Black Swallowtail
After a long, cold and snowy winter it has taken a bit of time for the first Lepidoptera to start to emerge, but we are off! We will definitely be showing you more of the butterflies and moths we spot over the next several months. Here we have the Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) enjoying those “weeds”, also known as early season sources of nectar and pollen for our insects. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MorePileated Woodpecker Holes
These are some extra fresh Pileated Woodpecker holes! That wood looks like it has been cut very recently, and it certainly looks like a professional job. Whenever you see a dead or dying tree in your yard please try to leave it there if possible – if it is not infected with something such as Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, or a particularly dangerous falling hazard to people. It will end up serving a host of species that depend on these decaying plants for food, shelter and nesting. Cutting even these trees down solely for aesthetic purposes is robbing the environment of a vital component....
Read MorePileated Woodpecker Visit
I was thrilled to add this Pileated Woodpecker to my January 2015 bird list as I saw it yesterday in between bouts of snowfall. It was pecking its enormous bill at some of the dead bark and holes on this tree, hoping for some insects and having a taste – you can see its tongue in one of the photos! I ended up with all five expected woodpeckers at home to start the year with the others being Downy, Hairy, Northern Flicker and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. My “best” find this January was probably still the two Orange-crowned Warblers I enjoyed on New Year’s Day. What was...
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