Roads End Naturalist

Exploring the natural world as we wander at the end of the road


Author: Mike Dunn

  • Caterpillar Hunting

    From east of the East-est to west of the West-est we’ve searched the whole world just to bring you the best-est. ~Dr. Seuss This past week, I helped Melissa prepare for the largest museum event of the year – BugFest. As always, we headed up the Caterpillarology booth showcasing the incredible variety of larvae we Read more…

  • Lake George

    Lake George is without comparison, the most beautiful water I ever saw; formed by a contour of mountains into a basin… finely interspersed with islands, its water limpid as crystal, and the mountain sides covered with rich groves… ~Thomas Jefferson, 1791 Melissa’s family has a long tradition of summer vacations on Lake George in upstate Read more…

  • Night Flashes

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    Life begins at night. ~ Charlaine Harris It’s not just moths that I have been seeing out in the yard after dark. The new flash system has been out on a few nights with me as I wander the premises (carefully in case there are any Copperheads out and about) looking for what’s happening on Read more…

  • Moth Night 2022

    There are moths outside, ready to die for a light they crave but which is denied to them, … Sometimes, in the midst of all I have been given, I watch the moths in us all. Everybody has a light which they think they cannot live without. ~Alma Alexander A bit of a deep starting Read more…

  • Squeaky Bird

    There is an unreasonable joy to be had from the observation of small birds going about their bright, oblivious business. ~Grant Hutchison I was out pulling some weeds in our yard jungle one day this week when I suddenly realized there was a high-pitched peeping sound coming from the stand of Common Milkweed a few Read more…

  • Summer is Bear Time

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    When you are where wild bears live you learn to pay attention to the rhythm of the land and yourself.  ~Linda Jo Hunter This summer seems to be racing by and it hit me last week that I have not made a pilgrimage to our coastal wildlife refuges for my fix of summer bears. So, Read more…

  • Flash Mob, Part 2

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    I believe alien life is quite common in the universe, although intelligent life is less so. Some say it has yet to appear on planet Earth. ~Stephen Hawking I returned Friday from a few days helping out my mom in the mountains of Virginia and have been slugging around the house and yard trying to Read more…

  • Flash Mob

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    What makes photography an strange invention is that its primary raw materials are light and time. ~John Berger My macro light has been giving me trouble for a while now and we finally put in an order for a new one last year. It has been on backorder ever since. I started looking at reviews Read more…

  • Flower Fireworks

    Against a dark sky, all flowers look like fireworks. ~Gilbert K. Chesterton It is a strange Fourth of July this year for me. I have mixed emotions about the things I see happening in our country (and our world). And, while I have enjoyed watching the big firework displays offered in many communities, I am Read more…

  • Moving South Along the Parkway

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    It was as if all the world might be composed of nothing but valley and ridge. ~Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain This is part two of our trip last month down the Blue Ridge Parkway. After the crazy weather at Mount Mitchell, we headed to our next destination, a somewhat out of the way campground, Balsam Read more…