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Great Blue Heron

“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.” – Carl Sagan

Great blue herons are waders, typically seen along coastlines, in marshes, or near the shores of ponds or streams. Shown here at Oliver Mill Park, Nemasket St. Middleboro, Massachusetts. The herring are scarce now as the run is almost complete, but there are still enough to snack on. Click here or scroll down to see what the Heron may see.  Even the common water snake couldn’t resist the sun. (below)  click on an image to enlarge.  Or, for a different view, click HERE

 

Red Wing Black Bird Chase Heron

 

 

 

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spring has finally sprung

Unmistakable signs that spring has finally sprung. Most folks have heard the nightly chorus of spring peepers, but few ever have seen them. The one pictured here, is a wood frog I believe.

Fun Facts: Not all frogs in cold climates bury themselves deeply enough to avoid freezing temperatures in the winter. There are actually five species of frogs in North America that can freeze and survive. Two of these frogs are the spring peeper and the Western chorus frog. As temperatures dip below 32 degrees, these frogs start producing their own “antifreeze” to help preserve the most essential organs. Up to 70% of the frog’s body can freeze, to the point that the heart stops pumping and the frog appears to be dead. Scientists still aren’t sure how frozen frogs can wake up again, but once they thaw out and wake up, most frogs will go through a period of healing before they resume their normal lives.

 

 

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Backyard Favorites

There’s something stunning about a bright-red male cardinal against a snowy backdrop. Especially when they are in my yard. The cardinal is one of the most highly desirable backyard birds in North America. The northern cardinal’s strong, thick bill is perfect for large seeds, and black oil sunflower seeds and safflower seeds are two of their favorites. Other foods cardinals prefer include cracked corn, peanut pieces, fresh berries, apple chunks and small pieces, crumbles or shreds of suet. These foods should be offered in large, wide feeders with plenty of space for birds to perch – small tube feeders are unsuitable for cardinals unless they have a large tray at the bottom. Platform feeders and large hopper feeders are good choices, but avoid lightweight hanging feeders that may swing or sway under these birds’ weight. Ensuring feeders are filled early in the morning and late in the evening, as these birds are often the first and last to visit feeders each day. If there is no food available when the birds arrive, they may leave and not return.

 

Continue reading “Backyard Favorites”

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Latest Reads

“A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called “leaves”) imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time ― proof that humans can work magic.” – Carl Sagan

In the late 70’s and early 1980s, I became interested in Archeology.  I had taken several classes more or less just for fun. A good friend of mine, Ken Moore, a photojournalist,  of Taunton, MA, and local Archeologist,  would often take me on his expeditions across Massachusetts.  Later, as I had always an interest in food and nutrition, I decided to go into the field of culinary imagination.  I had taken courses at UMass Dartmouth, or Southeastern Mass University as it was known then.  Chef Bows, put the notion in my head, to merge both Archeology and Nutrition in my studies.  Which I did. Its now called Nutritional Anthropology.  I studied, as best as I could, Native American Indian “diets and nutrition” of Massachusetts.   After Ken died, I decided to put Archeology on the back  burner for a while, (he had all the connections) Ken had introduced me to many distinguished scholars and I was very grateful to him.   I stayed with the food service  for years, as both Chef and dietitian.   And then,  computer science and forensic photography.  That’s a story for another time. After retirement, I resumed my education with studies in Geology, Environmental Science, Ecological Principles and Field Methods, along with Environmental Research Methods. I my received a degree in April 2018.  My wife constantly tells me to further my education. Maybe she just wants me out of the house.

I continue to have the love of Archeology, and you can still find me in the field every now and then with the grandchildren, or my wife. And listen silently, to Chloe asking, “can we bring those bugs home gram pa”

Chloe my youngest grandchild was once digging a hole in my back yard. I asked her what she was doing.  “digging a hole to China skippy” was her answer.  7 years old.  Most determined kid I know. You see her in this blog often.

Abbey is our Physics and Biology major. But she is my Granddaughter first and foremost.  Her skills as a video editor are (Mac & Windows) is unsurpassed.