tales from the wild metropolis
WITNESS astounding tricks of precision flying! THRILL to the sight of daring aerial capers! Come one, come ALL! The Flying Circus is winging its way to a backyard near YOU!! Critics are raving about this summer’s must-see event. Word to the wise, though—in addition to a lawn chair you’ll definitely want to bring some binoculars. That’s... Continue Reading →
Midwesterners are welcoming the return of some long-absent natives. On second thought, “welcoming” is probably an overstatement… because just as in the famous biblical parable, not everyone is thrilled about this reunion. A rigorous statistical study to be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Wildlife Management confirms the presence of 178 cougars... Continue Reading →
Ever dreamed of going on a safari? Then fasten your seat belt, start the engine, and hit the road. Any road. I’ll bet you dollars to donuts—take the time to look and you’ll spy enough wildlife to satisfy, Bwana. Sure, some of the creatures will be easier to spot than others… for the simple reason... Continue Reading →
Last Sunday morning I unexpectedly found myself sitting ringside for a brief but furious brawl. Two male red-bellied woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus) were having a boundary dispute that started with an argument over some shrubbery then escalated into a full-on aerial assault. Colliding mid-air, they grasped one another by the feet and were so intent on... Continue Reading →
Fifty years ago, Rachel Carson asked the world to consider a simple question: imagine springtime without birdsong. Silent Spring addressed an unlikely subject for what was to become a best-selling book—the effect of DDT and other pesticides that persist in body tissue, becoming more and more concentrated as they move up the food chain (a... Continue Reading →
Consider, if you will, the sartorial importance of tail attire. To bare, or not to bare… that is the question. The answer might seem to be of little consequence, but for marsupials living in cities and suburbs some strategically placed fur can make all the difference. That’s because naked tails make people nervous. I blame... Continue Reading →
Happiness is a shy little bird. Hiding from sight in life’s nooks and crannies, impossible to find if you look but then it darts out and lands on your shoulder just when you least expect it. It sidles up beside you like a pickpocket on a crowded street, soft and silent as wings brushing against... Continue Reading →
Whenever I see a Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) at this time of year I'm reminded of my days as Executive Director of the Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, back in the late 1990s. For a few weeks every winter, the waxwings would appear by the cardboard box-full and the clinic would turn into… well, a different... Continue Reading →
Next-Door Nature 