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.”

  • Diversify

    Marielle Anzelone on NYC’s threatened biodiversity.

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  • Brood X

    There are actually three species of periodical cicadas that make up Brood X. Magicicada septendecim or Pharaoh Cicada; Magicicada cassinii or Dwarf Periodical Cicada; and Magicicada septendecula or Decula Periodical Cicada. We call these seventeen year cicadas (there are also some thirteen year ones), but these are median spans: Decula can live from ten to…

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  • Brooding

    New York, except possibly for parts of Long Island, are not in the range of Brood X Magicicada genus periodical cicadas. We had to travel to Princeton, NJ, practically their northeastern-most outpost, to see them. And hear them: a thrumming incantation, background for much of our time in the town. In the thick of it,…

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  • Corvid, Spelled Right

    “How many dawns, chill form his rippling rest/The raven’s wings shall dip and pivot him,/Shedding black rings of tumult, building high/ Over the chained bay waters Liberty–” Hart Crane, with a little substation of a raven for his seagull. Work has been going on atop the tower through most of the breeding season, but this…

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  • Ravens

    This year’s crop of Sunset Park ravens should be out and about soon. Some other raven families already are: tune in tomorrow as this three day corvid weekend continues. Did you know that you can help fund the continuation of this blog?

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  • Fish Crow

    This Fish Crow, identified by voice, repeatedly picked something off or out of this dead branch of an Eastern Cottonwood. Shall we make this a Corvid 2021 weekend? Here’s a Fish Crow being chased by Common Grackles, who are probably defending their nest space.

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  • Obliging Rough-winged Swallows

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  • World Bee Day

    I don’t really know what World Bee Day is, but everyday is good for celebrating bees. Beeware, however, of green-washing corporate sponsors and bee-washing honey bee industrialists bearing gifts.

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  • Raptor Wednesday

    Saw this one zip in and out of a cornice but was about a block away, so wasn’t sure exactly which hole it was. There sure are options. To re-cap the Brooklyn Kestrels saga: they were displaced from their cornice nest of three breeding seasons by home repair. They moved an avenue block away. I…

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  • Butterflies

    First butterflies photographed this year. The early Mourning Cloak eluded the lens, but not the eye.

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