Friday, August 30, 2013

Loose Feathers #407

Black-billed Magpie / Photo by Ann Hough (USFWS)
Birds and birding
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Monday, August 26, 2013

Photo of the Week

This photo shows butterflies puddling on a pile of scat at Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve. Puddling is a common behavior among butterflies. While butterflies can supply their energy needs by sipping nectar at flowers, they must look elsewhere for other nutrients like minerals. Sometimes they do this in actual puddles or muddy patches, but they will just as readily feed from scat. In this case, it provided me with a butterfly lifer, a Hackberry Emperor. The Hackberry Emperor is one of several butterfly species that begins its life cycle on the leaves of hackberry trees, particularly American Hackberry. Other hackberry specialists include American Snout, which I have seen during past vists to Negri-Nepote, and Tawny Emperor.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Loose Feathers #406

Puerto Rican Parrots in a captive-breeding aviary / Photo by Danna Liurova (USFWS YAP)
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Friday, August 16, 2013

Loose Feathers #405

Tufted Puffins at Alaska Maritime Refuge / Photo by Steve Ebbert, USFWS
Birds and birding
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Monday, August 12, 2013

Photo of the Week: American Toad

This American Toad was near the top of the ridge in Schooley's Mountain Park on Saturday morning. After some initial skittishness, it let me approach fairly close and even moved towards me. This allowed for some close, wide-angled views of the toad in its habitat. During the breeding season, toads are found near wet areas. American Toads make a high-pitched trill while advertising for mates (a much different sound than the Fowler's Toad). Outside of the breeding season, toads retreat to drier areas like forests and meadows, where they forage for insects and worms.

Friday, August 09, 2013

Loose Feathers #404

Common Murre and Brandt's Cormorant / Photo by Roy W. Lowe (USFWS)
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Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Great Egret Hunting

While they are hunting, Great Egrets contort their neck into a variety of postures, from the familiar S-curve to fully elongated, sometimes with their head twisted to one side or the other. The three images above are all of the same bird, taken within a few minutes of each other. Click through the photo for a larger version.

On the same morning, I saw my first Forster's Tern at Donaldson Park. This is a species that I have seen many times at other locations, even within Middlesex County, but never before in my local park.

Monday, August 05, 2013

Photo of the Week

This is a Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) growing along the banks of the Delaware and Raritan Canal in Franklin Township. Common Mullein is an introduced plant in North America and is frequently found in open areas, particularly ones that have been disturbed (like roadsides and weedy lots). It grows a single column of flowers surrounded by a rosette of hairy leaves. As the flowers finish blooming, they wither and the stalk turns deep brown. I have occasionally seen American Goldfinches picking at the dried columns to get at the seeds.

Friday, August 02, 2013

Loose Feathers #403

Ferruginous Hawk / USFWS Photo
Birds and birding
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