More Winter Birds

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Kim

Yes, I know it’s barely fall. While we’re waiting for the leaves to turn here in the East, it seemed a good time to look back at some images from last winter. To remind us what lies in store when it gets cold…

The Dark-eyed Junco (above) and White-breasted Nuthatch were feeder visitors in my backyard. Also the first subjects for my new 400mm zoom lens.

Northern Pintail, John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge

Northern Shovelers, Heinz NWR

Sanderling, Ocean City, NJ

Mute Swan, Cape May Point, NJ

Common Merganser female, Heinz NWR

Carolina Wren, Heinz NWR

Snow Geese at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster County, PA. Snow Geese gather by the thousands on their winter feeding grounds. I had no sooner pulled up to a hill covered with geese when they took off. A giant cloud of geese, whirling and spinning as one. It was an amazing sight.

I like to look at this image at the right, pick out a goose, and imagine what he may be thinking.

“Does anyone know where we’re going?”
“Mom always told me not to follow the crowd.”
“Can’t a guy get some peace and quiet around here?”
“Why is everybody following me?”
“If you’re not the lead horse, the view never changes.”
“I wish that goose next to me had used deodorant this morning…”

Coming up: Something more seasonal, I promise!

The Critter Radio Sports Update

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Kim

Hey, hey, hey sports fans! This is Shelly Zuppa with your sports update here on KRTR 99.9 FM – Critter Radio. Today we have a real treat for all you sports fans – live coverage of yesterday’s hotly contested Herp Swamp Hockey match. Nothing like the timely coverage you’ll get here on Critter Radio! Let’s throw it over to our play-by-play announcer.

Hi, folks, I’m Myrtle Turtle the Dapper Snapper, and welcome to the Marsh Arena. For the Herp Swamp Hockey novices out there, let’s review the game. The league is restricted to herps – reptiles and amphibians, in other words. No fish, no fowl. No rules, no referees, no holds barred. Four teams for all the marbles, competing on land and in water.

Looks like we’re all set for the match to start. The crowd is trembling with anticipation…

…as their favorite players from the Tinicum Turtles take the field.

Right off the bat, the Higbee Beach Fence Lizards take the offensive by going on defense. These guys would lead the league if the game were Freeze Tag. At the first whiff of an opponent, they become motionless. “If I don’t move – you can’t see me!” is their battle cry.

The strategy must have worked, because we can see they’ve got this Garter Snake player from Serpents United on the rocks.

Meanwhile, this American Bullfrog is mired deep in his own zone. Maybe water polo is more his game.

Halftime entertainment keeps to the water with a nice display of synchronized swimming by three baby fish. Yes, folks, there’s nothing we Snapping Turtles like better than a good fish fry. Or three…

Back to the action, these Painted Turtles from Heinz seem to have been benched. The Tinicum Turtles try to overwhelm other teams with sheer numbers, but spend most of the game sunning themselves on the sidelines. It’s enough to make a fellow turtle weep.

Wait, folks, what’s this… There’s a Spider Crab on the field and creeping away with the ball… Oh my gosh, we have a streaker! Don’t look, Ethel!

The Cape May fan contingent is not happy with this turn of events, as a Ribbon Snake shows his displeasure.

With time running out, Serpents United have taken a risky strategy by sending a Garter Snake player deep into the opposition’s Thistle to try to score. It’s a highly unusual place for a snake – but…

YES! He scores!

GOOOOOAL!

And the Serpents take the match!

Well, folks, it’s all over but the shouting. This Horseshoe Crab spectator seems overwhelmed with emotion. What an exciting game!

The rematch is bound to be a barn-burner. Be sure to tune in again to catch all the action right here on KRTR Critter Radio.

I’m Myrtle Turtle the Dapper Snapper from the Marsh Arena – good night!

Aerial coverage provided by the Goodyear Blimp.

FUN FACT: Most crabs that walk on land do so sideways, but the Spider Crab usually goes forward. It’s particularly fond of draping itself with all sorts of adornments, including living sea plants, bits of shell and other oddities. Presumably this is for concealment, but maybe the crab’s just really fashion forward!

