by northoftheridge | Jun 13, 2012 | Uncategorized
For me, the most compelling creature to attempt to photograph is a wood warbler. The Americas are blessed with these little bits of feathers. Nowhere else on the planet has them, but we do. The United States is home to at least 53 species, and more than thirty of them...
by northoftheridge | Jun 3, 2012 | Uncategorized
I started seeing my first Widow Skimmers about ten days ago, in the last week of May. They are one of the most common dragonflies in our area, and they will be hunting the area around the lake throughout the summer. At first, one only sees a few Widow Skimmers...
by northoftheridge | May 30, 2012 | Uncategorized
Some critters are very aptly named. Others, well, it can get a little confusing. Case in point, the Ebony Jewelwing. Now, everything in that name is apropos: ebony? the wings are jet black; jewel? the abdomen is a jewel-like iridescent green; wings? yep, four of them....
by northoftheridge | May 14, 2012 | Uncategorized
There are several species of damselfly that live in and around our local wet areas. They can be extremely difficult to tell apart, and I am often left uncertain as to exactly what I have seen. Some, however, are pretty unmistakable. One of easiest to identify has to...
by northoftheridge | May 3, 2012 | Uncategorized
It has been an odd spring. An early warm spell in late March led to early blooming wildflowers and early emerging insects. However, a series of fronts in April have kept our migrating songbirds cooling their tarsi south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Last night, they broke...
by northoftheridge | Sep 10, 2011 | Uncategorized
Late summer and early autumn seem to bring out the stinging insects. Having posted a note on yellowjackets, I thought I would move on to hornets. Cindy Mead, a superb naturalist and artist from central Michigan, often brings up the subject of Bald-faced Hornets. I...
