The natural world observed and explained.
Nature
Two more spring ephemerals started showing up this week. Wild leeks grow thickly in one section of the park. I may be wrong but I suspect they are lasting remnant of an area that the Lenape people harvested. I think this because the abundance of them points to a long
Nature
To be short lived, temporary, or fleeting. The Greek origin is "ephemeros" (meaning "lasting only one day"). Right now the spring ephemerals are making their annual appearance. The ephemerals appear when the weather warms, but before the tree canopy fills with leaves shading out the forest
Nature
March 18, 2025 There's no turning back now. We may have a frosty night or two but the woods are on their way into spring no matter what . About iNaturalist About Anson B. Nixon Park About cagksq
Nature
March 17, 2025 Northern Flickers are big, showy, loud woodpeckers. There are red and yellow-shafted variants. As you can readily see the ones who call the park home have bright yellow feather shafts. Today I spotted this pair engaging in mating displays, fanning tails and raising their red crests. About
Nature
Six species of woodpecker call Anson B. Nixon Park home; Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, Pileated, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and the Northern Flicker. They've begun staking out territories and calling mates by rhythmic drumming heard all through the spring. This drumming functions like the songs of other birds and is different
Nature
February 28, 2025 Feathers and tracks often go unnoticed, but the closer you look the more you'll see. Although American minks have been spotted in our area it's not surprising that I have yet to see one, they are pretty stealthy. Here's a look
Nature
February 25, 2025 I've found it difficult to get a good clear picture of a Chickadee. In the woods they are fast and cautious, but they hold still longer at the bird feeder. Figuring out if I have a picture of a Black-capped or Carolina Chickadee is just
Nature
February 20, 2025 This afternoon at Anson B. Nixon Park the snow was flying, until it wasn't. A day of dramatic skies, bursts of snow and a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers. Pileated Woodpeckers will excavate a number of cavities in trees throughout the year. One they will use
Nature
February 19 , 2025 The sun was variable, the temperature cold, the wind was rather mild for the past few days. A flock of robins were hard a work picking through the leaf litter in this season of the hunger moon. The days are short and what food the summer left
Nature
A bright, cold mid-February day. I heard more than I got decent pictures of. About iNaturalist About Anson B. Nixon Park About cagksq
Nature
You've likely seen the work of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker whether you know it or not. Sapsuckers make wells in trees to access sap. These wells form neat lines. Sometimes, many old wells on a tree can look like a natural pattern in the bark. Look at some local
Nature
February 14, 2025 Wintering birds could warm up by foraging in direct sunlight. However, research shows that mixed-species flocks of wintering sparrows chose to avoid predators and forage in the shade, even in cold weather when sunlight would offer warmth. Researchers found that foraging in sunlight makes birds easier targets