Although the typical means of enjoying nature would be by walking, I have found that biking can be a great way to find natural wonders in any area which has biking trails. The rails to trails paths are ideal since […]
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Too often we focus in our nature studies on one particular group of animals or plants (birds or mushrooms for example). I am not sure what the origin of this “species-chauvinism” is, but it denies the naturalist in all of […]
Our beautiful sourwood trees (named for the sour oxalic acid in the leaves) are in bloom and they have a myriad of tiny white bell-shaped flowers that hang down. If these flowers remind you of blueberries, you are correct since […]
In late June and early July, wildflowers produce a myriad of blooms and butterflies take full advantage of the availability of nectar. We have planted a series of polllinator fields and the most recently planted, in 2012, is now a […]
How often do we stop and think about how amazing the bird egg is? It is such a familiar object via the breakfast meal that we do not consider how remarkable it is that a complex organism can develop within […]
My son David and grandson Peter were walking along the New River Trail that borders Chestnut Creek in Galax, VA, when they spotted a huge and interesting bug. This was a real whopper and very scary looking since it seemed […]
Humans delight in trying to improve the lives of our beloved birds, but sometimes this can go horribly wrong. A case in point is the nest box which is erected for hole nesting species such as bluebirds and tree […]
Along with the warming temperatures, the greening of the landscape, and the blooming wildflowers, the songs and colors of birds are one of the intense delights of the spring and summer. As I write this on June 7, some birds […]
I am always awe struck this time of year by the antics of dragonflies around our ponds. The aerial dogfights of the mainly male groups are mesmerizing as are their striking colors and patterns. Yet the females are […]
For me wetlands have always been very special places. I am not quite sure why that is although we all have our favorite habitats. I spent a lot of time while young roaming along a creek in GA and these […]
As springtime temperatures wax and wane, insect life begins to increase and we are treated to the gradual re-awakening of an insect horde. Two of my favorite groups of insects, the dragonflies (odonates or “odes” for short) and the butterflies […]
Although flowers do of course bloom throughout the growing season, the most famous displays of wildflowers occur in early spring before the deciduous tree leaves emerge. This enables forest flowers to photosynthesize, grow and reproduce before most of the sunlight […]
One of the remarkable things you can do to encourage bird life in your yard is to put up a screech owl box. This often results in a female taking over the box and a male will usually roost nearby […]
We are surrounded by a profusion of amazing animal life of many types, yet the birds especially appeal to the human mind as expressions of beauty and mystery. How many times have you gone to the beach and seen tiny […]
Despite the fact that we have received little rain during this springtime period in SW FL, many flowers are blooming. This meadow beauty (Rhexia) is one of many that prefers wet meadows. It has unusually showy yellow anthers. Fertilization […]
As animal activities increase and migratory patterns continue to accelerate, a few species still remain in their winter haunts despite the fact that spring has officially come and gone. It is like an Easter egg hunt to sort through the […]
The disconnect between calendar Spring and that recognized by animals continues. March 20 has come and gone but there is a great deal of northward migration still to come. On the other hand warm weather has brought out many insects, […]
A male goldfinch I spotted drinking from our backyard water drip expresses very well the winter to spring transition this time of year. It is a “half and half” yellow bird which is re-growing its iconic yellow feathers in preparation […]
We have recently had a series of very low tides and this has revealed some interesting animals either on the beach or on shallow flats. The state shell of Florida is the magnificent horse conch which has a bright red […]
A recent family visitor asked me when Spring starts in SW FL. A cogent question which I answered by saying it depends on how you define “Spring,” by planetary motion (March 20) or by ecology, and then which natural signs […]