Coming up: Independence Day: Wissahickon Wanderings

Baby Steps

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Kim

How did we go from this tiny little fellow looking up at his parent…

to this broad-shouldered young Eagle soaring among the trees…

IN JUST ELEVEN WEEKS?

Yes, folks, the Bald Eagle chicks at Heinz Refuge have fledged! They took their first flights over the last weekend, and were already accomplished veterans by the time I saw them on Tuesday. Admittedly, they don’t go far, just fly laps around their Oak Island home, and they still spend time in the nest. But they are flying!

It looked to me like they were doing a fine job of maneuvering and landing in the trees. They have a new favorite perch, on a large bare tree to the right of the nest. I photographed one Eaglet there, and it wasn’t until I got the photos on the computer that I saw the other was right next to him, but hidden behind some foliage.

Even more surprising was this photo, where I was focused on one Eaglet (center) landing, and only discovered in processing that I’d caught the other Eaglet (upper left) in flight!

The last flight we saw was a little rocky for one young bird. Seems a few Red-winged Blackbirds decided to chase him, even hitting him on the back a couple of times. I’m sure he was thinking “Mom! Help! What IS this?” Life out of the nest is all new to these guys.

I’ve been watching birds fly for many years. It never gets old, and watching the raptors fly is especially awe-inspiring. But nothing has moved me as much as these young Eagles’ short flights. What a thrill. It’s been a privilege to watch them grow.

Here are a few other young birds at Heinz right now. For starters, Yellow Warbler. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers in a row (above)

Red-winged Blackbird (right)

Barn Swallow (below)

Female Mallard and ducklings (above)

Female Wood Duck and ducklings (below)

FUN FACT: Baby Wood Ducks have a big obstacle to overcome right from the start. The parents choose a nest cavity, either in a tree or man-made boxes. The nest is as much as 60 feet off the ground, and although it’s often over water, it may be over dry land. Soon after hatching, the ducklings have to make their way to water. Mom calls to them from the ground below. They can’t fly yet, so that means they have to JUMP from the nest! It doesn’t hurt them though. I’ve never seen this in person, only in documentaries, but apparently, Wood Ducklings bounce!

For en excellent video of one duckling’s leap of faith, check out this clip from Nature on PBS: http://video.pbs.org/video/2295315469/

Coming up: Pine Barrens Ramble

Eager For Beaver

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Kim

In which… three intrepid explorers go search of a wild critter and get far more than they bargained for.

The Setting: Hoy’s Pond, a deepwater pond with a fishing dock across the road from the impoundment at Heinz Refuge.

The Players: Don, Robb and I; Mr. Beaver.

Prelude: Fall 2012. Gnawed trees begin appearing at the Refuge, sure signs of North American Beaver activity.

First Things First: March 27, 5:30 PM. I spy Mr. Beaver on the far side of Hoy’s Pond. Of course, that would happen to be the one time I didn’t have my camera with me. No one believed me.

The Second Time Around: June 6, 8:15 PM. Robb has a close encounter with Mr. Beaver at the dock, and comes away with a short cell phone video. Plans are laid for the Great North American Beaver Expedition.

Third Time’s the Charm: June 11. Robb, Don and I set out for Hoy’s Pond. Along the way, Don regaled us with stories of a fatal beaver attack in Belarus. He and Robb debated how to protect themselves from marauding beavers – mostly by hiding behind me.

We arrived at Hoy’s Pond at 7:30, which Don assured us is much too early, as he had arranged for Mr. Beaver to appear precisely at 8:15. Don is often wrong but never in doubt. Sure enough, there was Mr. Beaver, thirty feet away in the pond to our left. (See the Hoy’s Pond photo, above; Mr. Beaver is visible to the left of the walkway.)

Robb spotted him first, and put me on to him quickly. Don was slower to get with the program. Mr. Beaver swam in a circle near the shore, then under the dock, then back under the walkway. Then he turned and swam RIGHT AT US. (Look at the bow wave of that critter!)

When he was some 20 feet away, Don and Robb, being the courageous and chivalrous gentlemen that they are, beat a hasty retreat, leaving me to fend for myself. I was focused solely on GETTING THE SHOT.

