up and enjoy the view as you stroll the outdoor exhibit areas of the Museum. The deep purple berries of Pokeweed are quickly disappearing, leaving only the magenta stems of the plant to glisten in the afternoon sun. Gray Catbirds relish Poke Berries as do many of the other mimic thrushes and thrushes that are passing through ourRead more