Nature Note: A Naturalist's Travels Through Nature

In the United States, we are blessed with a bounty of birds. We have some of the most iconic birds in the world from the stately bald eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ) and whooping crane ( Grus americana ) to the diverse collage of songbirds like warblers, finches, and bluebirds. That being said, there are some species of birds that rarely, if ever make it to America's shores. Just this past May, my girlfriend and I missed our chance of seeing one of these birds. A curlew sandpiper ( Calidris ferruginea ) had decided to show up about 40 minutes west of the Biggest Week birding festival in Oak Harbor, OH. As we arrived at the hallowed ground it had graced for several days before (which was essentially a flooded field in the middle of flat Ohio farm country) it instead had decided just minutes earlier to depart to places unknown. This got me thinking about what birds I might want to see, but couldn't due to my current geographic location in the countryside of central New Yor...

For thousands of years, human beings have been inspired and encouraged to create artwork that celebrates the diversity of the natural world. From early cave paintings of big game animals like mammoths and bison to the works of famous painters like John James Audubon and Louis Agassiz Fuertes, people have found countless ways to appreciate wildlife. My inspiration comes from the rustic wood carvings of ducks, geese, and other birds made by market hunters in the 1800s. The simplicity of their design combined with their rustic paint jobs and regional differences make them an interesting medium to look at. I've worked on woodcarvings of birds on and off for several years now and wanted to share some of my creations as well as the creative process behind them as well. Drawing from the decoys of yore, some of my first creations mirror the patterns of waterfowl and shorebird decoys represented along the Eastern shores of the United States. Carving decoys for hunting and shooting, eve...

In the months since I started working in Syracuse, my birding has taken a hit with the needs of working life sucking away free time on the weekends and evenings. However, as the dead of winter threatens us with cold winds and driving snow, there have been moments and opportunities to foster ornithological curiosity and observation. Most of the birding that I do in Syracuse is usually accomplished during my morning and evening commutes to and from the zoo. Just as I was leaving work today, an adult Cooper's Hawk ( Accipiter cooperi ) belted over Conservation Drive and into the tangle of cedars and houses on the other side of the fence. Even in the city, nature finds a way in, around, or throughout, eventually. Anyway, this morning as I was driving down Lodi Street, waiting for the most treacherous traffic lights I've ever experienced to change green, I noticed a small bird navigating the wind. It looked more aquatic in its handling of the wind, diving and cutting upwards and...

So for the past few weeks here in Syracuse, it has been interesting seeing just how much nature permeates our surroundings and our daily lives. Syracuse is a lot greener in places than I ever expected an urban environment to be. The first thing one notices is all the concrete and stonework and cars and other industrial creations that fill the air and surroundings with their noise and looming presence. I've read about urban sprawls and jungles in books and magazines and seen it described in glowering tones on environmental documentaries, but seeing it up close and living in it, makes you realize that things aren't always as they seem. Sure the typical urban wildlife can be found in droves. Squirrels bound from tree to tree, while ants crawl between cracks in the sidewalk. The big birdy three consisting of Rock Pigeons ( Columba livia ), European Starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ), and House Sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) swoop through the streets and trees, filling most pockets wi...

For the past few days here in Sudbury, we've been experiencing a warming trend that has been welcomed by us snow weary denizens. On Wednesday we even managed to crack 60 degrees Fahrenheit! However, some people might be skeptical that Mother Nature is luring us back into a false sense of security only to hit us with a surprise Nor'easter or other terrible frozen affliction. Despite those possible outcomes, I'm starting to see signs of creatures and Nature herself releasing the world from its snowy blanket. The most obvious signs have been the melting snow. I've never been more excited to seen ground and dead grass, so much so that I scarcely think that I will be again. Other plants have captured my attention as well. Recently I've been reading parts of two books about trees for my new job that will be starting in a few days up in Saco, Maine. Both books emphasize the importance of identification within the context of recognizing those species by appearance and h...

*The opinions and statements made in this blog are entirely of my own opinion and do not reflect or represent the views of Drumlin Farm or Mass Audubon.   So it's happened again. I've spent a busy two and a half weeks working at camp once more and I have to say, I'm loving every minute of it. Today was the start of a new session and the day just flew by. It was amazing how well planned and coordinated a day like this could be. This week is a craft oriented week and the kids had a very nice first day getting to know the property and settling in for a week of day camp. I have been a camp counselor on and off over the past six years and this year am working as a coordinator for one of the three mini camps at Drumlin Farm. As you have probably guessed from the title, I work at Wolbach Farm which is located in Sudbury and is also the home of the Sudbury Valley Trustees. It's a lovely spot off of Route 27 and boasts a half mile loop trail in the woods on the property. The...

On this hot summer evening, I realize I haven't posted anything in nearly two weeks and figured that tonight would be a good a time as any to do so. I have started work at Drumlin once more and I'm looking forward to the start of camp as well. The past few weeks have been busy and full of fun and learning. Fun because of all the returning counselors I know from prior years and learning because of staff training. Other than that, I managed to head to Portcon Maine this year and snap some photos of local bird life in the vacant lot nearby. The jovial songs of House Finches ( Haemorhous mexicanus ) rang out over the parking lot. The pleading cries of a pair of Killdeer ( Charadrius vociferus ) drew us close to what we suspected was their nest site. An American Goldfinch ( Spinus tristis ) surveys cosplayers on a beautiful Sunday morning. A honeybee ( Apis spp. ) feeds on the ornamental mint ( Mentha spp. ) flowers planted outside the Double Tree. Also, I rec...

As most of you who read regularly can tell, I like to carve wood into folksy likenesses of birds. Considering 90% of my posts consist of birds, birding, bitching about birding, and so forth, this isn't much of a change of pace. However, I'm here to give a summary of how I came to be interested in wood carving and what I've created so far. It started when I was young and had bought one of my first books entitled Duck Hunting by Dick Sternberg and Jeff Simpson. While I've always had an on and off interest in waterfowling, I never really have had the opportunity to go and while I would like to at some point, I am more content to read up on the history and learn about regional decoy styles. The page that caught my eye was the decoy page and ever since, I've had a fascination with the bird in a wooden form. One of my earliest posts on here was about the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper ( Eurynorhynchus pygmeus ) and how I'd made some folksy looking deco...

Apologies for not posting sooner. The chaos of the fall has just begun and I only just recently feel like I got my bearings. I took a huge number of photos during my visit to Edwin B. Forsythe NWR and instead of musing eloquently in word form about it, I'll show you the birds from my excursion. Semipalmated Sandpiper ( Calidris pusilla ) Another Semipalmated Sandpiper. Egret of some sort. Initially thought it was a Snowy, but Great seems pretty likely too. Common Yellowthroat ( Geothlypis trichas ) subadult male CLAPPER RAILS ( Rallus longirostris ) !! Extreme concentration from a Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias ). A Pied-billed Grebe ( Podilymbus podiceps ) sluicing through the mud. Peeps. Calidrids. Little gray dowel faces. Call them what you will... Feeding frenzy involving Laughing Gulls ( Leucophaeus atricilla ) and a Snowy Egret ( Egretta thula ). Yellowlegs ( Tringa spp. ) Dowitchers ( Limnodromus spp. ). Not even go...