National Bird Feeding Month
February 2nd is Groundhog’s Day – that time of year when those of us living in temperate climates turn our attention to a furry brown marmot awaiting its “prediction” as to whether or not winter weather will persist for another six weeks. But did you know that February is also National Wild Bird Feeding Month? Putting up a bird feeder in your backyard can be an entertaining and educational way to pass the time while winter persists, and it will help keep our feathered friends fed until their spring food resources emerge. Want to know what the most common feeder birds are and how to attract...
Read MoreGrasshopper Sparrow
Here’s another winter treat from earlier this week – a Grasshopper Sparrow! This bird should have been spending its holidays wintering in the southern U.S. or Central America. However, our friend Paul Fusco spotted this little one feeding in open grass along a trail. This was before the major snowfall on Thursday, and conditions have only worsened. We put some seed out for it that the bird was enjoying at the time. Hopefully it kept moving south before the latest storm and found refuge in other locations like this. Grasshopper Sparrows are another grasslands species with a...
Read MoreMonarchs Moving
Anecdotal Monarch reports continue to be encouraging across North America! From what I have read on social media and heard from friends plenty of people are spotting sizable numbers of the species even still now in November as they make their way to Mexico. Do YOU have anything to report? Scott Kruitbosch RTPI Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreYellow-rumped Warblers Feeding
I always feel that as we enter November we shift from one phase of avian life to the next. Songbird migrants are now decreasing rapidly in both abundance and diversity. More waterfowl are beginning to arrive on our shores. Our wintering species start to show up frequently at our feeders. Birds also shift from eating insects to dining on this season’s harvest, as is the case with the Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronata) here. Junipers, cedars, holly trees and many more all provide delicious berries that were the treats for these Halloween birds. I did not even notice I had...
Read MoreBlack Swallowtail Butterfly
Here’s a Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) shot from this summer to add a little to the mood of our Halloween week. These delightfully bold butterflies have such a terrific contrast to them. While I have not seen any of them recently, I certainly have seen many other butterfly species still on the wing thanks to such a warm October. These include still sizable numbers of Painted Lady, Monarch, Common Buckeye, Orange Sulphur, and more. Do you still have any butterflies in your yard? Any flower you can find now is going to attract them! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach...
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