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STATE WILDLIFE areas throughout Delaware provide vital nesting boxes for Screech Owls. More than 350 boxes have been placed in the state’s 14 wildlife areas by Delaware’s Divison of Fish and Wildlife biologists. The boxes are perched high on predator-proof poles at heights from 6 to 30 ft. above the ground in forested wetlands. Although the boxes are primarily for Wood Ducks, they provide the perfect roosting and nesting places for Screech Owls. (Screech Owl by Michael Smith. Photo can be purchased in the Nature Shop) According to Wayne Lehman, Fish and Wildlife Regional Manager, the nesting boxes are cleaned annually in January and February before the bird’s breeding season. “Over the years, our conservation efforts to protect Screech Owls by providing safe, nesting and roosting areas have been important,” said Lehman. “In addition, annual winter... Read On | ||||
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By Christine McConville MEDFORD, MA-- So it's officially winter: the ground is frozen solid, there's ice in the streams and ponds, and animal control officers are getting lots of calls. "They'll usually say, 'There's a fox or a coyote in my backyard. What should I do?' " said Jerry Smith, Winchester's longtime animal control officer. He tells them it's just that time of year. (Red Fox chases lunch) "It's mating season, and they are all out there looking," Smith said. "And if they've already got a mate, chances are they are looking for food." Mating habits aside, wildlife specialists say that throughout the Boston suburbs, there are more frequent, and more varied, sightings than ever before. "There are some wildlife sightings that... Read On | ||
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By Kevin Howell MONON, IN--Three years ago, with little else to do but recover from his heart surgery, Bob Princell sat looking out the window of his home on Bedford Bay north of Monticello. Watching birds, squirrels and other critters scamper about in his yard and out on the water, a growing interest in nature developed as he passed the hours away. Today his yard is filled with plants, water ponds and feeders. Since the beginning of Princell's fascination with the natural world and hours of research into habitats, his knowledge of attracting wildlife with his plantings has grown immensely. "I started studying up on it and reading about it, and learned I was doing a lot of things wrong (to attract wildlife)," said Princell. He learned he was trying to be "too neat" in what he... Read On | ||
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Amazing! This female tiger plays with baby pigs at a zoo in Chonburi province, near Bangkok. The tigress was born in captivity and breastfed by a female pig for four months. For more nature photographs, see the Gallery on WindStar's web site and Nature's Best Photographs Album in the American Wildlife Blog. | ||
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The Mad Bluebird Photo 8"x10" Print Double-Matted and framed-- $106 Usually he's the "Bluebird of Happiness" but here he appears ruffled and disgusted with the onset of colder weather in this photograph by Michael L. Smith. This is one of the most famous nature photographs ever created and originally was seen in a National Geographic Society birding book. Each print is individually hand signed by the photographer. ORDER PRINT OUR GUARANTEE is unconditional and 100% money back, if, for
any reason, you are not satisfied. Find more nature products in the | ||
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My Critters Have Their Own Space Alan Hagberg, Carmel Valley, CA says "I really enjoy your newsletters (blog & e-zine). I'd like to comment on the critters in the backyard and garden. I've grown some spectacular gardens here in California, but have always had an abundance of wildlife taking advantage of my labor. Can't blame 'em. What I finally decided to do was to devote a certain amount of space in my yard and garden for the critters. I fenced off my garden as well as I could and then planted a large area outside of my space for the deer, gophers, squirrels and birds. It's important to plant particular things the critters like. Putting up a sign telling them it was their garden seems to have done the trick..." Read On Barks and
Branches Add To Winter Scenery One thing I cannot get enough of though is admiring the scenery around me, says Ron Patterson, Kentwood, MI. "As winter continues it's grip on Michigan, I am blessed with several birds that enjoy my offerings at the feeders. Walks in the shroud of white also allow me to notice some of nature's other beauties. Oh sure, snow sticking to the pine and spruce trees are a photographers dream. However, I'm talking about bark and branches. Native trees and bushes offer so much to a landscape. Too often, we don't appreciate the beauty of bark and branches. In many cases, they aren't noticeable until they shed their foliage or we just don't take the time to notice..." Read On Eagle
Provides Gentle Reminder
It was a beautiful, cold, and sunny March day today, says Jan McIntyre, Bar Harbor, ME. " We knew a storm was headed our way and due to hit tomorrow morning, so we decided to take a hike out to see if there was any activity at the Bald Eagles nest located on a small island in the bay, just a short walk from our cabin in Maine... By March, there is usually some evidence that the eagles are busy at their nest site where they have been nesting for over 12 years, so we were eager to see if they had gotten underway... We kept a close watch on the nest and the surrounding area as we approached, spotting an eagle flying away from us, high up in the sky. As we reached the island, there were deer tracks going up into the woods from the shore, with tracks close by that looked like it belonged to a coyote..." Read On | ||
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That's it for this week. Be sure and sign up for the American Wildlife Blog for the latest commentary and please feel free to add comments of your own. Have An EXCELLENT Day in your WILDLIFE HABITAT! (This mother has the patience of a lamb!)
 Tom Patrick Email: wildlife@windstar.org
Phone: 301-293-3351
Web &
Blog: http://www.windstar.org |
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