Lesser Maple Spanworm Face
Here is a face to face of sorts with the Lesser Maple Spanworm (Speranza pustularia). They seem to be relatively common in my experience this year, and they have a somewhat long flight season compared to some others that I have not seen repeatedly when mothing. What big eyes you have! All the better to see you with… Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreLesser Maple Spanworm
I had literally one shot of this moth, and here it is! I suppose the camera and the flash at dusk was enough for it to think about finding a better spot as it flew off to another bush. It looks to be a Lesser Maple Spanworm (Speranza pustularia), a common species with its name as a host plant, among several other abundant trees. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreWintering American Kestrels
One species you may spot even if you strike out on finding a Snowy Owl is the American Kestrel, a bird of open fields and grasslands that will favor much of the same inland habitats. Like other falcons (and the Snowy Owls, again) you can also spot it while at the shore, feeding on rodents or avian migrants. They are small, fast raptors, usually wary of humans. If you spot a Kestrel while driving a quiet road like this one and do not get out of your vehicle you may be able to get a nice look before it dashes off after a small bird or mammal.
Read MoreDowny Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
An extremely familiar neighbor to most of us in North America the Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) is the smallest of our woodpeckers.
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