Tag Archives: Green Heron

Birds & Butterflies of June

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: June 30, 2010

On the last day of the month, some of the avian and lepidopteran creatures of June… Can you guess how each animal got its name? What did you see at the Museum in June?

Posted in Birds, Insects and Other Arthropods, Summer | Also tagged Great Blue Heron, Great Spangled Fritillary, greta-crested flycatcher, grey catbird, grey hairstreak, Red-spotted Purple, Silver-spotted Skipper | 2 Comments

Flowers, Butterflies, Odes, Birds, Snappers, and the Fox

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: May 4, 2010

Dame’s Rocket and Blackberry are in bloom. Butterflies find the early blooming blackberries rather tempting. More species of dragonflies and damselflies have been emerging recently. A first-of-the-season Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina) was seen on 29 April as was a new species for the Museum, a Prince Baskettail (Epitheca princeps). I had thought that I spied one of [...]

Posted in Birds, Flora, Insects and Other Arthropods, Mammals, Spring | Also tagged blackberry, Carolina Saddlebags, Common Snapping Turtle, Common Yellowthroat, Dame's Rocket, Eastern Kingbird, Gray Catbird, gray fox, Great Blue Heron, Great-crested Flycatcher, Orange Bluet, prince baskettail, Silver-spotted Skipper, Viceroy, yellow-bellied slider | 1 Comment

Early Nesters, Arrivals, Delayed Departures

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: April 30, 2009

It was a busy time for birds. Besides the Red-shouldered Hawks snatching frogs out of the Wetlands, Carolina Chickadees feeding their young in a nest in a Loblolly Pine between Catch the Wind and Explore the Wild, and the Red-bellied Woodpeckers sitting on eggs in another loblolly in front of the Lemur House, many new [...]

Posted in Birds, Spring | Also tagged Baltimore Oriole, bird migration., bird song, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Carolina Chickadee, Cedar Waxwing, Chimney Swift, Common Grackle, Eastern Palm Warbler, Gray Catbird, Great-crested Flycatcher, House Wren, Northern Parula, Pine Siskin, Prothonotary Warbler, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-eyed Vireo, Red-shouldered Hawk, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Rough-winged Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, White-throated Sparrow, Wood Thrush, Yellow-breasted Chat, Yellow-rumped Warbler | Leave a comment

3 Bald Eagles!

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: September 30, 2008

A female Wood Duck was in the Wetlands on the 21st of September. Traditionally, the third week in September sees a push of migrating hawks through the region when the winds are from the north. More often than not, the winds were from the north during the third and fourth weeks in September. Unfortunately for [...]

Posted in Birds, Fall | Also tagged American Redstart, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Chimney Swift, Common Yellowthroat, Fish Crow, Great Blue Heron, House Wren, Magnolia Warbler, Northern Flicker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Scarlet Tanager, Sharp-shinned Hawk, White-eyed Vireo, Wilson’s Warbler, Wood Duck | Leave a comment

Wood Ducks Drop in for Visit

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: September 15, 2008

A pair of Wood Ducks graced the Wetlands with their presence during the period. They were on the far side of the water near the willows. As I’ve said before, you never know what’s going to come swimming out of the willows. I’ve caught an occasional glimpse of at least one Wood Duck during the [...]

Posted in Birds, Fall | Also tagged Common Yellowthroat, Cooper’s Hawk, Great Egret, Red-shouldered Hawk, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Wood Duck | Leave a comment

Mallard Surprise, Hawks Fledge

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: June 30, 2008

A total surprise was a female Mallard with 7 ducklings in tow. I hadn’t seen a Mallard in the Wetlands for several weeks, other than the always present Mutt Duck (black and white female that’s been hanging around – mallard x domestic duck). On the 25th, both a male and female Mallard (the male molting [...]

Posted in Birds, Summer | Also tagged Brown Snake, Cooper’s Hawk, ducklings, Hooded Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Killdeer, Mallard, Mutt Duck, Red-shouldered Hawk, shorebird, Wood Thrush | Leave a comment

Dedication to Duty

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: June 15, 2008

Unlike insects, birds don’t necessarily thrive in the heat. Many birds take a break from the midday heat to rest in the shade, at times with their bills agape, panting from the heat. Unfortunately, at this time of year many birds have no choice but to be active – they have young on the nest [...]

Posted in Birds, Summer | Also tagged Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Cooper's Hawk, fledged young | Leave a comment

A Night Heron, Birds on the Move

By Greg Dodge, Ranger | Published: May 15, 2008

A Black-crowned Night Heron was seen on two separate days at the beginning of the period. The bird was in immature plumage and had not yet acquired the “black crown” of its common name. It may take 3 years to acquire full adult plumage. Black-crowned Night Herons are active at night and sleep the day [...]

Posted in Birds, Spring | Also tagged Black-crowned Night Heron, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Phoebe, Gray Catbirds, Great Blue Heron, Great-crested Flycatcher, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-winged Blackbirds, Ruby-throated Hummingbird nest, Spotted Sandpiper, Wood Thrush | 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: Black-crowned Night Heron, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Phoebe, Gray Catbirds, Great Blue Heron, Great-crested Flycatcher, Green Heron, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-winged Blackbirds, Ruby-throated Hummingbird nest, Spotted Sandpiper, Wood Thrush