Author: Mike Dunn
-
Otter Outing
It swims and dives with great readiness and with peculiar ease and elegance of movement… Thomas Bell on otters, 1874 I recently spent a couple of days with a great group of guys in my favorite winter haunts – Pocosin Lakes and Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuges. The first day started out beautifully with a rich Read more…
Written by
-
Finch Findings, Part 2
Here are the long overdue results of the winter finch quiz from my last post, Finch Findings. On a less pleasing visual note…while photographing the finches last month, I noticed something I see every few years in the House Finches I encounter. One finch landed and looked over his shoulder. After I snapped a quick Read more…
Written by
-
Finch Findings
This winter’s theme is a “mixed bag” of finch movements. ~Ron Pittaway, Ontario Field Ornithologists After seeing the first Purple Finches at my feeder a few weeks ago, I started searching online for some information. I ran across one of those interesting combinations of technology and old-fashioned field observations that seems so common in the Read more…
Written by
-
First Snow
When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I’ll know I’m growing old. ~Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson I have to admit, that describes me. I love snow and winter – I know, I am outside the norm on this one, but I do. And my first snow of the season happened Read more…
Written by
-
A Well-named Bird
…he wears a coat of the purest, richest, and most gorgeous blue on back, wings, and tail; he carries on his back the blue of heaven and the rich brown of the freshly turned earth on his breast… ~Arthur Cleveland Bent, in Life Histories of Familiar North American Birds, 1949. I finally had a chance Read more…
Written by
-
Learning by Experience
The feeling of respect for all species will help us recognize the noblest nature in ourselves. ~Thich Nhat Hanh Last Saturday I had the pleasure of sharing two of my favorite places with an enthusiastic group of NC State students in the Leopold Wildlife Club. I was asked if I would accompany them on a Read more…
Written by
-
Autumn’s Palette
Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus Years ago I had a school grounds workshop scheduled for a week day in October near Asheville. I didn’t get a hotel room ahead of time since I figured it would not be a problem during the week. After checking various places Read more…
Written by
-
Boneyard and Butterflies
Discovering this idyllic place, we find ourselves filled with a yearning to linger here, where time stands still and beauty overwhelms. ~Anonymous Another report on my recent trip to the South Carolina Lowcountry…after looking for dolphins on the boat charter and enjoying some of the fine dining to be found in Charleston, it was off Read more…
Written by
-
Join me in Yellowstone this January
Yellowstone in the summer changed my life. Revisiting in the winter was like going back to an old friend’s house when all the guests have gone home and you get to sit in the den and have long quiet conversations with the residents. ~Mike Leonard, a teacher that experienced Yellowstone in both summer and winter Read more…
Written by
-
Lounging in the Lowcountry
I have heard it said that an inoculation to the sights and smells of the Carolina lowcountry is an almost irreversible antidote to the charms of other landscapes. ~Pat Conroy I recently made a leisurely trip to the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Lowcountry generally refers to the lands along the coast from Charleston to the Read more…
Written by
Roads End Naturalist 