Today, the peregrine’s recovery continues at an impressive pace. (Peregrine Falcon)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released the results from the first nationwide monitoring effort measuring the Peregrine Falcon’s recovery, which put the number of nesting pairs in North America at about 3,000—nearly 10 times the number estimated in 1970 when the bird was first protected as an endangered species and considerably more than the roughly 1,800 breeding pairs estimated in 1999, when the peregrine was declared recovered and de-listed.

In 2003, the first year of post-delisting monitoring, more than 300 observers—many representatives from the same partners who supported the recovery effort—monitored 438 Peregrine Falcon territories across six regions.

Surveyed areas included... Read On

The Gray Squirrel is the most common squirrel in North America. Its habit of gathering and storing food for the winter has allowed the species to survive for more than 35 million years. Their teeth are constantly growing to compensate for wear, so squirrels keep them "filed down" by constantly chewing. They even grind their teeth while they are sleeping!

And contrary to the opinion of some birders, a squirrel's stomach is not a bottomless pit. They need about a pound of food per week and enjoy a varied diet of bugs, nuts, fruit and seeds. Ecologically, squirrels are important re-seeders of trees and woodland plants, busily burying their stash of nuts and seeds in preparation for winter. (Gray Squirrel by Duncraft)

A squirrel can hide as many as 10,000 nuts each fall and can find... Read On

What a precious gift for amateur naturalists who want to read the tales.

Each winter, after snow falls around my home in Belgrade Lake--a rather heavily developed spit of land between ponds--the abundance of deer tracks offers a perfect example of deer coexisting with humans. These ungulates roam everywhere in the bottom third of Maine, despite wall-to-wall dwellings in places.

Deer wander between village houses around my home, usually after dark, but daylight raids on shrubs, hard mast and leftover garden produce, herbs and flowers are common enough.

Many nights, a doe with three fawns comes onto my back lawn as day turns to full dark, and it seems so odd to sit in a hot tub and watch deer 20 yards away, completely unaware... Read On

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WILDLIFE lovers would rather not witness the death of animals in their yards, and so they often hate having such predators as hawks and snakes around. However, we must accept predators as a natural and necessary part of our environment. Without predation, the Earth would quickly be overcrowded, and our beloved wildlife would then die horribly from starvation and disease, according to author Marlene Condon...Read On

AUDUBON'S 107th annual Christmas bird count recently ended and totals are coming in. Michigan's spring like weather made for some comfortable days, yet it also was a cause for fewer birds and some odd sightings, says Ron Patterson (WindStar Certified Wildlife Habitat Naturalist Michigan Certified Nurseryman). Grand Rapids Audubon Club (where I live) counted 10,000 fewer birds then their normal average. However, 52 species were still counted. Birds that are typically long gone by now were still present and counted for. Killdeer and American Widgeon (duck). Canada Geese were among the higher tallies. Great Blue Herons have no reason to migrate as long as the waters stay open. Sandhill Cranes were spotted as well... Read On