Spring Posts

Get a load of them eyes! by , Ranger

June 18th, 2011

As I mentioned in a previous post, I was photographing elderberrry earlier in the month (which has since gone by) and came across some interesting insects. The Mocha Emerald in that post was one of them. The tiny fly above was another. I didn’t know what the fly was at the time and thought perhaps [...] Read the rest of this entry »

There are 4 comments on this journal entry. Join the conversation.

It’s Quiz Time Again! by , Ranger

June 17th, 2011

While I try to catch up on logging the hundreds of photos that are waiting in a folder on my HD, I thought I’d throw out a quick quiz. The image below was taken in the Wetlands on the pleasantly warm afternoon of 16 June. A Fabulous Prize could be yours if you’re the first [...] Read the rest of this entry »

There are 7 comments on this journal entry. Join the conversation.

There are no comments on this journal entry. Start the conversation.

Big Bull succumbs to Big Blue by , Ranger

June 10th, 2011

Last year around this time I saw a Great Blue Heron take a Bullfrog from the Wetlands. From capture to swallow, the whole process took approximately 13 minutes. On May 19 of this year the heron (or another just like it) took another big frog out of the water. This frog was dispatched in less [...] Read the rest of this entry »

There are 2 comments on this journal entry. Join the conversation.

Anybody Home? by , Ranger

June 8th, 2011

Over the past winter I often heard loud noises coming from the attic area over the vending machines in Explore the Wild. It sounded like someone was moving furniture around! I suspected squirrels, or maybe raccoons. On Saturday, June 4, I think I found out who was making that noise, at least the offspring of [...] Read the rest of this entry »

There are 4 comments on this journal entry. Join the conversation.

Mocha anyone? by , Ranger

June 6th, 2011

Back in July of 2008 I found the remains of a dragonfly on the path in Catch the Wind. There was enough of the insect to determine that it was a Mocha Emerald, a dragonfly of small, shady forest streams. I added that ode to the list of dragonflies that could potentially be encountered (alive) [...] Read the rest of this entry »

There are no comments on this journal entry. Start the conversation.

Waxing Moon & Luna Moth by , Ranger

June 4th, 2011

The Black Light Insect Hunt was held last night under a waxing crescent moon. The temperature and humidity were perfect for a night out on the Wetlands. Chimney Swifts, along with a few swallows, circled overhead as the sun sank below the horizon. Bats began to swirl about, taking over the insect hunt for their [...] Read the rest of this entry »

There are 2 comments on this journal entry. Join the conversation.

The Wants and Needs of a Snake by , Ranger

June 3rd, 2011

Alerted by a chaparone from one of the many school groups present that day (May 4) that a snake was swimming along the banks of the Wetlands, I saw Big Momma, a large female Northern Water Snake, swim by just a few feet off the shore. Moments later the snake had a frog in her [...] Read the rest of this entry »

There are 12 comments on this journal entry. Join the conversation.

Turtles Out A-laying by , Ranger

June 1st, 2011

The Wetland’s turtles have been up and walking about the paths and woods of the Museum for the past few weeks. What are they doing? Why, laying eggs of course. There were many reports of turtles out and about during the past few weeks. So, with all of the turtles climbing out of the water [...] Read the rest of this entry »

There are 2 comments on this journal entry. Join the conversation.

Narrowmouth Toads Calling! by , Ranger

May 31st, 2011

Eastern Narrowmouth Toads (Gastrophryne carolinensis) have been calling vigorously from the U-Shaped Pond at Flap the Wings in Catch the Wind as well as from the Wetlands down in Explore the Wild. They can be very difficult to locate. I’ve looked for them many times while they called just feet away from me and could [...] Read the rest of this entry »

There are no comments on this journal entry. Start the conversation.