Author: Mike Dunn
-
Falcon
What appeals to us most in this daring little falcon is its lightness and quickness. ~Winsor Marrett Tyler A friend told me about a pair of American Kestrels hanging out in a particular field in Raleigh. I had to run into town for an errand the other day and decided to run by the field… Read more…
Written by
-
Celebrating Parks – January
The creation of a park establishes that sense of a special place. When you enter a park – you think differently. You pause and it takes you a little bit out of the rush of time and I think that is why so many families take their kids back and why those kids will take… Read more…
Written by
-
One Wet Bird, Two Wet Birds…Four Wet Birders
The best thing one can do when it is raining is to let it rain. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Unlike most years, I was dreading this year’s annual Christmas Bird Count. The weather forecast had been calling for more rain, 80% most of the day. We have already had so much rain and I anticipated the… Read more…
Written by
-
Yellowstone this Summer
…you will remember these fine, wild views, and look back with joy to your wanderings in the blessed old Yellowstone Wonderland. ~John Muir, 1898 Join me, June 2-9, 2016, for an unforgettable experience in the world’s first national park, Yellowstone! Next summer will mark 100 years since the creation of the National Park Service, and… Read more…
Written by
-
Appreciating a Place
Sense of place…it is a combination of characteristics that makes a place special and unique. ~the Art of Geography I am lucky. I have several wild places that give me that feeling of a sense of place, of completeness, of peace. I think almost any location can become such a place given time to experience… Read more…
Written by
-
Another Winter Season, Sort Of
What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness. ~John Steinbeck It is time for another season of winter wildlife watching. Now, if only the weather would catch up and cooperate. I will have to admit, my group seemed to enjoy the warm conditions as we explored Mattamuskeet… Read more…
Written by
-
Sky Watching
There’s a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they’re absolutely free. Don’t miss so many of them. ~Jo Walton I had a trip to Pocosin Lakes and Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuges with a great group this past weekend. The birds have arrived (well, maybe not all the birds as yet) and it was… Read more…
Written by
-
Web Design
Each of us is a unique strand in the intricate web of life and here to make a contribution. ~Deepak Chopra It seems like all of nature can make a contribution to our well-being, often in surprising ways. I awoke on two mornings this week to dense fog here in the woods. The fog revealed… Read more…
Written by
-
Deciphering Diets
…during reproduction, arguably the most important weeks of a bird’s life, 96% of North American terrestrial birds eat insects and other arthropods. ~Doug Tallamy During our recent bout of wet weather, I finally managed to do something that has been on my to-do list for awhile – upload images to a citizen science project called… Read more…
Written by
-
Stinkhorn
..And you, whose pastime is to make midnight mushrooms… ~William Shakespeare’s The Tempest I debated posting this one, for obvious reasons, but, it is just too weird not to post. Over the holidays, I was asked about a strange-looking mushroom growing in the mulch alongside a home. The description left no doubt in my mind… Read more…
Written by
Roads End Naturalist 