Peterson Field Guide to the Birds [book review]
This month Houghton Mifflin revised the Peterson Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America (4th edition) after not being updated in nearly 20 years. The Peterson Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America (6th edition) was also revised and was released on March 14th 2010. Both books include the many name changes and taxonomic splits and lumps, along with its typical Peterson style maps and arrows. These revisions include updated text and 40 new paintings for two series of books. New to these revisions include over 3 hours of downloadable Video Podcasts from many different categories.
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Butterflies Courtship and Nest Building
Mourning Cloak
Temperatures reached in the 60’s yesterday with my first butterfly of the year “Mourning Cloak” (CHECK), courtship displays from Red-shouldered Hawks, and American Crows gathering nesting material. True signs that spring has finally arrived.
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Beaver and Black Cherry
Sometimes you go out of your way to keep the Beavers from chewing the
trees. Found more proof today that nature always finds loop holes!
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Grebe and Killdeer
Horned Grebe
I had a great yesterday. Red House Lake showed a few Horned Grebe’s (CHECK) swimming around with the Canada Goose. It was great seeing them along with Buffleheads and Wood ducks. I just love this time of the year!!!
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Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow photo from May 2008
Had my first Song Sparrow for 2010 today (CHECK)! I actually saw many along Red House Lake while walking the dog but only heard one singing near the house this morning.
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Saint Green
Colt’s Foot
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day everyone! Had my first of the year Colt’s Foot yesterday . . . . Almost green but more yellow!! Plants should be green soon!! CHEERS
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Babies on the Mind
Canada Goose Babies
Patty’s daughter is due most any day now . . . . I have babies on the mind at the moment!
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Red-winged Blackbird
Photo from May 2008
Had my first Red-winged Blackbird for 2010 (CHECK)! Multiple times it called the “yurk-a-ree” song!
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Feeling Like Spring
Walking with MacKenzie
A heat spell hit Allegany State Park today with temperatures reaching 50 degrees F. MacKenzie asked nicely to have our first walk around Red House Lake and we kept finding critters also enjoying the sunshine.
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Pregnant and Representing
Monarchbfly.com tattoo!!
Patty’s Daughter is due most any day now! This Baby Naturalist is already representing the monarchbfly.com tattoo’s!! Below are two other of my favorite photos that we captured this week.
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Nature Haikus – Whales
By Young Naturalist C
Whales
Giant sea vessels
Traveling through large oceans
Singing as they swim
My Texas Sunset
Last night in Texas had an amazing sunset!
This Sunset series will be the last of my Texas photos. . . Promise!! I did mention that I was going to milk this for as long as I could!! I am now ready to move on to local birds starting to move north into the area.
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Vesper Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
I even had the opportunity to photograph Vesper Sparrows while out in Texas.
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Nature Haikus – Winter
Red House Lake
By Young Naturalist C
Winter
Snow laden branches
Hide secrets in the forest
Waiting to be found
House Finch
House Finch
House Finch was all over the Ranch while visiting Texas last December. They are easily ignored but they really are pretty birds.
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Western Bluebirds
Western Bluebird in Mistletoe
One of the most unexpected finds while at the Texas Ranch was the discovery of Western Bluebirds (CHECK Lifer). We only saw the bluebirds on the last two days in Texas but they were sure there in numbers.
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Featured Blog on Nature Blog Network
Cedar Waxwing with Honeysuckle
The Nature Blog Network made the Monarch Nature Blog the Featured Blog of the week!! Wren was able to get a few details about me that I don’t normally talk about! Be sure to check it out!!
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Valentines Day Love
If you haven’t noticed yet! I am in love!
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Mourning Dove
Mourning Dove
I have many Mourning Doves around my home but it takes a trip to Texas to capture my best Mourning Dove photos ever!!
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Southern Outdoor Experience
Patty Self Portrait in the Blind
Our Texas trip originated after Patty won a hunting trip for two at the 2009 Deerassic Classics Outdoor Expos last summer. I remember walking by the booth and seeing the Southern Outdoor Experience logo saying “Out of all the hunting shows on TV, this is the one show that I actually remembered watching ”!! We decided to stop at the booth to chat with the producers and I decided to purchased one of their hats. Southern Outdoor Experience had an amazing raffle for a 3 days trophy hunt for two in Texas, to get completely outfitted (clothing), a new riffle and scope. I noticed Patty and her mother were quickly filling their names on a few raffle tickets.
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Deformed Antler
White-tailed Deer
Each spring the male White-tailed Deer will grow a new set of antlers and throughout the summer the antlers will continue to get larger depending on the bucks diet. By fall the highly vascular tissue (Velvet) will dry up and peel off leaving a hard bone behind. The remaining velvet will be removed by the deer rubbing his antlers on a small tree (deer rub). This all happens because of the bucks’ testosterone levels increasing in preparations for the rutting season. By late December early January the buck will loose his antlers and the whole process will repeat itself the following spring.
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My Texas Deer
White-tailed Deer
The White-tailed Deer and Axis Deer were the primary deer species found on the Canyon Ranch in Sonora, Texas. During our visit the White-tailed Deer were in rut (mating season) and we had many opportunities to find bucks sparring (fighting) each other over different female territories. Watching these bucks were absolutely amazing and you could easily observe which deer were higher up in the pecking order. When a dominant buck walked into a feeding station, you would find all other deer backing away from the feeders.
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Jack Rabbit [Wordless Wednesday]
Jack Rabbit
I would sneak up on this rabbit in Texas on the ranch and take a few pictures before it would run away. Sneak up on it again . . . . it happened multiple times!! Happy Wordless Wednesday!!
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