Roads End Naturalist

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

Author: Mike Dunn

  • South Africa – Days 1-4

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    Custos Naturae – Guardian of Nature ~The slogan formerly found on the logo of Kruger National Park, South Africa Last summer, a friend and former coworker, Andrew Torlage, asked me out for a beer to discuss an idea. Andrew was born in South Africa and moved to North Carolina less than a decade ago. He Read more…

    Written by

    Mike Dunn

  • Trying to Understand Our Wild Neighbors

    We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts. ~William Hazlitt And in some cases, we see nature with our trail cameras… This season seems to have fewer large buck deer than I have seen the past few years, but recently, a beautiful 8-pointer kindly walked in front of Read more…

    Written by

    Mike Dunn

  • Making Time

    The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it. ~Sydney Harris You may have noticed a lack of posts on this blog the past month. We have been dealing with my mother’s declining health as well as plenty of long-scheduled things here at home. Traditionally, we take a trip somewhere for our Read more…

    Written by

    Mike Dunn

  • Gold in the Yard

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    The responsibilities of life seem to rest lightly on the Goldfinch’s sunny shoulders. ~Roger Tory Peterson It’s been a very good year for the American Goldfinches in our yard. I haven’t put out thistle seeds this year but the goldfinches seem quite content with the sunflower seeds in the other feeders and, more recently, with Read more…

    Written by

    Mike Dunn

  • Moths and More

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    So much detail goes unnoticed in the world. ~Barbara Kingsolver After our moth party last month during National Moth Week, we have put out the moth lights and sheet a few more times to see what new species we might attract to our deck here in the woods. It has been pretty productive and we Read more…

    Written by

    Mike Dunn

  • Perfectly Paired

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    I have learned from nature that all is equal… all is equal and in balance. I see everything as fitting together. ~Joseph Raffael Here in our home in the woods, I can look out our windows and see all sorts of interconnections – butterflies on Ironweed and Joe-Pye-Weed, American Goldfinches eating coneflower seeds, and birds Read more…

    Written by

    Mike Dunn

  • Opossum “Tales”

    Making your bed is a simple way to start your day off on the right foot. ~Martha Stewart Ever since my friend Jerry posted some videos about the ‘possums in his back woods, I have been fascinated by the goings-on of our local marsupials. Because of Jerry’s fascinating footage of his critters, I bought a Read more…

    Written by

    Mike Dunn

  • Mothing 2023

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    Life begins at night. ~Charlaine Harris National Moth Week (NMW) is now officially over for 2023. This celebration of the insects of the evening was last week, July 22-30. It is meant to bring awareness to the incredible diversity of the nocturnal insects that many of us only see as something flitting around our windows Read more…

    Written by

    Mike Dunn

  • Hidden Beauty in a Crazy World

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    Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy. ~Anne Frank This past weekend, I drove down to Myrtle Beach State Park (yes, there is such a thing) to visit our good friends Scott and Ann. Ann is a ranger at the park and they both are superb naturalists. The park was Read more…

    Written by

    Mike Dunn

  • Refuge Run

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    From wonder to wonder, existence unfolds. ~Lao Tzu Last month, I dropped Melissa off at the airport at a ridiculous hour (4 a.m.) for her Yellowstone workshop. The upside was that I could make it to my favorite place, Pungo, by sunrise. So, off I went on what was to be a hot sunny day, Read more…

    Written by

    Mike Dunn