When the boys’ cries of alarm (“It’s gonna CHARGE!”) became too much to bear, I took a step back. Whereupon Mr. Beaver gave a tremendous SLAP of his tail and disappeared, never to be seen again. We were all startled at the size of the tail slap. The resulting splash looked like he’d leaped from the water and did a tremendous belly flop.

The whole encounter lasted a scant but exhilarating two minutes. Leaving us with a tremendous tale to tell. Of course, Mr. Beaver gets larger and more ferocious with each retelling…

FUN FACTS: Adult Beavers weigh from 35 to 60 pounds, and have poor eyesight. Their good hearing and strong sense of smell more than make up for this. They can swim well and stay under water for up to 15 minutes. Their sharp teeth continue to grow throughout their lives, so it’s a good thing they have trees to gnaw on! Beavers eat trees and tree bark, as well as other plants. The dams they build are for protections and shelter; the largest one ever built was over 2500 feet long!

Always remember wild animals are unpredictable and should be viewed with caution and respect. Beavers are generally peaceful critters who dislike biting, but those teeth are SHARP and capable of delivering a fatal wound. Furthermore, too much attention can stress an animal. Moral of the story: always use extreme caution when dealing with any wild creature, and respect its right to go about its life without human interference. Remember, you’re the visitor on THEIR turf; be a good house-guest!

“Hoy’s Pond with Beaver” photo courtesy of Don Nigroni.

“The Wild Bunch” photo courtesy of Ned S. Levi, professional photographer. Taken with my amateur equipment, and Canon to boot.

Thanks, Don and Ned!

Coming up: Baby Steps

Wee Furry Beasties

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Kim

Good morning, all you bonny lads and lassies out there in Animal Kingdom! This is the “Wee Furry Beasties” Countdown Show on 99.9 KRTR – Critter Radio! I’m your host Fergus Alastair MacRatt, comin’ at you with all the warm and fuzzy hits you need to get you through your day.

Let’s get right to the countdown, shall we? Kicking it off at Number Six, we have the King of Nibbles himself, Brer Rabbit, with his hare-raisin’ version of “Little Bunny Foo Foo”.

Here’s a fair Groundhog lassie and her wee bairn that just can’t resist the call of the open highway. At Number Five, it’s Big Mama Woodchuck and Whistlepig Junior, singing “On the Road Again”.

Next we have Slinky Mink checkin’ in from Michigan’s Big Sable River. Look at that pink nose – this lad needs some sunscreen! Doesn’t stop him from rockin’ out with our Number Four hit, “Pop! Goes The Weasel”.

My, it’s early in the day for this yawnin’ Raccoon! Our next performer, Little Rascal, had a bit of a nap, but he’s awake now, and swingin’ in the Number Three spot with “Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree”.

Now, we all know how chipmunks love to stuff their little furry faces with good eats. Everybody’s favorite Chipmunk, Alvin, reckons he likes dancin’ with the lassies even more. In at Number Two, here he is now with “Cheek To Cheek”.

Ah, savin’ the best for last! You know, we Muskrats get a bad rap sometimes, but really we’re just rockin’ along, tryin’ to get along. Nobody says it better than Susie & Sam with our Number One hit, “Muskrat Love”.

Well, that’s it folks, this week’s “Wee Furry Beasties” Countdown.

Next up on “Forest Follies”, we have a mind-boggling tale of three foolish humans (and really, is there any other kind?) Aye, seems they set out one evening to track down a ferocious varmint, and got a wee bit more than they bargained for.

Until then, I’m Fergus Alastair MacRatt, keepin’ it wild on 99.9 KRTR – Critter Radio!

Warblers and Waxwings

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Kim

I was really looking forward to spring migration season at Heinz Refuge – lots of guided walks with veteran birders, warblers everywhere, lots of cool things to photograph. Events conspired against me, and the hoped-for images of migrating warblers in stunning breeding plumage eluded me. Actually, the warblers eluded me. Not that they weren’t here, only that they are so small and so quick that they’re REALLY hard to photograph. That they hang out in dark woodlands doesn’t help.

Here are a few I managed to capture. Yellow Warbler (top) nests at Heinz.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (above) was just passing through.

