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.”

  • Butterflies

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

    See more

  • Flying Food

    Birds were out in force on Saturday morning in Green-Wood when Eastern Subterranean Termites started “hatching out.” The winged reproductives pour out of their colonies and take to the air. They’re not the best of fliers, and many never even get into the air. Half an hour after I took a picture of this stump…

    See more

  • Still On The Edge

    The female House Sparrow foraged along the edge of the Sylvan Water. Looks like she got a newly emergent damselfly. She took a look at the big Snapping Turtle and vice-versa. There are at least four Common Snappers in Green-Wood’s largest water body. This one is third-largest, the shell being about 18″ long. The creature’s…

    See more

  • At Water’s Edge

    Not directly relevant, but I found this article on global shipping’s monstrosity fascinating.

    See more

  • Bees

    This, on species solidarity, and the nature of the word “nature,” could be longer…

    See more

  • Raptor Wednesday

    Well, energy makes the world go ’round. The transmutation of duckling into hawk… this mature Red-tailed Hawk made two passes over the edge of the Sylvan Water recently, to the accompaniment of loud duck squawking. The second pass was successful. This was the other Red-tailed that showed up soon afterwards. No duckling on the menu…

    See more

  • Somewhat Thematic Color Scheme

    Not an atypical look at a Brown Trasher. Luckily, this bird was showing itself nicely just a few moments before. And since I had to backtrack, I came upon two of them in the same spot, one with what certainly looked like nesting material in bill. Wood Thrushes are out and about, too. Ovenbird. The…

    See more

  • Mammal Monday

    A front-end loader stopped so this one could cross the road. Very fresh. Two more at another nest site.

    See more