The recent proposed Critical Habitat designation for the Northern Spotted Owl does not protect the threatened species charge the Society for Conservation Biology, The Wildlife Society, American Bird Conservancy, and other groups. Comments submitted by the groups find that, by encouraging controversial and unproven logging practices in owl habitat, the draft plan fails to provide […]
Category: Wildlife
From Cape Trafalgar to La Janda
The Natural Park at Barbate which incorporates two different areas covering over 5,000 hectares is quite unique and diverse for wildlife. This is a view of the pine forest of La Breña, taken from the summit of the Sierra de Retin. Cape Trafalgar is just around the corner and the cliff top walk from the […]
Could This Be Another Pine Siskin Irruption?
The Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) is another irruptive bird species like the Red-breasted Nuthatch which is still hanging around my house. I am getting these finches at my feeders and at the water feature now. Could this be another Pine Siskin irruption year like the 2008 – 2009 winter? Pine Siskins are distributed across much […]
Aerial Kung Fu
A starling in crane stance, kung fu master clutching invisible enemies, wind shredded through whistling talons – Starling – Sturnus vulgaris
Common Copper Butterfly
New England is seeing the last of this year’s common copper butterflies. Click on my blog, UrbanWildlifeGuide.net to read about them. Lots more about butterflies and wildlife in my book — the Field Guide to Urban Wildlife.
Giant Otters
The highlight of our trip to Ecuador this year was seeing a family of Giant Otters. We were fortunate enough to see them on 3 separate occasions and at one point floated in our canoe about 10 yards from them as they played and fed (all behind foliage however). I did manage to capture some […]
Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis: Part Three ~ Emergence
This is the crowning moment of the Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis. Seeing the butterfly pushing open its sheer chrysalis casing door and flipping out into the world whole and perfect is a joyous observation and one that causes one to pause and ponder at the marvels of our natural world. While we pause, the Monarch butterfly’sover […]
Interview with Peter Chadwick, Award Winning Photographer
Peter Chadwick is an award-winning photographer. His image “Taking Off” won the Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Wildlife in 2011 Your photograph, “Taking off”, won the Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Wildlife last year. What did it mean to you to win in this category? My picture of the African Black Oystercatchers taking off from […]