Category Archives: Winter

The Springtails

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: January 5, 2010

It was Leon Bradford, Insectarium Manager at the Museum, who first discovered them. Dogged, persistent, Leon was determined to find insect activity on that cold December day. It was supposed to be a warm day, but the clouds lingered longer than predicted and the temps hovered in the thirties throughout the morning. I had told [...] Read more...

Also posted in Insects and Other Arthropods | Tagged and Symphypleona, Entomobryomorpha, isotomidae, Poduromorpha, springtail, winter insects | Leave a comment

Birds
Winter

Quiz Bird

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: December 31, 2009

In winter, one of the most frequently encountered birds on the Trail around the Outdoor Exhibits at the Museum is a rather small, indistinct bird. Before telling you what it is, I thought it might be fun to take a little photo quiz. But first, some hints. This bird is only found in our area in [...] Read more...

Also posted in Birds | Tagged bird quiz, insectivorous, mywa, Wax Myrtle, wintering warblers, Yellow-rumped Warbler | Leave a comment

Red Admiral

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: December 29, 2009

On December 23rd a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) was seen flying about the Mahonia near the entrance to the Dinosaur Trail. The butterfly didn’t stand still for long, but when it did finally settle, it did so twenty some feet up on the trunk of a Loblolly Pine. It was a stretch, but I managed [...] Read more...

Also posted in Insects and Other Arthropods | Tagged butterflies, leps, overwinter, red admiral | Leave a comment

Winter

Snow

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: December 24, 2009

A few days before “official” winter began, it snowed. The snow turned to sleet and rain during the night but there was still some snow on the ground the following day. It doesn’t snow very often in our area so it’s a thrill when it does. I took a few photos (lots of photos) on the [...] Read more...

Posted in Winter | Tagged alamosaurus, albertosaurus, dino, dinosaur trail, edmontonisa, Loblolly Pine, Mahonia, snow, stygimoloch, styrcosaurus | Leave a comment

Fall
Winter

A Chilled Herp, a Final Ode, and a Daring Squirrel

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: December 18, 2009

On Decmebr 16th as I walked the trail through the outdoor exhibits of the Museum where it enters Explore the Wild near the Lemur House, there was a small snake stretched out on the pavement. The temps were in the forties but the little patch of sun that the snake was in was probably a [...] Read more...

Also posted in Fall | Tagged Autumn Meadowhawk, earth snake, Red-shouldered Hawk | 1 Comment

The Raven and the Vultures

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: December 18, 2009

As I stood on the Wetlands Overlook peeping through the viewfinder of my camera and waiting for a Yellow-rumped Warbler to magically appear on the Wax Myrtle nuts that my camera was focused on, I heard the call of a Common Raven. I heard the call several times before I realized that it was indeed [...] Read more...

Also posted in Birds, Fall | Tagged Black Vulture, carrion, raven, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture | Leave a comment

At Home in the Wetlands

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: December 16, 2009

Two bird species that have become regular fixtures in the Wetlands, at least during the winter, are Red-shouldered Hawk and Hooded Merganser. Both species can be seen daily, or nearly so, depending on the weather conditions. The Red-shouldered Hawk is present year-round and is the most common hawk species seen at the Museum, often hunting [...] Read more...

Also posted in Birds, Fall | Tagged courtship display, Hooded Merganser, merganser vocalization, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, red-tailed hawk call, wetlands | 2 Comments

Birds
Winter

Nesting Duck? Excavating Nuthatches, and Waxwings Aplenty

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: February 28, 2009

On Saturday, February 21, I noticed a duck (a Mutt Duck, Mallard x Domestic Duck that’s often seen in the Wetlands) sitting hunched down on the small island out in front of the Wetlands Overlook. There are two of these Mutt Ducks in the Wetlands. They’re very similar in appearance with dark brown bodies and [...] Read more...

Also posted in Birds | Tagged Brown-headed Nuthatch, cavity nester, Cedar Waxwing, Common Grackle, duck nest, Fish Crow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, hawks, Hermit Thrush, Mallard, Mutt Duck, Pine Siskin, Red-shouldered Hawk | Leave a comment

February’s Bold Turtles and a Peep from the Frogs

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: February 28, 2009

With the return of more seasonal temperatures during the latter half of February the only reptiles or amphibians in evidence were the occasional Painted or Yellow-bellied Turtle out basking in the Wetlands and Spring Peepers which sporadically break out in song wherever there is water (image at left). The peeper activity should pick up in [...] Read more...

Also posted in Reptiles and Amphibians | Tagged Painted Turtle, Spring Peeper, Upland Chorus Frog, Yellow-bellied Turtle | Leave a comment

A Lone Butterfly

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: February 28, 2009

I saw one butterfly during the second half of February. I was unable to get a good look at the rapidly flying butterfly; it appeared to be an anglewing. Read more...

Also posted in Insects and Other Arthropods | Tagged anglewing, Questionmark | Leave a comment

Greg Dodge is a professional naturalist as well as a writer, videographer and producer of natural history DVDs. His images have been used in various TV productions, museum displays, and corporate videos. Above all, he has a fascination and passion for all things natural.
Stop by and say hello Tuesday thru Saturday in Explore the Wild, Catch the Wind, or on the Dino Trail.

Tags: anglewing, Questionmark