Fieldnotes
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Fake Bees
At first glance, you might think this was a small bumble bee. I did, and this isn’t my first bumble rodeo. But look at those eyes. In front of the face, not on the side like a bee. And the eyes are touching: this is a fly, a bumblebee-mimicking fly. Possible Merodon genus. Here’s another.…
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Raptor Wednesday
Another Brooklyn Bald Eagle sighting. The squawking of Canada Geese made me look as the eagle cruised over the Sylvan Water. A Northern Mockingbird was smacking into the raptor’s back. More recently, I saw a raptor in the distance chased by two small black birds, which turned out to be Fish Crows, identified by their…
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Apres Migration
There may still be some migrants moving through, but the great waves of north-ward birds are done for this year. Locally, the early birds are fledging. These Canada geese nested on the island in the middle of Sylvan Water. Eggs too big for Common Ravens perhaps? Just after seeing this House Finch feed one of…
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Spiders
Literally ran into this one’s silk and started carrying her along. Zebra Jumping Spider, fairly common, which may be because they are relatively easy to identify. Six-spotted Orbweaver, although I could only get pictures from the underside. About eye-level in a tree. Common Spitting Spider. A neighbor. Pholcus genus spider with something else alive. Actually,…
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Crowing
Fish Crows, by the sound of them, harrying the male American Kestrel. They did not seem to be making much of an impression. In other media, I didn’t do one of my listening tours this year because of you know what, but I did talk to WNYC’s Amy Pearl about listening to nature.
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Plants & Things
American Sweetgum seed pods getting larger. European Beech nuts. While we’re on the beech, a mess of woolly aphids. Note, by the way, the downy hairiness on these leaves! Black cherry in bloom. Being farmed by a Nomada bee (I think). Peach leaf curl, caused by a fungus. Aromatic sumac. Feeding a Silver-spotted Skipper. And…
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A Bee-y Slope
Now, I know some people will freak out over a lot of bees flying around at ankle-height in the spring sun, but if you make sure you don’t step on any of these mounds, you’ll be fine. Not because they’re going to attack you, but because it’s quite rude to stomp on somebody’s nest. (More…
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Raptor Wednesday
In a London plane tree across the street, the American Kestrel male stashes prey. The nesting kestrels used this same spot two years ago, too. These last two pictures are from the same day, but different caches. Both, obviously, bird. Note that the kestrels will eat their prey’s feet, swallowing with the toes pointed outwards,…
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Here They Come/Here They Come/Here They Come
Yesterday morning the “bronk!” of a raven lifted my eyes to the window. They were passing right over the building. Four of them! Another followed from another angle. Looks like the class of 2020 is on the wing. Two of them landed on St. Michael’s for a brief perch above their domaine. A hour or…
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Damselflies
Saw my first “ode” of the year on May 7th. Both damselflies, of which this is one, and dragonflies are members of the Odonata order. This one looks recently emergent. It was flying weakly, characteristic of a newly emerged adult, getting used to operating those four wings. This one is easier to identify: a Fragile…
Backyard and Beyond 