One of the sure signs of winter in our area is the arrival of the Dark-Eyed Juncos. These small birds are often called “snowbirds” since they always seem to appear right before the snows of winter begin. It usually starts with the appearance of just one or two juncos.
he hills in southeastern Ohio were unexpected. We crossed the terminal moraine left by the last glacial advance shortly after passing Canton. Without the grinding action of the glaciers, the topography was relatively unaffected. The soils and groundwater were not affected either.
Pine squirrels are interesting little mammals. They are not extremely common in some areas of their range, due mainly to the presence of the larger and more aggressive gray squirrel. But they can be found throughout the Great Lakes states, the Appalachian Mountains and much of Canada.
After thanking them as best we could, we took our leave of Dave and Beth, and wonderful, cheesy Wisconsin, on a Sunday morning. The best route to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, our next stop, was on the interstate. We had to get through Chicago!
There are many species of owls in the United States, but one of the smallest and most interesting is the eastern screech owl. These tiny owls measure only 6-9 inches tall, but don’t let their small size fool you.
Dave and Beth met us at their door. It was so good to see them! There was laughter, and tears, and stories old and new, and food, and drink, and it went on deep into the evening. Good stuff, all. I wondered what to do the next day.
Decades ago, Venice, Louisiana became world famous for one thing: Yellowfin Tuna. There is a three fish per angler limit of 27” or greater Yellowfin Tuna, and for decades these numbers were taken back to the docks easily. Presently no captain in Venice will tell you it’s a good idea to take so many tunas out of the Gulf.
The common grackle is one of many blackbirds that we often see in our backyards, although they are larger and have longer tails than most other blackbirds like red-winged blackbirds, cowbirds and European starlings. They can often be seen hunting for food along the ground alone, but they will also travel in flocks.
We'd left the Badlands, heading east on Interstate 90. Coffee! I want coffee! Starbucks are few and far between in this part of South Dakota. Siri directed us to a gas station. Gas station coffee is uniformly disgusting, but this gas station had a satellite coffee shop within.
Snakes are not the most beloved creatures in the great outdoors, but each species of snake has its own place in the ecosystem and each serves an important purpose. One interesting snake species that goes almost unnoticed throughout much of the Midwest and eastern United States is the Eastern Worm Snake.
White-tailed deer are a familiar sight for most of us as we drive along our local highways and country roads. They are often standing out in the middle of a field or pasture or along the edge of a woodlot, searching for tender vegetation to munch on.
After an hour's drive from Rapid City on the interstate, we reached Badlands National Park. Bison greeted us first; then the ranger at the park's entrance station did. She gave us a park map, and said, "The first pullout you'll come to is the one for the Pinnacles."
