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 […]
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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 […]
You do not normally expect to see native flowers blooming in winter, but this can happen in Florida after fires release nutrients and expose the soil to light. Although winter is not the natural time for most fires, which would […]
Despite the regular procession of cool fronts we continue to enjoy seeing a lot of wildlife and some flowers in SW Florida in early February. But you may notice that I feature more birds than insects since the cool weather […]
We have had at least one light frost within five miles of our house in December and a series of cold fronts in January on an almost weekly basis. But temperatures soar into the high 70’s and even 80’s in […]
Although SW FL gets its share of cooler weather with strong northerly winds during periodic cold fronts, there can be warm interludes during which many animals are quite active and even breed. One of my favorite signs of winter is […]
The variety of birds at the beach can be challenging but it is very rewarding not only to identify them but to learn about their habits. The variation in migration patterns is quite astounding. Some birds breed in SW FL […]