Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

mthew

  • Raptor Wednesday

  • SLF

  • Real Bugs

    Spittlebugs, leafhoppers and treehoppers are in the infraorder Cicadomorpha, which, as its name suggests, also includes the cicadas. Heard my first of the year over the weekend of the 4th. Was standing by a tree with one sounding off in it, unseen, and spotted the shed exoskeleton of the nymph stage.

  • Young Ones

  • Newbie

  • More Muddy Wasps

  • Raptor Wednesday

    Early Saturday morning, we heard a screechy Mockingbird outside. And kept hearing it. It wasn’t until I was practically next to the window that I saw the why. Two Northern Mockingbirds were harrying this Red-tail. Note that there are still some juvenile striped feathers on this hawk. This is one of last year’s fledglings, probably…

  • Unnatural Spring

  • Picnic, Starling