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.
On The Road Again: The Epilogue
We’ve been home for a while from our nearly three-month-long journey. This post shares some random thoughts, a quick summation, and some of my favorite images from the trip. Random thoughts first. With apologies to the more-is-better crowd, as a society, we need to use less electricity.
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.
The Cazador Slam, Part Two
William Newman and his son Bill have operated Happy Hollow Hunts in Middleburg, Pennsylvania, since 1997. William purchased five sika does and a stag and began raising a herd of sika deer. Today, he has over thirty sika deer that roam his operation.
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.
The Cazador Slam, Part One
One evening, I looked through my Record of Exotic Score sheets and realized I was one animal away from completing the Cazador Slam. The Cazador Slam, through the Records of Exotics, comprises the following exotic animals: Blackbuck Antelope, Axis Deer, Fallow Deer, Aoudad, and Sika Deer.
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.
On The Road Again: Visiting Friends and then Home Sweet Home
The next morning found us in the van, leaving Massachusetts, heading to East Hampton, Connecticut. Bill and Heather Embacher, old friends from Alaska, live there. The last time I saw them, they were childless. Now they have a beautiful nine-year old daughter. It had certainly been too long.
Hunting An Outdoor Career: Sportswomen In The Outdoor Industry
As women become proficient hunters, many consider the logical next step, turning their passion for the outdoors into a career in the outdoor industry. Some, I learned, started with a career in the outdoor industry, which then sparked their interest in hunting.
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).
On The Road Again: Cruising the Kancamagus Highway
New Hampshire Highway 112, more commonly called the Kancamagus Highway, offers motorists one of the most scenic roads in New England. In the fall, when the leaves are changing color, it's particularly breath-taking.