Prairie Warbler (right) at Higbee Beach WMA in Cape May.

More Yellow Warblers, wet and dry. Our cover boy has a lot to say for himself.

Family and friends know that I am an incorrigible list maker. So it should be no surprise that when I started watching birds, I became a “lister”. Birders often keep lists of the different species they see. The most common is the life list, but there can be year lists, trip lists, location lists… you get the idea.

Since last October, when I started going on the guided bird walks at Heinz Refuge, my life list has more than doubled.

One bird has eluded me for too long. I saw my first Cedar Waxwing in 2001. I got a really good close look, too. Unfortunately it was dead. It had flown into a window at my house, which happens to birds all too often. I’ve waited 12 years to finally see a live one.

They’ve arrived at Heinz in force now, and I spent a long time one evening happily watching a flock fly in and out of the trees. They have a subtle, silky beauty that appeals to me. I love the blush on the chest fading to a soft yellow belly, all set off by that wonderful black mask.

FUN FACT: Note the waxy red wing tips. (Not to be confused with the yellow tail tip.) The number of these red tips increase with age; juveniles don’t have them at all. So it’s been speculated that the amount of red helps Cedars to sort themselves out by age during breeding season. Cedar Waxwings eat predominantly fruit, and have been known to overindulge on overripe berries. It’s possible the bird that flew into my window years ago was intoxicated. Flying under the influence!

At last!

Coming up: Wee Furry Beasties

Hot and Bothered

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Kim

What does a bird have to do to get some relief from this heat?

And what in the world is this bird’s problem? Is he hurt? Sick? Drunk?

Well, no – just hot and bothered. Summer arrived with a hot, muggy THUMP this past weekend. Only the first of June, and already well into the year’s first heat wave. On Heinz Refuge trails, groups of young Barn Swallows (above) were behaving very strangely. Birds don’t sweat, so they will leave their mouths open wide to facilitate evaporative cooling. Just like dogs pant.

Birds are also often bugged (sorry) by ectoparasites, little insects and mites that get under their feathers. Rolling around in the dust helps get rid of the pests. Another way is known as “anting”, a little-understood behavior that involves letting ants crawl over their bodies. The theory is that ants secrete some substance that is toxic to the ectoparasites.

Hey, if it’s ants these little birds want, they can come over to my house – I’ve got plenty!

Nesting birds were bothered by more than the heat this day. I saw a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (above) chasing a much larger American Robin, and a Robin chasing a squirrel! A good mother will take on anyone who threatens her young.

We found a nest built by a female Baltimore Oriole (right), and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird (below) sitting on her nest.

FUN FACT: The camo look you see in the Hummingbird nest comes from a covering of lichens, held together with spider silk. Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backward!

Then there were these odd ducks. Geese, actually – SNOW Geese. Snow Geese nest in the far North, and winter in huge flocks (but not at Heinz.) The irony of three migrating through just in time for a heat wave was not lost on anyone.

The dark Goose is a relatively unusual color morph of the Snow Goose. Known as the “Blue Goose”, it’s the mascot of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Of course, Gray Catbirds know that nothing soothes the savage beast on a hot day better than a nice cool bath.

Coming up: Warblers and Waxwings

Mating Dance

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Kim

Caution: Contains mild “adult” material. Use your own judgement when sharing with the kiddos. Spring is the time for babies. It’s also the time for making babies. Looks are no impediment, even for a creature as prehistoric-looking as this Snapping Turtle. My first day on the Eagle Watch at Heinz NWR we arrived to find a pair of Snappers mating in the impoundment right in front of us. The entertainment went on for over an hour. Mating for Snappers involves a lot of biting, and the female is submerged for much of the time. Better her than me!

At one point another Snapper swam over to see if he could get in on the action, but he left disappointed. You know what they say – two’s company, three’s a crowd!

FUN FACT: Snappers mate any time from March to November, but the nesting period is only a few weeks. Once they’ve mated, the male’s sperm can remain viable in the female’s body for up to several years. They will usually lay 25 to 50 eggs, which will hatch in two to three months. Snappers spend most of their lives in the water, in deep pools or buried in the mud of shallow ponds. On land they can be fierce when threatened, but are downright docile in the water.

