Gary
Witnessing the Shift: Anecdotal Evidence of Climate Change
At Connetquot River State Park Preserve on New York’s Long Island stands an ice house constructed in the 1800s that denotes a time when the planet was cooler. It was constructed with a brick foundation that formed a cellar with wooden walls above the ground and sheltered with a steep wooden roof. During the winter, […]
What Happens to Birds When a Tornado Strikes?
About 1,200 tornadoes slam the U.S. yearly. These tempestuous storms flatten homes, schools, and businesses, toss trucks, and hurl cars. People seek shelter to survive the ferocious and destructive winds, but what do birds do to live through tornados? We do not really know. Birds’ keen sense of hearing detects the hum of a tornado […]
Have You Ever Seen a Grackle Fish?
During a recent trip to a restaurant on King’s Bay in Crystal River, Florida, I walked out on the dock where boat-tailed grackles were having their dinner too. I watched them strike the water to snatch small baitfish from the water and perch on the posts and railings of the dock where these birds and […]
The Plant That Escaped the Garden
Native to Europe, north Africa and areas in Asia, the lesser celandine was introduced into the American garden landscape in the 1900’s for its beautiful shiny yellow flowers and glossy green kidney shaped leaves. The plant adapted so well to our gardens that it escaped into nearby native woodlands where it formed thick mats of […]
The Golden Wildflower
Throughout the eastern U.S. and in some places in the mid-west, the golden ragwort paints fields and sunlit woodland openings with splashes of golden yellow daisy-like blossoms. Sometimes it is confused with dandelions and hawkweeds by novices, but upon closer examination its 8 to 13 yellow petals, heart shaped basil leaves and clusters of blossoms […]
naturechirp 