tales from the wild metropolis
Double, double, toil and trouble, Fire burn, and cauldron bubble, Fillet of a fenny snake, In the caldron boil and bake, Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting, Lizard’s leg, and owlet’s wing… During late October, Shakespeare’s recipe for chaos and conflict comes... Continue Reading →
A scientists’ work is never done. That’s because there’s always another layer to peel away, another stone to turn, another angle from which to view the situation. Case in point—nearly 200 years ago, Charles Darwin made the connection between the size and shape of a finch’s beak and the availability of the seeds they eat;... Continue Reading →
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 →
Next-Door Nature 