Every day now there is a fashion show going on in my backyard. My admission price is supplying the models with plenty of food. These models definitely don’t like to starve. The stars of the show are the red-winged blackbirds with their shock of striking color hidden in each fold of wing. They top understated elegance when it comes to bird-style. You can’t […]
Archive for the ‘Fauna’ Category
Bird Up!
Posted in Fauna, Guest blogger, Rants & Raves on April 6, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Spring news flash for April 4
Posted in Fauna, Interesting on April 4, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The Pseudacris crucifer, or spring peeper is again out in full singing force at the kettle pond at the end of my street. Every year I look forward to this event, and everytime it takes me by surprise. It was no different last night when I heard them sing. Seemingly overnight we switch from the […]
Groundbreaking
Posted in Fauna, Flora, Interesting on April 2, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Spring keeps pushing ahead despite winter trying to keep a desperate and unwanted foothold. The ospreys have been back for a few days now, with birds arriving around March 23 on the Cape, and a nesting pair also returning to the museum of natural history platform in Brewster on March 29. I’m sure they would […]
The big dig
Posted in Fauna, Rants & Raves, Tips on March 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
185 bulbs, and counting… That is the latest tally of squirrel victims. All that is left in evidence is a crater and a petal or some other overlooked morsel. Even though the bulbs, mostly crocus, were on sale, there was the multi-week effort of planting. Now all that is gone, Las Vegas buffet style… Mind […]
Killer on the loose
Posted in Fauna, Guest blogger, Interesting on March 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
A few weeks ago, I was taking my pet to the vet and noticed a rather odd looking bug crawl out of the pet carrying case. Before I could ascertain what it was it had slipped under the car seat. My impression was that it sort of looked like a tick, if only because it […]
More Bobcat Banter
Posted in Fauna, Guest blogger, Interesting on March 2, 2011 | 7 Comments »
A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of seeing Jonathan Way speak at the Brewster Natural History Museum. During his lecture about coyotes, or coywolves, some of the attendees brought up the return of wild animals to Cape Cod such as bears and fishers. Recalling this story to a friend, I tried in vain to remember […]
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Posted in Fauna, Interesting, Rants & Raves on February 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
It is still cold out there, with weather systems still bringing occasional snow, sleet and rain. However, Punxsatawney Phil did predict an early Spring this year, and maybe others in the animal kingdom agree. For the last week or so I’ve observed a flock of Regulus calendula (ruby-crowned kinglet), mostly females and an occasional male, […]
Felines, welcome to Cape Cod.
Posted in Fauna, Interesting on February 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Is a bobcat roaming the Outer Cape? This question appeared in today’s Cape Cod Times. The clue to this animal roaming the woods in Eastham seems to be some unusual scat that was found in the woods. I understand that the Times needs to be tentative and report on facts and “hard” evidence, but rumors […]
Deer trivia
Posted in Fauna, Guest blogger, Interesting on February 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Two and a half million years ago, creatures that sort of looked like humans ran from the same predators as creatures that sort of looked like deer. As we humans grew into our new skins and created cultures, deer became part of our religion and way of life – from our creation stories to the […]
The Spider’s Maid Service
Posted in Fauna, Guest blogger, Interesting on February 17, 2011 | 1 Comment »
The Pholcus phalangioides and I have a pretty good arrangement, they eat the bugs that come into my house and I clean up after them. I suppose they probably don’t “care” that I clean up after them. Although the way they leave their trash behind makes it seem like it’s almost intentional, like “Here, I’ve […]