Frog Friday Parenting
Thank Goodness it’s Frog Friday again! Although every day is frog day in my book, I have to admit that I am particularly excited about next Frog Friday because I will be heading down to Panama again to expand our ongoing research on the endangered amphibians found in Cocobolo Nature Reserve. So many questions to answer… Why did some species survive the mass extinctions that ravaged other sites in Panama? How did selective decline of some species in the preserve affect the balance between surviving species? Are there ways to safely re-introduce some of the ex-situ backup...
Read MoreExpect the Unexpected
Winter Birding Forecast #2 is brought to you by Audubon Connecticut in partnership with the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. The relatively mild December is making for great birding opportunities as we close out 2014. So called “half-hardy” birds such as Gray Catbird, Pine Warbler and Common Yellowthroat are putting in appearances on Christmas Bird Count (CBC) checklists and birds like Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren and Eastern Bluebird are being found in good numbers as are Yellow-rumped Warblers at some coastal locations. One of the biggest surprises of the week was the...
Read MoreSwarm of hummingbirds! Costa Rica, December 2014
I guarantee you have never seen this many hummingbirds in your yard! It is the definition of “you have to see it to believe it”, but I have seen it numerous times and still do not believe it. Check out this unfathomable swarm of 11 species in a feeding frenzy in Costa Rica last week by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser. It looks like CGI! This is a movie…but it is not a movie. This is a typical day for our friends in the rainforest. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach...
Read MoreCloudy with a Chance of Snowys
This is the first of a series of Winter Birds Forecasts focused on Connecticut and the surrounding region brought to you by Audubon Connecticut and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History and written by Patrick Comins, Director of Bird Conservation, Audubon Connecticut with Scott Kruitbosch, Conservation & Outreach Coordinator, Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. Photos by Patrick Comins. A spate of early sightings of Snowy Owls in the Northeast has the birding community excited for a possible repeat of last year’s mega irruption that saw dozens of sightings of...
Read MoreOrb Weaver Spider (Argiope savignyi)
While walking trails and getting acclimated in Costa Rica today I came across this Orb Weaver spider (Argiope savignyi). It had recently captured some fly species in its web. I instantly recognized this spider because of a documented case of it eating a Proboscis Bat (Rhynchonycteris naso). It managed to encase the bat with its silk over the course of the day. The bat became tired and was able to be consumed eventually. Sean Graesser RTPI Affiliate
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