Imagine a burned forest in California. The charred remains of trees, the soot on the forest floor and the smoke in the air might make it seem like all is lost. Far from it. While fires negatively affect many species of animals, they also spawn new and complicated ecosystems with rich biodiversity. In California, the black-backed […]
Tag: Black-backed Woodpecker
Spring is for the Birds and Birders!
As days get longer and temperatures begin to climb, birds and birders are anxiously waiting for that annual bliss that comes with the change in seasons. Yes—you know what I am talking about: Spring Migration. While some species are already on the move, we’re waiting for that burst of northward movement from the bulk of […]
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
One of my friends on facebook, who lives outside Chicago, was thrilled a few days ago when a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker spent a day in a conifer right outside her window. Jodie Cregier Nettelhorst reacted pretty much the way I do when I get a sapsucker in my yard. She said, “I feel so lucky. It […]
Clark’s Nutcracker at Lassen Volcanic National Park
This handsome corvid was named after Captain William Clark, the explorer of Lewis and Clark fame, in 1805. It inhabits the high montane regions of the western United States and Canada, preferring coniferous forest dominated by one or more species of large-seeded pines1. Click on photos for full sized images. Our Audubon group makes an […]
My Favorite Bird Photos of 2012
At the end of each year I like to go back and look at the bird photographs I have taken and choose the ones I like the best for a “favorite bird photo” post. I usually choose one photo for each month but this year I have thrown in some extras, probably, for one reason […]