Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
Let’s switch gears from the little migrant birds to the big resident birds with this Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) as photographed last week during its breakfast. This meal, while being obviously tasty and delicious, also provides us a lesson in forest and yard management. Most of the time Pileated Woodpeckers can be found eating at dying, dead or fallen trees like this one as they hammer away for ants and various insects associated with decaying wood. If we removed all of the rotting wood from the forest or our yards what would they have to eat? Not much! If you can safely...
Read MoreCelery Looper (Anagrapha falcifera)
Here are a couple of shots of the relatively tame and relaxed Celery Looper (Anagrapha falcifera). While it actually blended in to this paint job relatively well, imagine it on a dead or decaying leaf, the rotting organic material curling up into similar patterns with a perfect color match. Sometimes I feel that I should be checking for moths more in their native habitats, right on their host plants instead of at convenient lights or by setting up ultraviolet sources…but that would take far longer and be much less productive with how well some of them can hide, and I do feel good about...
Read MoreTree Hollow
I always walk past this decaying dogwood tree hoping to find something in here – a roosting owl, the beginning of a nest, some small mammal crammed in there for a nap. It is probably in too open of an area for anything, but my hope remains. Someday, something…always keep an eye open for shelters like this one, and one day you may end up with a little gift. Once again, this is why we should leave our dying or dead woody vegetation in place. At least it serves as a place to grab a meal. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read More
