Invasion of the House Finch
Once upon a time, House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) only lived west of the Rocky Mountains. Then, in 1940, a group of captive birds flew to [...]
Once upon a time, House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) only lived west of the Rocky Mountains. Then, in 1940, a group of captive birds flew to [...]
Branches of the live oak (Quercus virginiana) loop and twist their way toward openings in the forest canopy. Many branches sag down to the ground [...]
Raleigh has had a fit of cold, snowy (and icy) weather this week. So while I watched this snow-covered Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) swim around [...]
Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) remind me of 16th century European royalty (you know those “ruffs” they wore around their necks?). That regal appearance results from [...]
Tiny rustling noises arise from our kitchen garbage can. I tip-toe up to it and out pops a little fuzzy face with a twitching nose. [...]
The male wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), weighing in at around 20 pounds, is one of the largest birds in North America. By comparison, many domestic turkeys [...]
No doubt you’ve been wowed this autumn by the crimson colors of the red maple (Acer rubrum)! This tree, native to eastern North America, has [...]
I love Halloween. It’s the time of year when I can leave all the spider webs up around the front stoop and call them decorations. [...]
I have never poisoned anyone. I recently learned that if I were to try, I would be very bad at it. The hemlock I thought [...]
Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble. Shakespeare’s witches open Macbeth by tossing a toad into their cauldron, along with parts of [...]
Carnivorous plants have turned the tables on food webs. Rather than insects munching on plants, these plants chow down on insects. The “traps” of yellow [...]
The American goldfinch (Spinus tristis), like many animals, changes colors over the course of a year. In the summer, male goldfinches dress in bright gold [...]
With last weekend's rains, mushrooms have sprouted up all over Raleigh yards, neighborhoods and parks. The above is a composite sketch of all the beautiful [...]
If you live on the East Coast, I bet you encountered at least one eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) during your regular comings and goings [...]
Follow that trail of slime to an amazing creature. It walks on one foot, perches two eyes way over its head, and has a saddle [...]