Timber Rattlesnake hunting
Timber Rattlesnakes have been drastically reduced in population in many areas of the Northeast. This drop correlates extremely well to regions where Lyme Disease has skyrocketed due to high levels of ticks. The University of Maryland and Edward Kabay found that rattlesnakes hunted small mammals to the degree that it kept the disease in check in areas where the population is strong. A single adult male can consume 2,500-4,500 ticks every year! If Timber Rattlesnake populations were at historic levels throughout their previous range maybe none of us would have to worry about ticks on ourselves...
Read MoreFlower Crab Spiders (Misumena vatia)
Flower Crab Spiders (Misumena vatia) are common in temperate zones throughout the northern hemisphere, but they are not easily seen. Even when photographed up close, Meet Your Neighbours-style, they still simply vanish in their natural habitat. Due to their ability to change color between yellow and white (by either incorporating or excreting a yellow pigment into their outer cell layer, respectively) they manage to create the perfect shade of camouflage make-up to blend in with white or yellow flowers in your backyard. You’ll see them during summer and fall, hunting for pollinators...
Read MoreCommon Tern diving
Take a look at these shots by Sean of a Common Tern in a dive before smashing into the water to grab at prey – spectacular!
Read MoreDot-tailed Whiteface (Leucorrhinia intacta)
Dragonflies are emerging in big numbers this warm weekend! I found many teneral Dot-tailed Whitefaces (Leucorrhinia intacta) literally popping up from the grass yesterday as Eastern Kingbirds rapidly pursued these still slow moving insects, skillfully using me to flush their prey.
Read MoreDiving ducks
This past weekend I visited the extremely active Dunkirk Harbor in Dunkirk, New York. It is currently holding thousands of ducks and gulls because just about all of Lake Erie is frozen and this immediate area is kept open by the warm water from the outflow of the adjacent NRG Energy power plant. This particularly frigid year means even more birds than usual are concentrated in this pocket of heat allowing for some great birding and close-up views, especially while birds are feeding and active. I took a few of photos of diving ducks – can you identify any? The first two photos are of...
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