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.”

  • Wild Yards

    In one sense, this is a rather depressing book. Nancy Lawson is the author of two books on the wilds of the backyard. This doesn’t seem to have had much effect on her neighbors. She’s surrounded by killers. Her neighbors are constantly felling trees, mowing and whacking, leaf-blowing, and, periodically, madly stomping on 17-year cicadas.…

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  • Lotta Lizards

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  • Bird, Caterpillar

    “Flycatcher” you say? A big fat caterpillar being battered to death. The bird actually dropped this juicy specimen and re-caught it in the air. Quite impressive, as I noticed this when reviewing my pictures. The bird’s upper bill is missing. *** Oof! I put the wrong link in yesterday for tomorrow’s Snail Safari. It’s updated…

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  • Flaring

    There were a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets foraging in this oak, and that got some of their hackles up: *** It’s almost the last chance to sign up for our Snail Safari on Saturday…

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  • Raptor Wednesday

    This is the second year for this nest. The mate, presumably the male. Distinctively wing-gapped. This one is banded with both a federal band (silver–not much good to the observer unless the bird is in hand) and a light blue with alphanumeric 10 over A (just readable in photographs) band. I reported to the Bird…

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  • Reporting for Duty

    April 9th: Cabbage White April 9th: Sylvanelater cylindriformis (I think) April 9th: a small mining bee April 9th: another unknown bee April 10: American Lady April 11th: mining bee (species unknown) April 11th: Ichneumonidae wasp April 12th: Cabbage Whites don’t waste time. April 13th: Common Blue Darners, a migratory species, the first Odonata I’ve seen…

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  • Foraging

    There were four or five female Red-winged Blackbirds in this blooming Eastern Cottonwood. Well, it certainly does look delicious. These are the anthers, and yes, they were shedding pollen.

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  • Here They Come

    Louisiana Waterthrush Palm Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Swamp Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Brown Creeper Carolina Wren

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  • Wood Duck Wink

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  • Winged Reproductives

    Some American Winter Ants/Prenolepis imparis attempting to reproduce. The female is much, much larger than the males. Two or three came down to the ground with her, but only one got to connect: Once her nuptial flight is done, she sheds her wings and goes back underground. The males, called drones, will die soon after…

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