Boat-tailed Grackles are now an everyday sighting. Having seen our first Eurasian Collared Dove of the trip, these are now being seen daily. I wish that we were seeing Loggerhead Shrikes daily, but these are rather sporadic, unlike many years ago. An American Widgen is always a treat. Reddish Egrets are one of my favoriteContinue reading “Traveling in the South – birds and more”
Tag Archives: nature
Traveling south – another day
Susan had a sheet set for moths and the moth trap set. In the morning I managed to get a few photos of moths after we had breakfast. This Red-patched emerald was my favorite of the morning. After eating lunch we went back to the Savannah Wildlife Refuge where we had another fun afternoon. ThisContinue reading “Traveling south – another day”
Traveling south
As I am sitting here writing we are on the fourth day of our trip south. The drive through Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia were easy and occasionally interesting. We always stop at the Tennessee Welcome Center on I-75 because they have nice bathrooms and a nature trail. It’s always where we find the first warblersContinue reading “Traveling south”
A few days in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
We’re just home after spending five days in the Upper Peninsula. These are Oldsquaw (now called Long-tailed Duck). A very impressive flock of Snow Buntings. One of the many SNowy Owls that we saw on ur trip. A young Bald Eagle. One of four Glaucous Gulls that we saw at the Dafter Dump. Two ofContinue reading “A few days in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan”
Some recent books
An interesting book on natural history at night. If you’ve never spent much time out in nature at night I can highly recommend it. I can remember evenings in southern Mexico with owls and howler monkeys fondly. Closer to home we frequently spend evenings outside at Whitefish Point watching owls heading north. More often weContinue reading “Some recent books”
Last night’s bird talk
Last night I gave a talk on warbler migration for the Washtenaw Bird & Nature Alliance at the downtown Ann Arbor Library. As always it was amazing fun. I saw a lot of people that I hadn’t seen for years. I censused birds in the Arb between 1979 and 2008. At the end my responsibilitiesContinue reading “Last night’s bird talk”
A year filled with orchids
Bearded grass pink in the Florida pan-handle in March. Calypso/Fairy slipper in Mackinac County, Michigan in May. Heart-leaved twayblade in Mackinac County, Michigan in May. Spotted coralroot in Mackinac County, Michigan in May. Obviously May was a great month for orchids in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Yellow lady’s slippers in late may once againContinue reading “A year filled with orchids”
Birds and more from 2024
And that’s why I forget to do things. Sometimes cartoons say it better than a human ever could. Now on to nature – An American Kestrel photographed in Washtenaw County, Michigan. American Oystercatcher from Dauphin Island, Alabama. Blue Grosbeak from Washtenaw County, Michigan where they are now nesting. Bohemian Waxwing in CHippewa County, Michigan. BurrowingContinue reading “Birds and more from 2024”
Whitefish Point, November 2024
Walking along the boardwalk towards the point we found where the waterfowl shack had been moved for the winter. While it is only a few hundred yards from where it was and it was a lot of work to move it is in a safe place for the winter. The “point” has grown some 120Continue reading “Whitefish Point, November 2024”
Douglas, Day-3 birds
Needless to say not all of our time in Douglas was spent eating and giving a talk. We also spent time with Martin and Catherine out looking for birds. In the Allegan State Game Area we found a field with over 500 Sandhill Cranes. It’s always nice seeing so many on the ground. While weContinue reading “Douglas, Day-3 birds”