Ee-Oh-Lay!

Haunting. Flute-like. Ethereal.

These are words commonly used to describe the song of a Wood Thrush. They’re all accurate.

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Image Credits: Carol Doeringer.

A Wood Thrush Story

Nooooooo!

That was me, early on the morning of June 13.

I’d been watching and filming a Wood Thrush nest, expecting nestlings to fledge at any time. This morning, I set up my video gear at the first light. I positioned my tripod and zoomed in on the nest… almost ready to record… then, crash! I knocked over my big stainless steel coffee cup, which landed on a flagstone. The startled nestlings squawked and leaped in unison.

My eyes witnessed the fledge. My camera did not.

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Image Credits: Carol Doeringer.

Duck Drama

Wood ducks seemed to be studying our squirrel tree.

We call it that because squirrels like to shelter inside. And each spring, at least one new family grows up there. One year, a pregnant raccoon took over the entire tree. But otherwise, for some twenty years, we have watched squirrel mamas, and eventually their pups, scurry in and out of the largely hollow tree.

But last week, I wondered if wood ducks might be moving in.

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A Red-breasted Ballet… For Now

It’s almost time for the annual duck dance.

The Red-breasted Mergansers put on quite a springtime show. They scoot. They splash. The handsome boys bow to impress the ladies. I never tire of watching their annual courtship display.

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Image Credits: Carol Doeringer.

So Much for Sharing

Dark, dreary, frigid, and snowy

That’s our weather of late. But sitting in my snug office, just steps from soup, sourdough, coffee, and more… I’ve no reason to complain. The weather may be harsh, but I’m not suffering.

Can the same be said of the wildlife I watch through my window?

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Image Credits: Carol Doeringer.

The Not-So-Sneaky Squirrel

Squirrels are known to spy on each other.

Usually, they’re watching another squirrel bury a nut. Then, when the coast is clear, they steal it. But food larceny didn’t explain the behavior of one little sneak I watched out my window.

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Image Credits: Carol Doeringer.

Call CSI: It’s an Insect Murder Mystery

A strange-looking fly caught my eye.

It stood upright, balanced not on its legs but on its wingtips. I leaned in for a closer look.

The fly wasn’t standing. It wasn’t even alive.

The poor creature had been stabbed.

Continue reading Call CSI: It’s an Insect Murder Mystery

Image Credits: Carol Doeringer.