Red Fox Encounter
I recently encountered an old friend in the form of a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) at a known site that has a den and an annual family. I was unexpectedly thrust into the role of being the stalker instead of the sly fox. Even that is not a very accurate description as I stopped moving when I spotted it, knowing that it would detect me if I continued my progress. It was busy hunting, likely for small mammals, right along the earth in these grasslands. It took a couple of snaps of my shutter for it to turn around, see me, and then flee, all recorded below. This is what most mammalian predators,...
Read MoreWhite-tailed Deer name origin
Let’s take a few moments to discuss the name origin of the White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and how it came to be known…well, OK then. Never mind. I think we cracked the case on that mystery. Maybe next time we can examine why the Yellow Warbler has such a colorful name. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreAmerican Crow hunting acorns
I spotted this American Crow having a delightful time watching all of the action around it as more American Crows plus Blue Jays, squirrels and chipmunks all eagerly grabbed countless acorns under an oak tree. In this shot it almost seemed like it was gleefully sizing up the tree, taking an account of how much stock was left in this giant store. There are feeding frenzies going on all around us with wildlife storing food for the winter during a very helpful warm November stretch. That is about to end as colder than average temperatures are coming for the mid-month with some snow in the...
Read MoreExquisite Miniatures
This is the final week to come see Exquisite Miniatures at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History! Wes and Rachelle Siegrist are an American husband and wife team who mesmerize viewers with miniature paintings so exquisitely crafted that they are often mistaken for tiny photographs. Their tiny treasures, as collectors often refer to them, typically measure less than nine square inches and appear even more detailed when viewed under magnification! A hallmark of their work is their ability to convey the feeling of a larger canvas or the essence of the natural world in miniature....
Read MoreHappy Halloween!
Happy Halloween! I do not have any cute kids in costumes so I thought I would share my Shetland Sheepdog, Zach, looking the most serious he ever has in his life. That playful boy will be three years old next week and he is a hardcore birder, conservationist and biologist. He was raised as a puppy on hawk watching, waterbird monitoring and waterfowl hazing. He learned to always look up and enjoys watching doves flying around the neighborhood, sparrows scratching at the grass, ducks and geese swimming offshore, gulls feeding on the rocks and raptors screeching by. He has a heck of a life list...
Read More
