Author: Mike Dunn
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Garden Birds – Brown Thrasher
Perhaps, if we had more neglected brush heaps and tangles of unkempt shrubbery and vines about our grounds, we might tempt the thrasher to be more sociable and nest near our homes. ~Dr. W.G. Erwin in Bent’s Life Histories of North American Birds I see Brown Thrashers all year in North Carolina, but, in winter, Read more…
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Garden Birds – Common Yellowthroat
When invading its haunts one is impressed with the vigorous personality of the male. He nervously raises his alarm with a variety of scolding, interrogative chirps and chattering notes and his dark inquisitive eyes sparkle with excitement through the black masks. He darts with nervous animation from place to place, then disappears in the dense Read more…
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Garden Birds – Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
I once knew a [beginner} bird-watcher who, not aware that altricial species attain full body size before leaving the nest, spoke seriously of the gnatcatcher as a tiny mockingbird. ~Francis Marion Weston Indeed, I often describe these active birds as looking and behaving like a tiny mockingbird. They are always fun to watch as they Read more…
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Garden Birds – Indigo Bunting
If, as Thoreau says, the bluebird carries the sky on its back, the Indigo Bunting may sometimes be carrying storm clouds. These common open space birds are now arriving back in NC from their tropical winter homes and the males have dressed for the occasion. During the winter, both males and females are primarily brown, Read more…
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Garden Birds – Rose-breasted Grosbeak
One attraction in coming to the woods to live was that I should have leisure and opportunity to see the spring come in. ~Henry David Thoreau Perhaps he meant to say… one attraction in retiring was that I should have leisure and opportunity to see the spring come in. I have lived in the woods Read more…
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In the Belly of a Bluebird
The Bluebird Carries the Sky on His Back. ~Henry David Thoreau I probably have used that famous HDT quote before in a post, but it is so apt. Although the color of a male is so intense this time of year that it exceeds even a perfect Carolina blue sky. Bluebirds are among the most Read more…
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Forest Stars
Even the genus name says it, Stellaria, star. But the usual common name, Giant Chickweed, doesn’t do it justice. In fact, it does it a slight injustice because many of us associate the name, chickweed, with an introduced common yard weed. But this delicate beauty is one to seek out and appreciate, not yank from Read more…
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Pool Patrol
In a recent post, I mentioned that I sampled the woodland pool near the house earlier in the week. The Marbled Salamander larvae have grown considerably since my last visit. Almost every dip of the net brought up one or more of the large, squirming pool predators. When first caught, they were very dark, which Read more…
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Toe-Biter
The feeling of respect for all species will help us recognize the noblest nature in ourselves. ~Thich Nhat Hanh I visited the nearby woodland pool yesterday to check on the Spotted Salamander egg masses I photographed a couple of weeks ago. After a couple of dips with the net, I was astonished at how large Read more…
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Dutch Treat
One Touch of Nature Makes the Whole World Kin. ~William Shakespeare I spent a couple of days late last week with some clients from the Netherlands and a Dutch friend of theirs that now lives in North Carolina. They had been with me for a couple of days last Fall, but arrived a day before Read more…
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Roads End Naturalist 