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

  • Gadwall’s Launch

  • Mammal Monday

  • Kestrel v. Red-tail

    This fire-escape is in the morning sun and out of the predominantly western winds. Can easily see a dozen Mourning Doves up here, a scattering of European Starlings, and a few House Sparrows. It’s also a great place to perch for a raptor, meaning a scattering of all the other birds. Two days before this,…

  • Great Blue at Low Tide

    Ari Berman puts it well concerning the corporate-tool Krysten Sinema’s announcement that she’ll continue supporting the filibuster: “Sinema, by refusing to support changes to the filibuster, is now giving the anti-democratic party veto power over protecting democracy. She is saying it would be divisive and partisan to respond to a divisive and partisan effort to…

  • SLF Egg Masses

    The Cottonwood thicket beyond the fencing is evidently well-stocked with the egg masses. I spotted fourteen from the path. I could reach about half of these with a stick taken from a pile of trimmings.

  • Raptor Wednesday

  • Wood-jabbers

  • Signs

    The donation button.