Also on the Dance Card:

On another warm and sunny day, the carp came out to spawn, thrashing and circling each other in the shallows. Carp lay hundreds of thousands of eggs, which hatch in a few days with no further parental care. They are actually members of the Minnow family.

And that’s the end of this tale!

How ‘Bout Those Eagles?

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Kim

Babies are already growing up at Heinz Refuge. Our stars are the two Bald Eagle chicks, now about ten weeks old. This is Mom, above. Male and female Bald Eagles look alike, so how do I know that’s Mom? Dad, in flight below, wears a fashionable green leg band, while the female is not banded. The adult Eagles have nested here for four years now. Each year they use the same stick nest, adding on to it every season.Eggs were laid in February, and two eaglets hatched around March 13^th. At first they were too small to be seen over the top of the nest, but it wasn’t long before we were catching glimpses of them. At two and a half weeks old, one chick is barely visible at the right, looking like a fuzzy Q-tip. Photographing them is a challenge due to lighting and distance. This is what I call documentary photography, rather than art. (Click each image for a larger view.)

At four weeks, (above) the eaglets still had their baby down; by six weeks (below) they had grown a full set of dark feathers, albeit somewhat ragged. They were also standing on the edge of the nest and flapping their wings to strengthen them. By this time we noticed that one chick was smaller than the other. This is not unusual; they were probably born a day or two apart, and the older chick simply out-competed his younger sibling for food. Here an adult flies in with nesting material, while one of the chicks clamors for food. A parent’s work is never done! By eight weeks old (below), both eaglets were nearly the size of their parents, actively flapping their wings and jumping into the air. As of today, they are about ten weeks old. The smaller chick is growing well, and they both seem to be thriving. We expect them to fledge – leave the nest and start flying – sometime in early June. They sure look like they’re ready to go now, though! Before they leave for good, they will start moving out of the nest to branches nearby for a time.Once they can fly, the eaglets will remain in the area for a while longer, still being fed by the parents, while they learn to hunt for themselves. When they are fully independent in the fall, they will leave the area in search of territories of their own. After all, this territory is spoken for! It won’t be until they are four years old that they will have the full adult Bald Eagle plumage, with the distinctive white head and tail. And next year their parents will return to start the cycle anew.CONSERVATION PIECE: As recently as thirty years ago, there were only three nesting pairs of Bald Eagles in Pennsylvania. The birds weren’t faring better anywhere else, thanks to loss of habitat and the devastating effects of DDT. Now there are over 200 nests in Pennsylvania, three in Philadelphia alone, including ours at Heinz. These beautiful symbols of our country are making quite a comeback.

The Buds and the Bees

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Kim

Ha! You thought I would say “The Birds and the Bees”, didn’t you? Believe it or not, I do take photos of things besides birds. Herewith, a sampler of Spring Flowers and their Friends.

Dogwood, Yellow Iris and Crabapple blossoms at Heinz NWR. Of all the flowering trees, I think I like the Crabapples the best. What’s missing from these photos is the wonderful aroma that wafts over you as you pass near them.

A simple Dandelion in my yard, when I was playing with my macro set-up. I should have picked it long before it got to this point, but then I wouldn’t have been able to take its picture. Oh, well, more dandelions for me to photograph in the future!

One day we went to Longwood Gardens. These are just some of the wonderful blooms we saw. And no, I don’t know all their names.

Flowers need pollinators to reproduce, and here are a few busily at work in Crabapple and Wisteria.

It’s not at all unusual for me to get photos of the back end of critters. I guess you could say I’m often a little bee-hind.

FUN FACT: There are nearly 4,000 species of native bees in North America, at least 50 of which are bumblebees. This does NOT include the honeybees, which are non-native, having been imported from other parts of the world for pollination and honey production. One way bumblebees extract pollen is by a process called “buzz pollination.” The familiar buzzing of bumblebees is produced by the vibration of flight muscles, which in turn shakes the pollen out of the flowers. Pretty clever.

The Wild Edge

Opening eyes to the wonder around us

Tag Archives: John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge