I hate to say it, but those pesky gray squirrels are ingenious! Anyone who has put out a birdfeeder with peanuts or sunflower seeds knows that it usually does not take squirrels long to figure out a way to get at the seeds.
All in Wildlife Watching
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Baby Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owls are first-rate predators. They are the undisputed rulers of the nighttime sky throughout North America, and with wingspans of four to five feet who can argue? They often kill and eat other large birds like hawks, ospreys and even other owls. But those are the large adult owls.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Stinky Striped Skunk
The skunk is certainly one of the most well-known mammals in the United States. Even people who are unfamiliar with wild animals can easily identify a skunk. The reason is simple: just about everyone has smelled the unpleasant and unmistakable odor of a skunk at some time in their life, and they have likely seen pictures of skunks in books or on TV.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Colorful Wood Ducks
Wood ducks are our most colorful native duck species – and they are very beautiful indeed. Male wood ducks, in particular, are truly unforgettable. They have hints of iridescent green and brown on their head, along with bold black and white markings.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Swarms of Grasshoppers
Grasshoppers are a common insect all over the United States (and the world, for that matter). There are approximately 11,000 species of grasshoppers worldwide and more than 400 species live right here in the USA.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Brown Creeper Is A Stealthy Insect Hunter
Most birds are great insect hunters. Robins, woodpeckers, barn swallows – there are plenty of birds that hunt insects. One of the most secretive bug hunters, however, is the brown creeper (Certhia Americana).
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Clever And Secretive Red Fox
The red fox is a beautiful, but rarely seen member of our wildlife community. Their bright red fur is hard to forget, and their playful antics can be comical for those lucky enough to see them. Since they are most active at night and very secretive by day, most people never see them.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Red-Bellied Woodpeckers
The red-bellied woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker that lives year-round in most of the eastern United States. Since it has bright red plumage on the back of its head, it is often confused with the red-headed woodpecker.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Northern Pike Have Teeth
Anyone who has gone fishing and caught a northern pike knows one thing for sure: they have sharp teeth! Northern pike are carnivorous fish that grow to large sizes and are often pursued by sport fishermen. Why? Because they eagerly strike artificial lures and put up a great fight.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Golden-Crowned Kinglet
There is a very tiny bird that migrates through much of the United States at this time of year that goes unnoticed by most people. It is larger than a hummingbird, but not by much. A normal house sparrow is almost twice as big as this bird. It is only 3 to 4 inches long and weighs less than a third of an ounce! So what is it? It is the small but very energetic Golden-Crowned Kinglet.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Migrating Sandhill Cranes
Sandhill cranes are some of the tallest birds in North America. They stand a full four feet tall and have an impressive wingspan of more than seven feet. Some individual examples have a light tan hue to their feathers, but most are a dull gray.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Playful River Otter
River otters are playful mammals that spend much of their lives in and around the water. Their antics include chasing other family members through the water and on land, wrestling with siblings and playing with fish that they have caught - prior to eating them, of course.