I saw some woodpeckers and dark-eyed juncos from my kitchen window today, but only mallards and gulls while we were out on our walk today. It was very windy, and though I heard what sounded like a downy woodpecker peep, I never saw it. We have a few bald eagles around here, and I got a glimpse of one of … Read more
Painted ladies are related to monarch butterflies and can go through several generations in a summer. Despite the name, they’re not all female. Read more …
I saw an Eastern tiger swallowtail today, and somehow I ended up staying past my bedtime brushing up on genetics. How did that happen? Read more …
I only started noticing Eastern kingbirds last year. They’re only around in the summer (they migrate to the southern hemisphere for our winters), don’t come to feeders or hang out in residential neighborhoods (at least not in my experience), and they tend to perch in higher branches, so usually you need to be looking up to see one.
Today was our first day hiking through one of Madagascar’s deciduous forests: Isalo National Park, a beautiful hilly area in the eastern part of the island. The deciduous forests differ from the rainforests in that they see little rain outside the spring cyclone season. It’s winter now in Madagascar, and many deciduous trees and bushes have already lost their leaves. … Read more