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Icelandic birds
The omnipresent common redshank (Tringa totanus), seen and most definitely heard throughout the island. Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), at Arnarstapi. Two chicks are usual. Black guillermot (Cepphus grylle) in Husavik harbor. Common eider (Somateria mollissima) with ducklings. The most common duck seen; many young, but few adult males, who must have been in eclipse. Black-headed…
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On the geese
Back in Brooklyn and controversy: uproar over the gassing of 290 Canada geese in Prospect Park. I believe in a personal, emotional connection to wildness; I think this is profoundly important, but, like most things emotional, it can be carried too far. Into the realm of obsession, of people who think they are the caretakers…
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Whimbrels
My sweetheart and I are back from a magnificent, spectacular, ten day trip around Iceland with a group from the American Littoral Society. Posts about the trip begin here, randomly, at Day Two: these pictures are from Gardar (my apologies to Icelanders for my being too hot and humid to try to find the eth…
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Islenska Fugla
Here’s a list of the birds of Iceland. I am especially looking forward to seeing haforn, falki, and, of couse, one of my favorites, hrafn.
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Eastern Cottontail
The mammal’s eye. Some bird seed encouraged this one to get closer. Three others grazed the yard. That’s a rabbit-blood-bloated tick on the ear there. The flash gave it a red-eye effect like a wild sunset. As if it was guarding the Cave of Caerbannog. “Oh, it’s just a harmless little ‘bunny’ isn’t it?”
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Banding Osprey
Last week I had the good fortune to attend an osprey (Pandion haliaetus) banding on Nantucket island with people from the Maria Mitchell Association. There were three youngsters in this nest, one down from the original four hatched earlier. Unfortunately, it has not been a good season for nesting osprey on the island; fish, the…
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Mosaic Reflections
The “Departures and Arrivals” mosaic at the Jay St./ Borough Hall subway station (A, C, F trains) here in Brooklyn. Artist Ben Snead’s notion here, as explained on the plaque, is that species come and go, just like peoples. “The artist is interested in how the natural world mirrors our local population; in both great…
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Ant swarm
Last night about 3:30 I was informed that the Back 40 (inches), my little piece of Brooklyn backyard, was swarming with ants. Last week, I missed a twig-shaped caterpillar eating one of my plants around 4 a.m. I regretted not getting out of bed to see that. So last night I did get out of…
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Backyard and Beyond 