Notes from the Wild

Football-sized bald-faced hornet nests, hanging from branches, are prominent in the winter landscape.

The reasons burls grow on trees are still not fully understood, but infection by viruses, fungus and bacteria are likely causes.

The research into the co-operative nature of trees is in its infancy.

Most of the nocturnal critters my friends and I find are insects, but spiders, millipedes and amphibians also appear in our flashlight beams.

The annual emergence of mayflies, wherever it occurs, brings predictable responses.

This serendipitous meeting with a near-sighted beaver was my favorite type of wildlife encounter!

The abundance of these aquatic larvae in our streams and rivers is a good thing.

May and June herald the arrival of a trio of supremely beautiful tropical migrants: indigo buntings, Baltimore orioles and rose-breasted grosbeaks.

This year I managed to take video of the underwater breeding of spotted salamanders.

Raccoons, squirrels and robins adapted to urban life long ago.

Squirrels, racoons, owls, chickadees, and many other creatures find safety and shelter within trees.

Barred owls, like all owls, exercise a mysterious hold on our psyches. Birders and non-birders alike are drawn to their expressive faces and large liquid eyes.